Nominees for 2025 Woman of Steel confirmed

There will be a Wigan Warriors name on the Woman of Steel trophy this year for the first time with three players from the winners of the League Leaders' Shield shortlisted for the Betfred Women’s Super League’s most prestigious individual honour – Jenna Foubister, Eva Hunter and Isabel Rowe.

The Woman of Steel award was introduced in 2018 and has previously been won by players from Castleford Tigers, Leeds Rhinos, St Helens and for the last three years from the York club.

The 2025 winner will be announced at the Rugby League Awards Night in Manchester on Tuesday October 7 – two days after the Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final.

Jenna Foubister, Wigan’s 18-year-old half-back, has pulled the strings for the Warriors all year - with her performance against St Helens in Round 14 pivotal to their League Leaders’ Shield triumph.

Eva Hunter, a 20-year-old second-row, has had an exceptional try-scoring season, touching down in 13 consecutive matches – including Wigan’s win in the Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley in June - to break a Wigan club record previously held jointly by Steve Ella, Martin Offiah MBE and Sam Tomkins.

Isabel Rowe, also only 18, has formed a consistently impressive half-back partnership with Foubister. She currently leads the way for both points and goals scored in the Betfred Women’s Super League and scored 18 points in their Wembley win against St Helens, with a try and seven goals from as many attempts.

The voting panel consists of the 2019 Woman of Steel and former England international Courtney Winfield-Hill, now a regular Sky Sports pundit, plus a trio of fellow Women’s Rugby League experts and evangelists from the media - Tanya Arnold, Jenna Brooks and Lorraine Marsden. They are 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 the England Performance Unit and will be announced next week.