Warriors Women add five new names to squad

[josie andrews]

Wigan Warriors Women are pleased to confirm their playing squad for the 2024 Betfred Women’s Super League Season.

Five new names have been added to the squad ahead of the new season.

Wigan to face Cardiff, Salford and Barrow in Betfred Challenge Cup group stages.

Wigan Warriors Women are pleased to announce their playing squad for the 2024 Betfred Super League Season under new Head Coach Denis Betts, with five new additions included.

Mia-Jayne Atherton, who was a standout performer for the Greenmount Women’s Academy team in 2023, has been promoted to the First Team set-up. Atherton, who can play Centre and Second Row, possesses grit, determination and a team player attitude.

Atherton made her England debut for the England Community Lions against Serbia in 2023, where she scored a try and was also named both Players’ Player of the Year and Academy Player of Steel at the Women’s End of Season awards for 2023.

Alice Fisher joins the Warriors from Bradford Bulls, where she played for five-years and recently Captained the side. Though originally from a Rugby Union background, she was introduced to Rugby League when joining the RAF in 2011 and hasn’t looked back.

She then went on to Captain the RAF and UKAF teams that competed in the Annual Inter-Service Championships and the Presidents Cup. Alice is a seasoned player and a great addition to the forward pack options.

Brogan Evans is another new name in the side, after joining from Salford Red Devils. She first started playing Rugby League over 10-years ago and featured in the Betfred Women’s Super League for Warrington Wolves before signing for Salford Red Devils.

At the Red Devils she finished top of the Top Tackler and Top Carries charts, earning her Coaches’ Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year accolades at their end of season awards in 2023. Though making her England DiSE debut early last year, she then went on to be selected and made her international debut for Wales side against England in November 2023.

Also added are the duo from Leigh Leopards, Emma Knowles and Ellise Derbyshire. Knowles, who previously played for the Warriors girls Academy, experienced her first season in Super League playing at scrum half with Leigh Leopards in BWSL2 last season and was an exciting prospect. Away from Club level, she represented Lancashire in 2020 and 2022 and is also part of the England DiSE set-up.

Similarly, Ellise Derbyshire was a stand-out performer with the Leopards in 2023 and was named Young Player of the Year for Leigh Leopards in her first Super League Season.

Derbyshire prides herself on being a versatile player, able to play in the outside backs but also at loose forward. Most recently, she was selected as part of the England DiSE team who faced Catalan u19s in September 2023.

Full squad (in surname alphabetical order): Mia-Jayne Atherton*, Grace Banks, Sarah Bardsley, Alison Burrows, Mary Coleman, Ellie Costello, Anna Davies, Ellise Derbyshire*, Sinead Doria, Emma Dwyer, Brogan Evans*, Kerrie Evans, Alice Fisher*, Rebecca Greenfield, Jade Gregory-Haselden, Olivia Harborow, Bethany Hayes, Kaitlin Hilton, Eva Hunter, Lucy Johnson, Cerys Jones, Molly Jones, Emma Knowles*, Carys Marsh, Cailey Miller, Victoria Molyneux, Jodie Morris, Abbie Singleton, Holly Speakman, Ruth Thomas, Rachel Thompson.

*denotes New additions.

The draw for the group stages of the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup was made last week, with Wigan set to face Cardiff Demons, Salford Red Devils and Barrow Raiders. Full details of the draw can be found HERE.

Squad Numbers and full fixtures will both be released in due course.




https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/01/ ... -to-squad/