A four-week development programme aimed at identifying the Women’s Rugby League players of the future culminated this week with games at Wakefield Trinity, overseen by the RFL’s England Performance Pathway.
More than 140 under 15s and under 16s girls had previously taken part in training sessions held in Featherstone, St Helens and Tong, near Bradford, which focused on developing a range of core skills. The sessions were planned and delivered by volunteer staff, all of whom have a strong presence in Women’s and Girl’s Rugby League.
The aim of the programme is to help young players to produce future Women's Super League and England stars.
Conor Meese, who manages the RFL’s government-funded Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) programme, explains: "It's an incredibly exciting time for women's and girl’s Rugby League in this country, and we are delighted to offer more training and exposure to our most promising young players. The volunteer staff have been excellent, developing these young players enormously over the training block. I’m extremely excited to see some of these players in action once again at next year’s hubs and across the DiSE programme.”
Stuart Barrow, RFL Head of Female Pathways, adds: “After a two year break due to Covid it’s been great to see return of the girl’s talent hubs. The hubs are the first step on the performance pathway and play a vital role in not only developing players but staff too.”
The next step in the female performance pathway, post under 16, is the Diploma in Sporting Excellence (DiSE) programme run by the RFL’s Performance Department. It’s a national programme for Years 12 and 13 girls who have the potential to reach the top level of the women’s game in England. The sport has 30 places every academic year for each new group of Year 12 students who study full time at school or college.
DiSE is a ‘dual career’ performance programme which combines education and elite rugby development. Players receive high-level training delivered on a camp basis by the England Performance Unit. The rugby sessions are designed and overseen by the RFL’s Stuart Barrow, who closely monitors players development throughout their journey.
Central Yorkshire Under 16s Talent Hub
Staff: Head Coach - Richard Casey, Assistant Coach – Ellis Pascall, Team Manager – Katherine Casey, Medical – John Heaton.
Players: Olivia Atherton (Featherstone Lionesses); Isabelle Brown (Hull FC); Tilly Brown (Methley); Bethan Candlin (Hull FC); Charli Carlton (Oulton Raidettes); Oceana Faulkner (Oulton Raidettes); Abbie Fox (Featherstone Lionesses); Kiera Gittins (East Leeds); Hannah Hill (Oulton Raidettes); Emille Holmes (Methley); Poppy Howdle (Hull FC); Holly Humphries (Methley); Kaya Jo-Lainge (Featherstone Lionesses); Charlotte Lawson (Hull FC); Charlotte Mosley (Oulton Raidettes); Amy Nolan (Hull KR); Ebony Oaten-Powdrill (Hull KR); Ruby Parker (Featherstone Lionesses); Maisie Pease (Featherstone Lionesses); Skye Robinson (Featherstone Lionesses); Bethany Rushmer (Hull KR); Jessica Sharp (Hull KR); Grace Short (Oulton Raidettes); Lilly Thompson (Methley).
Central Yorkshire Under 15s Talent Hub
Staff: Head Coach – Kirsty Moroney, Assistant Coach – Jack Coates, Team Manager – Katherine Casey, Medical – John Heaton.
Players: Ellamai Anderson (Featherstone Lionesses); Katie Barrett (East Leeds); Holly Beaumont (Whinmoor Warriors); Amie Blakeston Ellerker (Methley); Layla Blanchard (Featherstone Lionesses); Isabelle Brennan (Oulton Raidettes); Keira Brook (Oulton Raidettes); Ellie Dalton (Methley); Lucy Evans (Featherstone Lionesses); Summer Goodway (Methley); Cerys Gregory (Oulton Raidettes); Aisla Merryweather (Hull KR); Katie Nozedar (Hull KR); Olivia Phelan (Methley); Kaitlyn Pycroft (Methley); Melissa Sampson (Oulton Raidettes); Evie Sexton (Hull FC); Ebony Stead (Oulton Raidettes); Lillie Sutton (Methley); Isabelle Swallow (Oulton Raidettes); Faith Thorp (Featherstone Lionesses); India Thorp (Featherstone Lionesses); Ellie Traynor (Oulton Raidettes); Tarren Williamson (Oulton Raidettes)
West Yorkshire Under 16s Talent Hub
Staff: Head Coach – Laura Wilson, Assistant Coach – Dave Allen, Team Manager – Steve Weston, Medical – Alex Fishwick.
Players: Mayzi Carter (Shaw Cross); Isabelle Clinton (Elland); Georgia Duffy (Queensbury); Isabelle Earnshaw (Elland); Katie Evans (Shaw Cross); Libby Garley (West Bowling); Lucy Gregg (Elland); Hannah Hamilton (West Bowling); Georgia Hampshaw (Dewsbury Moor); Scarlett Hartley (Dewsbury Moor); Scarlett Hill (Stanningley); Lilly Holmes (Illingworth); Ruby Lockwood (Shaw Cross); Macy McDermott (Illingworth); Leah Mae Beckett (Elland); Tira Murray (Illingworth); Jess Oldroyd (Illingworth); Olivia Osborne (Shaw Cross); Honey Oxtoby (Shaw Cross); Emily Poole (Stanningley); Leah Sharp (Dewsbury Moor); Maia Taktikos (Illingworth); Ruby Tyson (Elland); Tayer Wheater (Shaw Cross).
West Yorkshire Under 15s Talent Hub
Staff: Head Coach – Andy Holleyhead, Assistant Coach – Glenn Swailes, Team Manager – Steve Weston, Medical – Alex Fishwick.
Players: Frankie Blakey (Shaw Cross); Ruby Bruce (Dewsbury Moor); Madeline Crawshaw (Queensbury); Mia Harker Hayman (Queensbury); Georgia Heald (Stanningley); Amelia Hirst (Stanningley); Madison Hutchison (Elland); Weronika Kuriata (Dewsbury Moor ); Jess Lumb (Shaw Cross); Charlotte McDaid (Dewsbury Moor); Eve Mathie (Stanningley); Kaitlyn Morrison-Twibill (Dewsbury Moor); Kiera Page (West Bowling); Leah Schofield (Queensbury); Sienna Sharp (Dewsbury Moor); Mia Smith (Queensbury); Evie Staniforth (Stanningley); Liberty Trotter (Shaw Cross); Ruby Walker (Dewsbury Moor); Freya Whitehead (Stanningley); Kelbie Wilkinson (Dewsbury Moor); Isobel Williams (Elland); Ellen Wilson (Illingworth); Chloe Winter (Stanningley).
North West Under 16s Talent Hub
Staff: Head Coach – Ryan Cartledge, Assistant Coach – Kirsty Crehan, Team Manager – Nikki Whalley, Medical – Neil Coomber.
Players: Grace Banks (Ballard) (Leigh Miners), Nicole Barnett (Warrington Wolves), Elizabeth Boardman (Leigh Miners), Gracie Bradshaw (Orrell St. James Eagles), Jessica Brown (Leigh Miners), Libby Clarke (Warrington Wolves), Isabel Glover (Thatto Heath), Amber Harmon (Orrell St. James Eagles), Leah Hayes (Orrell St. James Eagles), Keira Henderson (Warrington Wolves), Bethany Hocknull (Ashton Bears), Lydia Humphries (Thatto Heath), Emma Jenkinson (Leigh Miners), Emma Knowles (Leigh Miners), Libby Leppert (Thatto Heath), Ellanor Purtill (Wigan St Pats), Beri Salihi (Leigh Miners), Lucie Sams (Thatto Heath), Katie Tymon (Orrell St. James Eagles), Olivia Webb (Leigh Miners), Emma Welsford (Leigh Miners), Lily Wilkinson (Warrington Wolves), Mollie Williams (Ashton Bears), Jasmine Wilson (Warrington Wolves), Amelia Yates (Orrell St. James Eagles)
North West Under 15s Talent Hub
Staff: Head Coach – Genna Banks, Assistant Coach – Shereen McCartney, Team Manager – Nikki Whalley, Medical – Neil Coomber.
Players: Madison Brooks (Leigh Miners), Grace Burrows (Ashton Bears), Amelia Burton (Thatto Heath), Lily Byrne (Halton Farnworth Hornets), Arabella Dahou (Warrington Wolves Girls), Hannah Fallon (Halton Farnworth Hornets), Jenna Foubister (Orrell St. James Eagles), Lucy Gibbons (Ashton Bears), Emma Hilton (Orrell St. James Eagles), Lillie Hughes (Ashton Bears), Ruby Hunter (Orrell St. James Eagles), Evie Irving (Warrington Wolves Girls), Layla Johnson (Thatto Heath), Marnie-Lea Kelly (Halton Farnworth Hornets), Rachel Lane (Halton Farnworth Hornets), Alisha Lawerance (Leigh Miners), Olivia Leach (Warrington Wolves Girls), Caitlin Maylor (Ashton Bears), Andrea O'leary (Leigh Miners), Katie Palmer (Leigh Miners), Imogen Roberts (Warrington Wolves Girls), Isabel Rowe (Ashton Bears), Auora Todd (Leigh Miners), Libby Wall (Leigh Miners), Kaitlin Wood (Wigan St Pats), Faith Yates (Ashton Bears)
