Faye Gaskin, Georgie Hetherington and Lucy Murray have all been nominated for Woman of Steel; watch the conclusion to the men's Betfred Super League season and the Betfred Women's Super League Grand Final live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 18 September 2024 15:58, UK
The Woman of Steel trophy will have a new name on it in 2024 after the three nominees from the Betfred Women's Super League were announced on Wednesday.
The shortlist is made up of three players who have never won the most prestigious individual honour in women's rugby league, with the winner set to be crowned at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on Tuesday October 8 on Awards Night - two days after the Women's Super League Grand Final, which is live on Sky Sports.
St Helens scrum-half Faye Gaskin, York Valkyrie's woman for all positions Georgie Hetherington and Leeds Rhinos second rower Lucy Murray have all had outstanding seasons and have been shortlisted for the award.
The Woman of Steel voting panel consists of women's rugby league experts and prominent voices. Tanya Arnold, Jenna Brooks, Lorraine Marsden and Danika Priim are joined by the England Women's head coach Stuart Barrow, and BWSL general manager Thomas Brindle.
St Helens scrum-half Faye Gaskin has been recognised with her nomination in what's set to be her final season for the club.
The 32-year-old opened the scoring for Saints at Wembley Stadium earlier this season in the Challenge Cup Final and has been playing some of her best rugby after overcoming a serious knee injury which saw her sidelined in 2021 for two years.
Georgie Hetherington is shortlisted for the first time following a standout season for York Valkyrie in the absence of team captain and last year's Woman of Steel, Sinead Peach – who is due to welcome her first child with partner Callum Curzon.
On the international stage, Hetherington enjoyed a dream England debut in June as she scored a try and dished an assist against France in the mid-season international.
Talented 21-year-old Lucy Murray is the youngest player in contention for the Woman of Steel award this year after a standout season where she has pushed her game to a new level.
The second rower has become a key player for Leeds Rhinos since making her debut back in 2021, and was recently named their women's player of the year following a superb campaign.
Shortlists for the two additional women's awards that will be announced that night have also been confirmed in coach of the year and young player of the year.
Amanda Wilkinson of Barrow Raiders and Wigan Warriors' Denis Betts have both been shortlisted for coach of the year. Both have reinvigorated their teams in 2024, with Barrow ending their first season in the top flight in fifth and Wigan squeezing the gap to the top three to just four points and lifting the Women's Nines trophy.
The third contender is Matty Smith, a former men's Grand Final and Challenge Cup winner as a player with Wigan, who has steered them to back-to-back victories in the Women's Challenge Cup Final at Wembley as well as lifting the 2024 League Leaders Shield.
The criteria for the BWSL young player of the year are slightly different to the men's award, as only players who were 19 or younger at the start of 2023 are considered, in recognition of the younger average age of players in the women's game.
The three contenders are Wigan duo Isabel Rowe and Eva Hunter, and Leeds forward Bella Sykes.
The coach of the year and young player of the year awards are determined by a separate panel of performance experts led by Stuart Barrow.
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