Super Four and Shield: Final Round Preview

The Betfred Women’s Super League Super Four and Shield Competitions reach their final round this weekend, with a semi-final place still up for grabs and teams looking to avoid the Promotion Play-Off against the Women’s National Championship Grand Final winners.

Leigh Leopards get the weekend under way against Barrow Raiders (KO 1pm), with both sides aiming to steer clear of the Promotion Play-Off, which takes place ahead of the BWSL Grand Final on Sunday 27 September.

Leigh go into the final round two points ahead of Barrow, setting up a high-stakes contest in which the Raiders must win to avoid the Play-Off Final, where the loser would be relegated.

Barrow claimed their first and only win of the season so far against Leigh in the sides’ last meeting, but the Leopards remain in control thanks to their two-point cushion.

In the Super Four, St Helens and York Valkyrie remain locked in a battle for the final place in the BWSL semi-final on Friday 18 September.

Saints travel to AMT Headingley Stadium to face Leeds Rhinos (KO 2pm), after the Rhinos confirmed their semi-final spot last weekend.

York welcome Wigan Warriors to LNER Community Stadium as they look to become the first side to defeat the Warriors this season (KO 12pm).

Both teams need a win and a favour elsewhere to secure their semi-final place outright, otherwise the final spot will be decided on points difference.

It is a tough ask, but Valkyrie are relishing the challenge, according to Tara-Jane Stanley, who has returned to the side after almost two years out injured:

“I'm quite lucky in the sense that I've been around the girls at training, so week to week it hasn't really changed.

“But not sitting on the sideline and watching them play, it's been great.

“The first two games didn't go our way but still having that experience of being on the field with the girls and experiencing the losses and now the wins with them has just been incredible.”

With home advantage on their side, Valkyrie head into the weekend encouraged by the prospect of playing in front of their supporters:

“We're really lucky in the sense that we love playing at the LNER [Community Stadium].

“The fans do really come and support us, and even just the dynamic on the pitch, the surface of the pitch, just being in our home changing rooms, it really does give us that advantage.

“We still need to perform on the pitch in front of the fans that come and pay the money to watch us.”

The fixture also brings the new season format closer to its conclusion, following the mid-season split into the Super Four and Shield Competitions.

“I only came back when we did that mid-season split and I do think it means every single time that you're together at training, every single day, you've got to prepare to be your best,” added Stanley.

“In the seasons previous, we've had a couple of weeks where it's been like this but then we haven't necessarily had it consistently throughout the season. Having this second-half of the year be competitive week in week out, I think it definitely is helping our game.

“Especially the girls getting on a plane at the end of the year, they're going to have competitive games week in week out in Australia and so I think it prepares them very well for that.”

Reaching the Grand Final would be a significant achievement for Valkyrie and would mark their first Final since 2024:

“It would be absolutely huge, obviously we’re just taking it week by week and game by game, but knowing potentially if we win two games we're through to the Grand Final, it's really exciting.

“I almost have to stop myself from thinking about it because it really is the perfect outcome to what has been a roller coaster season for us.

“There's been many a time where we haven't performed to the ability that we can so to think that we could win two games and be through to a Grand Final is really an exciting opportunity for us.”

The final fixture sees Featherstone Rovers host Huddersfield Giants as both sides look to finish their seasons on a high (KO 2pm). 

The Giants have enjoyed a strong campaign and head into their final game unbeaten since the split into the Shield Competition.

Super Four:

Saturday 12 September

Leeds Rhinos v St Helens – AMT Headingley Stadium, KO 2pm

Sunday 13 September

York Valkyrie v Wigan Warriors – LNER Community Stadium, KO 12pm

Shield Competition:

Saturday 12 September

Leigh Leopards v Barrow Raiders – Leigh Miners Rangers, KO 1pm

Featherstone Rovers v Huddersfield Giants – Post Office Road, KO 2pm