Leeds Rhinos captain reflects on 'turbulent' year, previews Women's Super League Grand Final v York Valkyrie

Rhinos captain Hanna Butcher, right, with York skipper Sinea Peach and the Betfred Women's Super League trophy at LNER Community Stadium, which will stage Sunday's final. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

Leeds Rhinos’ women are one win away from a golden finish to a “turbulent” season.

Rhinos will defend their Betfred Women’s Super League title away to York Valkyrie on Sunday.

Early on, following home defeats by York and St Helens, a Grand Final appearance appeared unlikely for a team rebuilding after captain Courtney Winfield-Hill’s retirement and the departure of Georgia Roche, Fran Goldthorp and Georgia Hale to the NRL Women’s competition.

But they rallied to finish third in the table and avenged their Wembley Challenge Cup final loss by beating Saints in a play-off semi-final two weeks ago, when Sophie Robinson scored a golden-point winning try.

Caitlin Beevers, pictured, has been "phenomenal" for Rhinos this season, according to captain Hanna Butcher. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

Captain Hanna Butcher has been with Rhinos from the start, featuring in their 2018 and 2021 Grand Final defeats and the wins of 2019 and last year.

And she insisted: “They get better and better every year. After a bit of a turbulent year for us, it is a massive achievement to get there so hopefully we can do ourselves justice.

“We’ve had players leave and injuries throughout the season and we had a couple of bans for Wembley so I feel like we’ve been on a bit of a rollercoaster ride, but we have made it to the Grand Final, which is obviously one of the hopes and dreams from the early days in pre-season, so now we just need to get the job done.”

In-form forward Zoe Hornby will be a key player in the Women's Super League Grand Final, her Rhinos captain Hanna Butcher predicts. Picture by Olly Hassell/SWpix.com.

Butcher feels Rhinos are hitting their best form at the right time. She reflected: “We were absolutely gutted with the defeat at Wembley, but I think, if anything, it has brought us a bit closer together.

“We know how people respond now and what they want from each other. I think definitely, in the last four weeks, we have been a force to be reckoned with.”

Leeds overturned the odds against York in last season’s final and Butcher feels they have a team of big-game players.

“Caitlin [Beevers] has been phenomenal,” Butcher noted. “She had a few weeks out during the season, but they managed to rest her and get her right for the semi-final and the final.

“We’ve got Keara Bennett as well, who is a real driving force for us in attack and defence in the middle of the field.

“Amy Hardcastle is coming alive at centre and really enjoying her rugby again and for me, Zoe Hornby has been class the last few games.”

Another star is teenager Caitlin Casey, playing alongside Butcher in the halves. The captain said: “She’s 18 and she has been absolutely brilliant.

“She has picked up a nomination for young player of the year, which is really deserved. When she came into pre-season Georgia Roche was still floating around and we had Jenna Greening in as well at half and she probably didn’t think she’d get as much game time as she has.

“Each game, she has progressed. She has been going into reviews with the coaches she has asked for herself, saying ‘what can I work on, what can I do to improve’? She has been really, really committed to us and had a fantastic first season.”