Grand Final winning coach outlines expectations for 2023 after fixture release

The fixtures for the Women’s Super League have been released and the opening game will see a repeat of the 2022 Grand Final with Leeds Rhinos set to play York Valykyrie.

Valykrie joined the Rhinos in becoming only the second women’s team to pay their players, something that they will implement from the 2023 campaign onwards, and the pair face off on opening day during a double header with the Rhino’s men set to host Huddersfield Giants in the aftermath.

Lois Forsell is the woman who led the Rhino’s to the Grand Final victory and she has been speaking to Sky Sports about what can be expected for the upcoming season, after having already commented on player pay being a “step in the right direction”.

On the 2023 campaign Forsell said: “We just want to keep building. We’ve got the Grand Final and managed to achieve that so we have got our eyes set on the prizes that are at stake.

“I think you can’t look too far ahead because everyone who is in this competition wants to go and win. We will just try and be the best version of ourselves in every game.”

The success of the World Cup in terms of viewing figures and attention drawn to the sport, if not on the field with the women falling short of their goal of lifting the trophy, means that the sport of rugby league has a huge platform to build on and that’s something Forsell is keen on doing whilst also just reinforcing the point of why players play in the first place.

“They all play sport because they want to be part of a team, first and foremost, and because they enjoy it.

“Hopefully it is a nice bonus and they can see that this step is a much bigger picture in the framework and direction that we as a club, and hopefully the whole game, want to head.”

On that opening day clash, Forsell assured fans: “They will see an honest, gritty performance. They will see girls who are not afraid of putting themselves out there and have some great skills.

“Hopefully they will just see a team who want to play at every opportunity and will play with some pride in who they are playing for.”