Wigan trio sweep Woman of Steel shortlist for second year running
Wigan Warriors have swept the shortlist for the 2026 Woman of Steel award. Eva Hunter, Jenna Foubister and Megan Williams make up the entire three-player shortlist for the player-of-the-season prize in the women's top flight.
The winner will be named at the Rugby League Awards night in Manchester on 29 September 2026, according to the BBC.
It is the second year in a row that Wigan have taken all three places. Twelve months ago the nominees were Foubister, Hunter and Isabel Rowe, with Hunter going on to lift the trophy.
Hunter has a strong case to retain it. She scored four tries in the Women's Challenge Cup final at Wembley in June 2026 and finished the 2026 season with 23 tries in all competitions.
Foubister, though, may be the one to beat. The 19-year-old half-back — the playmaker who directs the attack — scored nine tries in 18 appearances before the shortlist was confirmed. She was named player of the match in that Wembley final and had already emerged as the early frontrunner for the award.
The latest rankings, reviewed by a five-strong panel, still had Foubister out in front in late August, as reported by Super League.
Williams completes a remarkable Wigan lockout. The loose forward — the hard-running link between the big forwards and the backs — joined Wigan from rivals St Helens and has become a central figure in their pack.
What makes this stand out is the sheer consistency. To supply every shortlisted player once is striking. To do it twice, with Hunter winning and then pushing for back-to-back titles while a teenager runs her close, speaks to Wigan's grip on the women's game right now.
