The 2019 RFL Women's Super League, known as the Betfred Women's Super League for sponsorship reasons, was the third season of the Rugby League Women's Super League for female players in clubs affiliated to the Rugby Football League.
The champions were Leeds Rhinos who beat Castleford Tigers 20–12 in the Grand Final on 11 October 2019. Castleford Tigers won the league leaders shield, a 44–0 win over York City Knights in round 13 put them three points clear of nearest rivals, St Helens, with a round to spare.
For 2019, the number of teams was expanded from seven to eight, with the addition of Wakefield Trinity to the league.
The season comprised 14 rounds, with each team playing each other home and away, commencing on 7 April and ending on 29 September. Following the regular season, the top four teams played off against each other in two semi-finals, with the Grand Final played on Friday 11 October, at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens and broadcast live on Sky Sports.
On 15 August 2019 it was announced that Betfred would become the sponsors of the league with immediate effect in a deal that will run until the end of the 2021 season.
The defending champions were Wigan Warriors, who beat League Leaders Shield winners Leeds Rhinos, 18–16 at the Grand Final at the Manchester Regional Arena. Wigan were eliminated from the play-offs after they lost 34–4 to Castleford Tigers in the semifinals.
Teams Colours Club Location Bradford Bulls Bradford, West Yorkshire Castleford Tigers Castleford, West Yorkshire Featherstone Rovers Featherstone, West Yorkshire Leeds Rhinos Leeds, West Yorkshire St Helens St Helens, Merseyside Wakefield Trinity Wakefield, West Yorkshire Wigan Warriors Wigan, Greater Manchester York City Knights York, North Yorkshire
Fixtures and results Round 1 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Bradford Bulls38–16 Featherstone Rovers7 April 2019, 12:45pmOdsal Stadium Leeds Rhinos54–4 Wakefield Trinity 7 April 2019, 1:00pmSports Park, Weetwood Wigan Warriors4–6 St Helens7 April 2019, 1:00pmRobin Park Arena York City Knights0–80 Castleford Tigers7 April 2019, 2:00pmYork St John University Sports Park Source:
Round 2 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Featherstone Rovers16–24 Leeds Rhinos14 April 2019, 1:30pmLD Nutrition Stadium Wigan Warriors14–36 Castleford Tigers 14 April 2019, 2:00pmOrrell St James York City Knights6–10 Wakefield Trinity14 April 2019, 2:00pmYork St John University Sports Park St Helens24–0 Bradford Bulls22 April 2019, 12:00pmTotally Wicked Stadium Source:
Round 3 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Bradford Bulls60–6 Wakefield Trinity28 April 2019, 12:30pmOdsal Stadium Castleford Tigers27–0 Leeds Rhinos28 April 2019, 1:00pmMend-A-Hose Jungle York City Knights0–62 Wigan Warriors 28 April 2019, 2:00pmYork St John University Sports Park St Helens54–16 Featherstone Rovers28 April 2019, 5:45pmTotally Wicked Stadium Source:
Round 4 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Wigan Warriors 4–12 Leeds Rhinos 12 May 2019, 1:00pm Robin Park Arena Castleford Tigers 30–14 St Helens 12 May 2019, 2:00pm Mend-A-Hose Jungle Wakefield Trinity 8–40 Featherstone Rovers 12 May 2019, 2:00pm The Mobile Rocket Stadium York City Knights 4–38 Bradford Bulls 12 May 2019, 2:00pm York St John University Sports Park Source:
Round 5 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue York City Knights 0–50 Leeds Rhinos 2 June 2019, 12:00pm York St John University Sports Park Wakefield Trinity 0–66 St Helens 2 June 2019, 2:00pm Mobile Rocket Stadium Wigan Warriors 42–4 Featherstone Rovers 2 June 2019, 2:00pm Robin Park Arena Bradford Bulls 22–42 Castleford Tigers 6 June 2019, 7:30pm Odsal Stadium Source:
Round 6 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Bradford Bulls 6–18 Leeds Rhinos 30 June 2019, 12:30pm Odsal Stadium Wakefield Trinity 6–44 Wigan Warriors 30 June 2019, 1:00pm Mobile Rocket Stadium Featherstone Rovers 20–46 Castleford Tigers 30 June 2019, 2:00pm LD Nutrition Stadium St Helens 60–6 York City Knights 30 June 2019, 3:00pm Totally Wicked Stadium Source:
Round 7 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Leeds Rhinos 16–30 St Helens 21 July 2019, 12:30pm Headingley Bradford Bulls 16–20 Wigan Warriors 21 July 2019, 1:00pm Odsal Stadium Castleford Tigers 54–8 Wakefield Trinity 21 July 2019, 5:00pm Mend-A-Hose Jungle Featherstone Rovers 18–16 York City Knights 22 September 2019, 2:00pm LD Nutrition Stadium Source:
Round 8 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Castleford Tigers 50–16 Bradford Bulls 4 August 2019, 1:00pm Mend-A-Hose Jungle Featherstone Rovers 18–16 Wigan Warriors 4 August 2019, 1:00pm LD Nutrition Stadium Leeds Rhinos 30–0 York City Knights 4 August 2019, 1:00pm Sports Park, Weetwood St Helens 60–0 Wakefield Trinity 4 August 2019, 5:00pm Totally Wicked Stadium Source:
Round 9 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Bradford Bulls18–32 St Helens11 August 2019, 1:00pmOdsal Stadium Castleford Tigers56–8 Wigan Warriors11 April 2019, 1:00pmMend-A-Hose Jungle Leeds Rhinos52–0 Featherstone Rovers11 August 2019, 1:00pmSports Park, Westwood Wakefield Trinity4–20 York City Knights11 August 2019, 2:00pmSharlston Rovers Source:
Round 10 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Leeds Rhinos26–36 Castleford Tigers17 August 2019, 1:00pmEmerald Headingley Wakefield Trinity4–48 Bradford Bulls18 August 2019, 1:00pmThe Mobile Rocket Stadium Featherstone Rovers7–50 St Helens18 August 2019, 2:00pmL D Nutrition Stadium Wigan Warriors42–0 York City Knights18 August 2019, 2:00pmRobin Park Arena Source:
Round 11 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Castleford Tigers74–8 Featherstone Rovers1 September 2019, 1:00pmMend-A-Hose Jungle York City Knights0–56 St Helens 1 September 2019, 1:00pmYork St John University Wigan Warriors52–6 Wakefield Trinity1 September 2019, 2:00pmRobin Park Arena Source:
Round 12 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Wakefield Trinity4–36 Castleford Tigers 8 September 2019, 1:00pmThe Mobile Rocket Stadium Wigan Warriors20–20 Bradford Bulls8 September 2019, 2:00pmRobin Park Arena York City Knights16–26 Featherstone Rovers8 September 2019, 2:00pmYork St John University St Helens20–20 Leeds Rhinos8 September 2019, 3:00pmRuskin Park Source:
Round 13 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Wakefield Trinity4–66 Leeds Rhinos14 September 2019, 1:00pmThe Mobile Rocket Stadium Featherstone Rovers22–14 Bradford Bulls15 September 2019, 2:00pmL D Nutrition Stadium St Helens28–0 Wigan Warriors15 September 2019, 2:00pmRuskin Park Castleford Tigers44–0 York City Knights17 September 2019, 7:00pmMend-A-Hose Jungle Source:
Round 14 HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenue Featherstone Rovers26–0 Wakefield Trinity 29 September 2019, 1:00pmLD Nutrition Stadium Bradford BullsP–P York City Knights29 September 2019, 2:00pmNeil Hunt Memorial Ground Leeds Rhinos16–0 Wigan Warriors29 September 2019, 2:15pmWeetwood Sports Park St Helens20–14 Castleford Tigers29 September 2019, 3:00pmRuskin Park Source:
Regular season standings
Play-offs semi-finals HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueReferee Castleford Tigers 34–4 Wigan Warriors 6 October 2019, 13:00 Mend-A-Hose Jungle St Helens 14–18 Leeds Rhinos 6 October 2019, 13:00 Totally Wicked Stadium A. Moore Source:
Grand final
Castleford TigersPositionLeeds Rhinos #1 Tara Stanley #1 Caitlin Beevers #16 Maisie Lumb #15 Sophie Nuttall #24 Lucy Eastwood #30 Abby Eatock #12 Lacey Owen #16 Chloe Karrigan #4 Kelsey Gentles #24 Fran Goldthorp #6 Georgia Roche #6 Hannah Butcher #33 Jasmine Cudjoe #7 Courtney Hill (c) #10 Grace Field #10 Danielle Anderson #9 Sinead Peach #14 Tasha Gaines #68 Shona Hoyle #13 Amy Johnson #28 Hollie Dodd #11 Aimee Staveley #11 Tamzin Renouf #4 Charlotte Booth #13 Rhiannon Marshall #28 Paige Webster #14 Sammy Watts #27 Keara Bennett #8 Emma Lumley #19 Elle Frain #31 Frankie Townend #8 Danika Priim #44 Emma Slowe #22 Elle Oldroyd
Leeds completed a league and cup double with 20–12 victory over Castleford in the Grand Final on 11 October 2019. In a game televised live on Sky Sports Castleford took an early advantage with two tries in the first five minute; the scorers being Maisie Lumb and Lacey Owen. Leeds pulled a try back through Abby Eatock and these were the only points of the first half with the half-time score being 8–4 to Castleford.
In the second half, it was Leeds who proved to be the stronger side with three tries in close succession, two for 16-year old winger Fran Goldthorp and one for Elle Frain. Leeds captain Courtney Hill converted two of the tries to give Leeds a 20–8 lead. Kelsey Gentles did score a late try for Castleford to make the score 20–12 but it was too late for Castleford to catch up.
End of season awards Courtney Hill (Leeds Rhinos) was named as the Woman of Steel at the end of season awards.
References
External links Women and girls rugby league