Leeds ended a run of three years without silverware to win the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final as two tries from Caitlin Beevers helped defeat league leaders' title winners York 12-4 at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
The only try of the first half came 10 minutes into the contest through Beevers and despite a barrage of York pressure, the Rhinos held firm to take their lead into the interval.
They doubled their advantage early in the second period courtesy of Beevers’ second of the afternoon but York hit back through Sinead Peach to cut the deficit to just eight points, but Leeds stood strong to pick up their first Super League crown since 2019.
Both sides started with attacking intent but the Rhinos landed the first blow after a ball steal gave them a new set of six, Beevers rolled over the whitewash after a well-worked routine and Courtney Winfield-Hill added the extras to make it 6-0.
York responded well to their early setback and thought they had a try of their own when Tara-Jane Stanley touched down but was ruled out by referee Michael Smaill due to obstruction in the build-up.
Beevers doubled the Rhinos’ lead 10 minutes into the second period after York spilled a high crossfield ball from Winfield-Hill and Beevers took advantage on the next tackle as she crossed to earn the West Yorkshire side a 12-point lead.
The Knights replied just a matter of seven minutes later when Peach’s superb run split a gap in the Rhinos defence and she crossed the whitewash but Stanley failed to convert with the score at 12-4.
York attacked late and had a chance through Stanley as she attempted to weave her way through the Rhinos defence and a late York knock-on rubber-stamped Leeds as 2022 Women’s Super League champions.
Leeds head coach Lois Forsell said: “It feels a bit surreal that we’ve finally got there and done it.
“Three years ago, we were here and I knew I was retiring but certainly did not think three years later I’d be here lifting a trophy.
“I’m so proud of the girls, the Challenge Cup final I know we were runners-up, but I did say that day that it was a much bigger part of our plan and today we came away with the trophy.”
Forsell was full of praise for left centre Beevers, who scored either side of half-time to establish a 12-point lead for Rhinos.
She added: “Every team needs a Caitlin Beevers – She's been absolutely outstanding this season and today she showed that again.
York have now lost out in the grand final on each of their last two occasions but head coach Lindsay Anfield feels her side have had a successful season.
Anfield said: “We’ve had a fantastic season and if someone would have said to me at the beginning of the year, that we would win the nines, win the league leaders, lose one game, and get to a grand final, I’d have absolutely snapped their hand off.
“We have an inexperienced group and they would have learnt so much from today and I think it’ll make them really hungry going into the off season and train harder because they want to be here again."
Warrington Wolves hit back from an early deficit to clinch a 34-6 victory over Featherstone Rovers in the Shield final.
Rovers hit the front thanks to a try from Jessica Dadds inside the first quarter of an hour but after Amy Johnson quickly levelled, Dani Bound touched down twice to give Warrington a grip on the match.
Not even the sin-binning of Amy Daniels could derail them as Emily Baggaley went over to give Wire a 22-6 half-time lead.
The one-way traffic continued in the second half as Lauren Roberts and Georgia Sutherland helped Warrington secure a comfortable win as they ended their season with a flourish.
