STEPHEN IBBETSON assesses the runners and riders as the Women’s Super League gets underway this week.
BARROW RAIDERS
THERE is a top-flight presence in Cumbria for the first time this season, following Barrow’s promotion through the play-offs into the new eight-team Super League. They have know-how in former title-winning coach Amanda Wilkinson, but the majority of the squad are new to this level. Ominously, they were the only Super League team not to make it through the Challenge Cup group stages, after they were beaten by Championship South side Cardiff, and they are considered favourites by many to finish bottom and be playing second-tier opposition again in a relegation play-off.
Squad: 1 Michelle Larkin, 2 Emma Hutchinson, 3 Leah Clough, 4 Claire Hutchinson, 5 Sam Norman, 6 Demi Fisher, 7 Jodie Litherland, 8 Kelly Friend, 9 Beth Lindsay, 10 Jodie Morley, 11 Emily Stirzaker, 12 Vanessa Temple, 13 Kerrie-Ann Smith, 14 Mia Dobson, 15 Leah Cottier, 16 Hannah Sherlock, 17 Charlotte Todhunter, 18 India Jackson, 19 Amy Sunderland, 20 Laura Mellen, 21 Fran Harley, 22 Maddie Neale, 23 Shannon Parker, 24 Alice Rush, 25 Jodie Crawford, 26 Chloe Capstick, 28 Jazz Callon.
FEATHERSTONE ROVERS
SUPER LEAGUE’S other newcomers are Featherstone, who finished top in a competitive Group Two race by points difference last season. A powerhouse of the women’s game in the past, they will fancy their chances of competing in the present with talented players such as Charley Blackburn and Chloe Billington. The gap to the top is a big one, however, as demonstrated by their concession of 80 points to reigning Super League champions York in the Challenge Cup group stage. Survival will be the first priority this season, while improving as a group and keeping hold of their best players.
Squad: 1 Danielle Waters, 2 Elland Lamb, 3 Francesca Copley, 4 Ella Johnson, 5 Brooke Price, 6 Tally Bryer, 7 Olivia Grace, 8 Shanelle Mannion, 9 Charley Blackburn, 10 Brogan Churm, 11 Hannah Watt, 13 Chloe Billington, 14 Kacey Davies, 15 Chloe Smith, 16 Gabrielle Harrison, 17 Kirsty Duffield, 18 Alyssa Courtney, 19 Ashlea Prescott, 20 Brogan Kennedy, 21 Gabrielle Cochrane-Kaney, 22 Natalie Carr, 23 Ellie Wainhouse, 24 Rachel Eastwood, 25 Saskia Lewis, 26 Katie Evans, 28 Shavon Craven, 29 Kaya-Jo Laing, 30 Maddison Rainey, 31 Emillie Holmes.
HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS
IT’S been a transformative off-season at Huddersfield, who were taken over by the main club and are enjoying the benefits of increased investment that has come with it. New staff and players have been brought in with the aim of making the Giants more competitive, after their maiden top-flight season in 2023 brought just one win from ten games. Signings such as Grace Ramsden and Sam Hulme should allow them to climb the table with a top-four finish not out of the question, especially if Amelia Brown continues to collect tries after scoring nine in three Challenge Cup group games.
Squad: 1 Amy Bennett, 2 Hannah Goddard, 3 Ana Da Silva, 4 Lois Naidole, 5 Amelia Brown, 6 Frankie Townend, 7 Sam Hulme, 8 Paige Webster, 9 Bethan Oates, 10 Ellie Oldroyd, 11 Jess Harrap, 12 Kacy Haley, 13 Katy Fisher, 14 Sienna McPherson, 15 Becky Grady, 16 Emma Wilkinson, 17 Megan Preston, 18 Grace Ramsden, 19 Beth Armstrong, 20 Georgia Hampshaw, 21 Lauren Waller, 22 Allana Waller, 23 Em Johnstone, 24 Ellie Thompson, 25 Chloe Fairbank, – Gracie Hobbs.
LEEDS RHINOS
THE nearly women of 2023, Leeds were beaten finalists in both cup and league, losing the first Wembley final to St Helens before falling to York in the Grand Final. But the signing of Shona Hoyle from the former, plus duo Grace Field and Liv Whitehead from the latter, will only make them stronger and they start the season as title favourites in the eyes of many. A lengthy injury list will need to be negotiated in the early stages of the season but coach Lois Forsell has the depth in her squad to return them to finals and have them on the right side of a result this year.
Squad: 1 Ruby Enright, 2 Sophie Robinson, 3 Caitlin Beevers, 4 Amy Hardcastle, 5 Sophie Nuttall, 6 Hanna Butcher, 7 Caitlin Casey, 8 Zoe Hornby, 9 Keara Bennett, 10 Izzy Northrop, 11 Shona Hoyle, 12 Bella Sykes, 13 Bethan Dainton, 14 Tara Moxon, 15 Jasmine Cudjoe, 16 Beth Lockwood, 17 Lucy Murray, 18 Liv Whitehead, 19 Grace Field, 20 Kaiya Glynn, 21 Evie Cousins, 22 Jenna Greening, 23 Elychia Watson, 24 Beth MacMillan, 25 Ella Donnelly, 26 Shannon Lacey, 27 Mayzi Carter, 28 Orla McCallion, 29 Elle Frain.
ST HELENS
WEMBLEY glory made 2023 a memorable campaign for St Helens, who will be looking to back that up and win a fourth consecutive Challenge Cup this season. But they will also need to improve in Super League after two consecutive seasons without reaching the Grand Final. They have now joined their two main rivals in paying their players but lost Shona Hoyle and Eboni Partington to Leeds and York respectively in the off-season, while recruiting only talented young fullback Beri Salihi and welcoming Rachel Woosey back. Skipper Jodie Cunningham is now running all the women’s operations.
Squad: 1 Beri Salihi, 2 Rebecca Rotheram, 3 Luci McColm, 4 Erin Stott, 5 Leah Burke, 6 Zoe Harris, 7 Faye Gaskin, 8 Vicky Whitfield, 9 Tara Jones, 10 Chantelle Crowl, 11 Paige Travis, 12 Emily Rudge, 13 Jodie Cunningham, 14 Naomi Williams, 15 Lucie Sams, 16 Darcy Stott, 17 Pip Birchall, 18 Alyx Bridge, 19 Katie Mottershead, 20 Phoebe Hook, 21 Amy Taylor, 22 Megan Williams, 23 Gracie Bradshaw, 24 Georgia Sutherland, 25 Danielle McGifford, 26 Emily Baggaley, 27 Hannah Roberts, 28 Erin McDonald, 29 Grace Arrowsmith, 30 Rachael Woosey.
WARRINGTON WOLVES
IT’S all change at Warrington with a new head coach in Armani Sharrock, who replaced Lee Westwood at the end of last season, several months after her own forced playing retirement. They have lost a number of regulars from last season too, including Grace Ramsden and Kacy Haley to Huddersfield, plus Michelle Davis who has left for second-tier Salford with Louise Fellingham moving in the opposite direction. What is left is a largely young team, with raw talents like Anna Dennis, who will need time to develop. Some hard times may be in store before things get better for the Wolves.
Squad: 1 Anna Dennis, 2 Abigail Johnston, 3 Nicole Barnett, 4 Stevie Donougher, 5 Rebecca Nixon, 6 Millie Bell, 7 Charlie Magraw, 8 Abigail Latchford, 9 Danielle Bound, 10 Grace Burnett, 11 Katie May Williams, 12 Samantha Simpson, 13 Emily Downs, 14 Jasmine Wilson, 15 Sarina Tamoul, 16 Megan Condliffe, 17 Louise Fellingham, 18 Arabella Dahou, 19 Grace Wray, 20 Helena Turner, 21 Lauren Ellison, 22 Tina Millan, 23 Kimberley Seddon, 24 Olivia Hill, 25 Olivia Webb, 26 Ellie Jelves, 27 Emily Tandy, 28 Shannon Stephens, 29 Georgia Bogg, 30 Georgia Westwood, 31 Shauna Fitzgerald, 32 Lecky Dunne.
WIGAN WARRIORS
WHILE the appointment of Denis Betts as head coach earned a few headlines, in the short-term Wigan look no closer to breaking the stranglehold of the top three. Most of the top established talent is playing for those clubs – new captain Vicky Molyneux being a noteworthy exception – leaving the Warriors with young prospects like Grace Banks, Ellise Derbyshire and Emma Knowles (the latter two signed from Leigh). Their Challenge Cup group campaign was mixed, winning every game but almost coming a cropper at Barrow. With increasing competition, they will do well to stay in the top four.
Squad: 1 Grace Banks, 2 Cailey Miller, 3 Anna Davies, 4 Molly Jones, 5 Ellise Derbyshire, 6 Sinead Doria, 7 Emma Knowles, 8 Alice Fisher, 9 Abbie Singleton, 10 Hollie Speakman, 11 Eva Hunter, 12 Mary Coleman, 13 Vicky Molyneux, 14 Rachel Thompson, 15 Ruth Thomas, 16 Brogan Evans, 17 Rebecca Greenfield, 19 Ellie Costello, 20 Emma Dwyer, 21 Jade Gregory-Haselden, 22 Jodie Morris, 23 Kaitlin Hilton, 24 Lucy Johnson, 25 Sarah Bardsley, 26 Cerys Jones, 27 Bethany Hayes, 28 Olivia Haraborow, 29 Mia-Jayne Atherton, 30 Kerrie Evans, 31 Alison Burrows, 32 Isabel Rowe, 33 Carys Marsh, 34 Rease Casey.
YORK VALKYRIE
WHERE next for York after reaching their holy grail of a first league title? Backing that up will be no easy feat for Lindsay Anfield and her crew, especially after the loss of Grace Field and Liv Whitehead to Leeds, but Valkyrie have signed Eboni Partington from St Helens and welcome Kelsey Gentles back following her pregnancy. Their announcement in the off-season of full semi-professional contracts for their first-team players was a historic moment for the sport, and one that suggests York fully intend to stay at the forefront of the women’s game for the long term.
Squad: 1 Tara Jane Stanley, 2 Eboni Partington, 3 Tamzin Renouf, 4 Emma Kershaw, 5 Georgie Hetherington, 6 Sade Rihari, 7 Liv Gale, 8 Liv Wood, 9 Sinead Peach, 10 Jas Bell, 11 Lacey Owen, 12 Savannah Andrade, 13 Rhiannon Marshall, 14 Georgia Taylor, 15 Kelsey Gentles, 16 Daisy Sanderson, 17 Elisa Akpa, 18 Jess Sharp, 19 Bettie Lambert, 20 Alex Stimpson, 21 Lucy Eastwood, 22 Eva Izumi, 23 Manuqalo Komaitai, 24 Ellie Hendry, 25 Ashleigh Hyde, 26 Carrie Roberts.
