Looking ahead to the Betfred Women’s Super League 2022

2021 is almost done and dusted, the trials are coming to an end and the pre-season is on the way. Women’s Super League is back in 2022 with a new format.

With the promotion of Leigh Miners and Barrow Raiders, the Super League will be split into two groups consisting of 6 teams.

Group one
St Helens
Leeds Rhinos
Castleford Tigers
York City Knights
Wigan Warriors
Huddersfield Giants

It is clear to say that after last season St Helens will be the team to beat in 2022. They have well-documented talent in their squad with the likes of Amy Hardcastle and current Woman of Steel and recently appointed RFL national women’s and girls development manager Jodie Cunningham, can anyone topple the champions?

York City Knights will be looking forward to a more settled season as the mass additions to their squad last season will be looking and feeling more like a team that can play together as one and put themselves into contention for a top finish.

The Wigan Warriors cannot be overlooked either, as the club goes into their 150th year the women will be pushing to return to their champion days of 2018.

Following the mass exodus of last season, the Castleford Tigers must put that to the back of their minds and push forward in the #NewEra. They have a hotbed of talent and depth to their squad that makes them a dangerous and unpredictable team.

The underdogs of group one have to be the Huddersfield Giants, but this is a title they will relish as they were written off by many last season but ended up winning the BWSL shield. With the addition of England international Shona Hoyle to the squad this season they have a good split of experience and youth moving up the ranks. They are hungry to prove that they are not just there to make the numbers up and have the ability to cause a few upsets along the way.

Bradford Bulls
Featherstone Lions
Wakefield Trinity
Warrington Wolves
Barrow Raiders
Leigh Miners

There wasn’t much between the teams in the bottom half of the league last season so they will all be hungry to hit the ground running as the season begins. With the addition of two promoted teams from the Women’s Championship, group two is shaping up to be a very competitive league and has the premise to have some entertaining games on the roster.

Leigh miners have gone from strength to strength in recent years and their promotion was inevitable following a dominant season in 2021. They are a well-drilled team that have played together for many years and it shows in their expansive play.

Barrow raiders also gained promotion to the 2022 Super League, like Leigh, they have played together for many years and are a very organised outfit. They have a new coach in Amanda Wilkinson who brings along a mass of experience, she is no stranger to Super League as she was the coach that took the Wigan Warriors to the first Grand Final win in 2018.

There is a real excitement surrounding the women’s game at the moment with the upcoming World Cup 2022 and the expansion which was delayed in 2021 due to the pandemic will keep pushing the game forward and hopefully bringing with it a wider audience.

Thomas Brindle, BWSL general manager believes that whilst maintaining the intensity in group one will also build a more competitive environment in group two, saying

“We feel that will be the best way of maintaining intensity for leading players, which is especially important in a World Cup year, while also allowing clubs in the second group develop at a more competitive level. The continued ambition of clubs in group two will also be recognised by the introduction of one up, one down promotion and relegation between the groups for 2023”

All in all the Betfred Women’s Super League 2022 is shaping up to be the best one yet, and with the talent on show, they’ll be plenty of opportunity for the players to showcase their talent and put themselves in a strong position to compete on the international stage in the RLWC2022.