ST HELENS WOMEN TO BE PAID IN 2024

[josie andrews]

St Helens' Women's First Team players will receive match payments for the first time during the 2024 season, the club has today announced - another huge and positive step in the women's game.

Following the team's formation back in November 2017, Saints Women have gone on to lift three consecutive Challenge Cup titles (2021, 2022 and 2023), whilst also winning the League Leaders' Shield in 2021 and Super League title in 2021. The Club also has a former Woman of Steel winner in Jodie Cunningham, which she won back in 2021, a historic treble-winning season for our women's side, and one that is yet to be matched by any other club in the Women's Super League era.

Saints Women created more history in 2023; becoming the first side to qualify for the Women's Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, after beating York Valkyrie 17-16, courtesy of a last-minute Faye Gaskin drop goal. The Red V then further etched their name in the history books as the first winners of the Women's Challenge Cup at the national stadium, beating Leeds Rhinos 8-22, in what was the biggest club match in the history of the women's game so far in this country, and an incredibly massive and ground breaking moment for the growth of the sport.

Now, their Women's senior group continues to be trailblazers once again, becoming the first female players in Saints colours to receive payment for their on-field efforts for the Club.

This is a inspiring day for women's rugby league in St Helens, and paves the way for generations of girls in the future to get involved with women's rugby league within St Helens.

St Helens' Chairman Eamonn McManus commented on the news, stating on saintsrlfc.com:

"The news that our Women's team will be receiving match payments from the 2024 season is deserved recognition for all the hard work of all the players who have got us to this point.

"We have ensured in recent seasons that our women receive top-level coaching, conditioning, and medical support as well as utilizing the training and other facilities at the Club. It is now time that we begin to compensate them to reflect the wide-ranging and increasingly positive impact that they bring to the growth and profile of our sport.

"Our Saints women continue to blaze a trail; they are inspiring more women and girls to play rugby league for St Helens and forge what should be a bright future for what is such a big part of our club."

Jodie Cunningham, Captain and Head of Women's Pathways & Performances, also shared her joy about becoming a paid player:

"We are constantly striving as players and as a Club to further professionalise the elite environment we are building for the women at St Helens and the introduction of player payments is a huge part of this. To say we are paid for what we offer on the rugby field as athletes now is a really proud moment for me personally.

"However, today's announcement isn't just about what this means to us as individuals. It's about all the young girls that we are making new and better things possible for, and it's for all the women that went before us in women's rugby league that weren't supported and provided opportunities like we are lucky to have now at this great club, and as part of the Women's Super League."

Head coach Matty Smith also spoke with pride about seeing his team be rewarded for their efforts on the field:

"We as a Club are beyond delighted for the girls that they get payment from the Club from this season. During my first year with them, I have seen first-hand how hard they work and they deserve this moment which has been a long time coming.

"To become the first women's players in Saints colours to be paid by the Club is a big step forward for the women's game here, and something they should be proud of. I look forward to getting to work with them again and we're ready for a big 2024!"

https://www.superleague.co.uk/article/4 ... id-in-2024

[WarriorWinger]

Is it too early to cry out 'they are the only professional team' in the comp blah blah blah

[Jonathon Kerr (JK)]

To be fair, we must find ourselves in a similar position to them.

You can’t be paying the coach of the team and then not paying the players which was the case when they appointed Matty Smith.

Now with Betts coaching our women, we must be in the same position as I don’t imagine Betts is doing this for free.