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York Valkyrie
York Valkyrie are the women's rugby league team of York RLFC (known as York City Knights from 2002 to 2022) based in York, England. The Valkyrie, who were established in 2016 as York City Knights Ladies, compete in the Women's Super League and play their home games at York Community Stadium which is also home to York RLFC's men's team, York Knights, and football club, York City F.C..
In May 2016 the York City Knights Ladies team was launched in partnership with the Knights Foundation. The team was formed to take part in the Women's Summer Merit League and although it included several players from the York Ladies team who had competed in the Women's Rugby League Association (winter season) League the head coach, Andy Fletcher, described it as "a brand new club and a brand new team". The previous club had been based at the New Earswick All Blacks ground and also used the facilities at York Acorn. The partnership meant that the team had use of the facilities at the Knights training base at York St John University's sports park.
In 2017 the team went undefeated in the Merit League and won the Challenge Shield.
They were accepted into the RFL Women's Super League in 2018 but had a poor start losing their first game 40–0 to St Helens. The team initially struggled in the Super League where their first win did not come until their tenth match when they defeated Featherstone Rovers 20–12. However, in the Challenge Cup they reached the semi-final for the first time. In 2019, York reached the final of the Challenge Shield, but York continued to struggle in the league where they won only one game.
In 2020, Katie Langan, who had been with the York Ladies and then City Knights teams since 2009, was appointed as captain. Following the Covid-enforced cancellation of the 2020 season, the team made several changes both on and off the field. To provide off-field support for the team coaches the club created the role of ladies team manager in 2020 and in April 2021 Lindsay Anfield was appointed as their first director of women's rugby league. A few weeks later five players from Anfield's former club, Castleford Tigers, joined the team. York reached the final of 2021 Challenge Cup and in the league they qualified for the play-off semi-finals. York began the 2022 season by winning the inaugural Women's Nines and went on to be the winners of the 2022 Women's Super League Leaders' Shield. They also had three players shortlisted for the 2022 Woman of Steel including Tara-Jane Stanley, who won the award, and Hollie-Mae Dodd, who was named 2022 Young Player of the Year. The third nominee was Sinead Peach who had been appointed co-captain with Langan at the start of the season.
On 14 October 2022 York City Knights announced that the club had changed its name to York RLFC, with the men's team being known as the York Knights and the women's team becoming the Valkyrie. As part of the rebrand both teams introduced new logos. In January 2023, the team became the second in the Super League to announce that it would introduce payments for their players following the statement made in October by Leeds Rhinos.
In the 2023 season, York lost in the semi-finals of both the Women's Nines and the Challenge Cup, but went unbeaten in the league to retain their League Leaders' Shield and claimed the Super League title with a 16–6 win against Leeds in the Grand Final. Sinead Peach, who was promoted to team captain at the start of the season, won the 2023 Woman of Steel, and Lindsay Anfield was named Women's Super League Coach of the Year. On 27 October 2023, York became the first team in the Women's Super League to sign its players on to professional contracts with Peach, Stanley and Liv Wood each offered two-year deals. Two weeks later York had signed a squad of twenty players on to two-year professional contracts.
On 21 December 2023, York and Sheffield Eagles announced the establishment of a dual registration partnership. The teams faced each other in the group stage of the 2024 Challenge Cup in which York went on to reach the semi-finals before losing to St Helens. In the Super League, a third-place finish was followed by a play-off semi-final win over Leeds Rhinos. On 6 October, York defeated St Helens 18–8 in the Grand Final to become the first team to successfully defend the Super League title. At the 2024 end-of-season awards, Georgie Hetherington became the third York player to be named the Woman of Steel.
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York Valkyrie
York Valkyrie are the women's rugby league team of York RLFC (known as York City Knights from 2002 to 2022) based in York, England. The Valkyrie, who were established in 2016 as York City Knights Ladies, compete in the Women's Super League and play their home games at York Community Stadium which is also home to York RLFC's men's team, York Knights, and football club, York City F.C..
In May 2016 the York City Knights Ladies team was launched in partnership with the Knights Foundation. The team was formed to take part in the Women's Summer Merit League and although it included several players from the York Ladies team who had competed in the Women's Rugby League Association (winter season) League the head coach, Andy Fletcher, described it as "a brand new club and a brand new team". The previous club had been based at the New Earswick All Blacks ground and also used the facilities at York Acorn. The partnership meant that the team had use of the facilities at the Knights training base at York St John University's sports park.
In 2017 the team went undefeated in the Merit League and won the Challenge Shield.
They were accepted into the RFL Women's Super League in 2018 but had a poor start losing their first game 40–0 to St Helens. The team initially struggled in the Super League where their first win did not come until their tenth match when they defeated Featherstone Rovers 20–12. However, in the Challenge Cup they reached the semi-final for the first time. In 2019, York reached the final of the Challenge Shield, but York continued to struggle in the league where they won only one game.
In 2020, Katie Langan, who had been with the York Ladies and then City Knights teams since 2009, was appointed as captain. Following the Covid-enforced cancellation of the 2020 season, the team made several changes both on and off the field. To provide off-field support for the team coaches the club created the role of ladies team manager in 2020 and in April 2021 Lindsay Anfield was appointed as their first director of women's rugby league. A few weeks later five players from Anfield's former club, Castleford Tigers, joined the team. York reached the final of 2021 Challenge Cup and in the league they qualified for the play-off semi-finals. York began the 2022 season by winning the inaugural Women's Nines and went on to be the winners of the 2022 Women's Super League Leaders' Shield. They also had three players shortlisted for the 2022 Woman of Steel including Tara-Jane Stanley, who won the award, and Hollie-Mae Dodd, who was named 2022 Young Player of the Year. The third nominee was Sinead Peach who had been appointed co-captain with Langan at the start of the season.
On 14 October 2022 York City Knights announced that the club had changed its name to York RLFC, with the men's team being known as the York Knights and the women's team becoming the Valkyrie. As part of the rebrand both teams introduced new logos. In January 2023, the team became the second in the Super League to announce that it would introduce payments for their players following the statement made in October by Leeds Rhinos.
In the 2023 season, York lost in the semi-finals of both the Women's Nines and the Challenge Cup, but went unbeaten in the league to retain their League Leaders' Shield and claimed the Super League title with a 16–6 win against Leeds in the Grand Final. Sinead Peach, who was promoted to team captain at the start of the season, won the 2023 Woman of Steel, and Lindsay Anfield was named Women's Super League Coach of the Year. On 27 October 2023, York became the first team in the Women's Super League to sign its players on to professional contracts with Peach, Stanley and Liv Wood each offered two-year deals. Two weeks later York had signed a squad of twenty players on to two-year professional contracts.
On 21 December 2023, York and Sheffield Eagles announced the establishment of a dual registration partnership. The teams faced each other in the group stage of the 2024 Challenge Cup in which York went on to reach the semi-finals before losing to St Helens. In the Super League, a third-place finish was followed by a play-off semi-final win over Leeds Rhinos. On 6 October, York defeated St Helens 18–8 in the Grand Final to become the first team to successfully defend the Super League title. At the 2024 end-of-season awards, Georgie Hetherington became the third York player to be named the Woman of Steel.