Saints closing in on historic treble

St Helens go into Sunday’s Betfred Women’s Super League final knowing that a win will see them fulfil their pre-season aim of completing an historic treble in the game.
In 2017 when a smaller trial Super League saw four clubs broke away from the other Premier Division sides in the final weeks of the season to contest the Super League, Bradford Bulls remained unbeaten to claim all available trophies, but since the new competition in its current guise fully took hold the following year, no team has yet to achieve the feat.
Leeds Rhinos claimed the League Leaders Shield and the Challenge Cup in 2018 but lost out in the Grand Final to Wigan. The following year, the Rhinos retained the Challenge Cup and finally lifted the Super League trophy, but only after Castleford Tigers finished top and took the Shield.
Now just 80 minutes away from becoming the third different winner of the Women’s Super League, St Helens hooker and vice-captain Tara Jones knows success at Headingley will be the perfect way to celebrate the four years of hard work put in since the team formed ahead of the competition launch in 2018.
“We’re all buzzing at the success we’ve already had this season and now we have the chance to go out there and showcase what we can do one last time,” said Jones, who featured in the 34-6 Challenge Cup Final win over York City Knights in June and has been instrumental all season as St Helens also claimed the League Leaders Shield last month.
“We’re all feeling really positive, looking forward to the game and doing what we need to do to build up for the final.
“When all the girls were contacted at the start of the year we all wrote individual team goals and we were all on a very similar level – we all wanted to go out and achieve something this year, so to be so close to doing the treble, it is definitely something we’re aspiring to do.
“We often speak about the journey we’ve been on as a team and to see where we’ve gone from where we very first started off to getting to this point has been great to see. We’ve had players come in and some go, but all those that have come in have fitted in really well and have made us stronger.
“Every single player ha stepped up their game this year in and off the field. The girls have all worked so hard, we’ve put the extra effort in on our own away from the club and all made sacrifices to be where we are.
“It’s only right that we go on and get our reward for that on Sunday.”
Featherstone and Huddersfield Giants kick off proceedings on Sunday as they battle it out in the Shield Final from 12noon, before the Super League Grand Final between League Leaders St Helens and reining champions Leeds Rhinos takes place at 3pm.
Tickets cost £10 for adults and £5 for under 16, but members and/or season ticket holder of the four teams involved can claim up to two free tickets, with only a £1 booking fee to pay for each ticket. Clubs will email eligible members with a promo code that can be redeemed at www.eticketing.co.uk/rugbyleague.
Women’s Super League Fixtures
Shield Final
Featherstone Rovers v Huddersfield Giants 12:00
Grand Final
St Helens v Leeds Rhinos 15:00 (TV)
Both at Emerald Headingley Stadium