York Valkyrie made history at the Brick Community Stadium, becoming the first side to claim three Women’s Super League titles in four years. Despite entering the Grand Final as underdogs against a formidable Wigan Warriors outfit, York’s defensive resolve secured an 8-6 victory in a match defined by second-half intensity.
Match Scoring and Statistics
- Wigan Score: 6 (Try: Atherton; Goal: Rowe)
- York Score: 8 (Try: Peach; Goals: Williamson 2)
- Referee: Aaron Moore
The decisive blow came in the first half through a Sinead Peach try, with Ellie Williamson adding two crucial goals. Wigan, who struggled with an uncharacteristically error-prone performance, managed to level the scores in the 18th minute when Mia-Jayne Atherton crossed the line following a break by Jenna Foubister. However, Atherton was later sin-binned for a dangerous double tip tackle, allowing Williamson to edge York back in front via a penalty. Spinning through the Wigan defence close to the line after making the initial break as they dominated the opening exchanges, peach gave them a ninth-minute lead. Lenham went close to increasing it and Liv Wood was held up over the line just after the break but from then it was one-way traffic.
Team Lineups
- Wigan: Banks, Davies, Wilson, M Jones, Derbyshire, Foubister, Rowe, Coleman, Wilton, Sams, E. Hunter, C Jones, Williams; Interchanges: Marsh, Atherton, Dainton, Salihi
- York: Donovan, Kershaw, Woods, Leniham, Partington, Akwiwu, Williamson, A. Wood, Peach, Pakulis, O. Wood, Andrade, Parker; Interchanges: Bell, Bibby, Brennan, Henderson
The second half was a scoreless, defensive battle as York weathered heavy pressure. Player of the match Amelie Lenham produced a series of vital interventions to keep the Warriors at bay. York head coach Leon Pryce noted that Wigan’s Eva Hunter potentially deserved a red card for a forearm strike to Williamson’s throat, though the incident did not derail York’s path to the trophy. York head coach Leon Pryce felt Hunter should have been sent off for a forearm to the throat of Williamson as she carried the ball into contact but in the end it did not affect the result.
York’s defensive commitment was epitomized by Lisa Parker, who played through the match with a broken hand and recorded 47 tackles. In a memorable post-match moment, Parker accepted a proposal from her fiancé on the pitch. Agnes Wood, reflecting on the win for Radio York, highlighted the squad’s collective scramble to prevent a Wigan score, noting that the team was deeply motivated by external doubts regarding their season performance. Her fiance proposed to her on the touchline afterwards.
Despite missing the influential Tara Jane Stanley due to concussion, the Valkyrie executed a disciplined game plan to perfection. The victory marks a significant milestone for the club, with players like Peach—who previously appeared in the 2019 Grand Final with Castleford—cementing their status in the sport’s history. Having won both in 2023 and 2024, the team finished their season by proving critics wrong through sheer persistence and coaching support. They had a simple gameplan and played it to perfection. But York, winners in 2023 and 2024, simply refused to yield.
Important Details
- Under siege for much of a scoreless second half, York stood firm to claim a surprise win over the favourites.
