Murray and Sykes nominated for Betfred Women's Super League Awards

Leeds Rhinos Women's players Lucy Murray and Bella Sykes have been nominated for awards in this year's Women's Super League Awards.

There will be a new name on the Woman of Steel trophy this year with three players who have never won the most prestigious individual honour in Women’s Rugby League shortlisted for 2024 (listed below in alphabetical order).

21-year-old Lucy Murray is the youngest player in contention this year – the second rower has become a regular for Leeds Rhinos since her debut back in 2021 and was recently named their Women’s Player of the Year.

St Helens scrum-half Faye Gaskin has been recognised in what’s set to be her final season for the Red V. The 32-year-old opened the scoring for Saints at Wembley Stadium earlier this season and has been playing some of her best rugby after overcoming a serious knee injury that saw her sidelined in 2021 for two years.

Georgie Hetherington is shortlisted for the first time following a standout season for York Valkyrie in the absence of their captain and last year’s Woman of Steel, Sinead Peach. Hetherington enjoyed a dream England debut in June as she registered a try and an assist against France in the Mid-Season international.

21-year-old Lucy Murray is the youngest player in contention this year – the second rower has become a regular for Leeds Rhinos since her debut back in 2021 and was recently named their Women’s Player of the Year.

The 2024 Woman of Steel will be crowned at Rugby League’s biggest and most inclusive Awards Night at the Royal Armouries, Leeds on Tuesday 8 October – two days after the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final. 

Shortlists for the two additional Women’s awards that will be announced that night have also been confirmed today – Coach of the Year and Young Player of the Year.

Amanda Wilkinson of Barrow Raiders and Wigan Warriors Denis Betts have both been shortlisted for Coach of the Year. Both coaches have reinvigorated their teams in 2024 with Barrow ending their first season in the top flight in fifth and Wigan squeezing the gap to the top three to just four points alongside lifting the Women’s Nines trophy.

The third contender is Matty Smith, a former men’s Grand Final and Challenge Cup winner as a player with Wigan, who has steered them to back-to-back victories in the Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley as well as lifting the 2024 League Leaders Shield. 

Criteria for the BWSL Young Player of the Year are slightly different to the men’s equivalent, as only players who were 19 and younger at the start of 2024 are considered, recognising the younger average age of players in the Women’s game.

The three contenders are Leeds middle Bella Sykes and  Wigan duo Isabel Rowe and Eva Hunter.

The Woman of Steel voting panel consists of Women’s Rugby League experts and evangelists Tanya Arnold, Jenna Brooks, Lorraine Marsden and Danika Priim joined by the England Women Head Coach Stuart Barrow, and BWSL General Manager Thomas Brindle. 

The Coach of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards are determined by a separate panel of performance experts led by Stuart Barrow.