YORK have become the second club to commit to paying their female players this season.
Women’s Super League champions Leeds previously announced they would pay a winning bonus, as well as payments for success in the Challenge Cup and Grand Final.
Now York, who won the League Leaders’ Shield last season before losing the Grand Final to Leeds, have confirmed that their women’s side will have a “paid structure”.
Clint Goodchild, who in his year as club owner has overseen a rebrand from the former City Knights title, with the men’s team, who play in the Championship, now known as the Knights and the women’s as the Valkyrie, told the York Press: “It’s been part of our planning for more than six months.
“The RFL are in support of it and it’s in alignment with what Leeds are doing.
“Having had good conversations with (Leeds chief executive) Gary Hetherington, we’re very comparable. We’re excited to be at the forefront of this.”
York established their women’s side in 2016 and joined Super League in 2018, but it was in 2021 that they made their biggest strides following the arrival of Lindsay Anfield as director of rugby.
She brought several top players with her from Castleford and York reached the Challenge Cup Final that season, before topping the table and reaching a first Grand Final last term while playing all their matches at the LNER Community Stadium.
The Valkyrie have a number of high-profile players, including the reigning Woman of Steel and England star Tara-Jane Stanley.
Their move towards professionalism comes with the profile of women’s Rugby League greater than ever, following unprecedented crowds at and coverage of the recent World Cup.
York played a major role in that tournament with their ground hosting eight matches, including both semi-finals.
England’s defeat by New Zealand there underlined the difference in quality between the best players in Super League, who until now have gone unpaid, and the professionals from the fast-growing NRLW competition in Australia.
“It’s great recognition for the girls and this is just the first step. There’s going to be on-going increases, looking at how quickly the NRLW has taken off,” predicted Goodchild.
“The majority of the players in our squad are under the age of 24. Our hope is that every girl in our squad can play out their career subject to their bodies, not subject to their wallets.
“They don’t have to retire due to income; they can reach their potential as players as long as they can sustain their fitness.”
