York Valkyrie: Rebranded women’s rugby league side aim to maintain upward curve

Goodchild’s Valkyrie are one of two clubs along with Leeds to confirm payments to players from 2023 onwards, a step closer to a “professional” scenario for the women’s game.

With players like Peach juggling jobs with training and playing, weeks – particularly in pre-season – can be hard and long.

Yet the strive toward professionalism is more than just financial, it is about commitment and preparation.

“It’s massive in the women’s game and this is where we want it to grow to,” Peach added. “This is just the starting point, obviously last season winning the League Leaders’ Shield and being the most consistent team we got this [payments] on the back of that.

“We’re training three times a week, Monday, Wednesday, Friday; we’ve got Simon [Worsop] in who’s the head of strength and conditioning, and we’ve changed it up.

“We’re doing more ball work, more ball work under fatigue instead of just running lengths of the pitch.

“It’s really good, the girls are really buying into it, and we’re seeing the improvements on the back of it.

“This season we just need to kick on, match last season and go one further.”