Women's Super League Grand Final: York Valkyrie hope home comforts against Leeds Rhinos can bring title

York hope home advantage in the Women's Super League Grand Final against Leeds at their LNER Stadium can help them take the final step towards the title, says boss Lindsay Anfield.

The Valkyrie's consistency cannot be questioned, with back-to-back regular season League Leaders' Shield wins.

However, York have lost Challenge Cup semi-finals two years in a row, as well as last year's Grand Final.

"You can't understate how big it is," Anfield told BBC Radio York.

"We're so used to coming here on game day, the changing rooms, the pitch. Even the amount of fans we're going to have compared to if it was in Lancashire will make a massive difference.

"Everything bodes well for a successful weekend."

Rhinos ready to defend their crown

Their conquerors in last year's Grand Final, reigning champions Leeds Rhinos, are again their opponents in the 2023 showpiece.

Lois Forsell's side have had their own heartache this season, losing to St Helens for the second year in a row in the first-ever women's Challenge Cup final at Wembley.

However, they gained revenge on the Saints to book their place in Sunday's Grand Final, in a season of great upheaval.

Forsell had the Australian Women's National Rugby League come calling for Rhinos talent, with Georgia Roche snared by premiers Newcastle Knights, Fran Goldthorp taken on by North Queensland, and New Zealand international Georgia Hale ending her stint early to return to Gold Coast Titans.

Courtney Winfield-Hill, one of the Rhinos' key playmakers, had also retired, prompting a new group of players to step up.

"The girls know that I believe in them all so much as individuals and as a group," Forsell told BBC Radio Leeds.

"The talk has always been about being patient and sticking with the process and each other - it was going to take time.

Caitlin Casey has adapted to the elite level brilliantly in her debut season, with a devastating kicking game causing teams problems

"We had a lot of different things thrown at us, and a lot of adversity, but good things can come from that.

"You just have to stick together and buy in and we've done that. There was no doubt in our mind if we do that we'll definitely still be in this position."

Among the personnel drafted in have been a big-name signing in England international Amy Hardcastle, Wales back-rower Bethan Dainton from rugby union, Izzy Northrop and playmaker Caitlin Casey, whose emergence has coincided with a Young Player of the Year nomination.

"Caitlin has had to step up into a half-back position when she probably thought she was just going to learn the ropes," Forsell said.

"She has had to learn quick, to tick off some of the things she'd ticked off in her first season of Women's Super League is special.

"She'd worked hard, it's not been perfect week on week, and we've probably been quite tough on her as coaching staff because we know how much she's got to give. She's been really resilient."

Valkyrie looking for normality amid pressure

Although their ability to beat the best in the women's game is not under question, York's coping with the big occasion has been scrutinised given their results in knockout games.

They will have the luxury of playing on their home turf and with that a strong contingent of supporters.

Anfield's job as head coach has been to keep the players focused and not overwrought with the significance of the occasion.

"We've just got to keep it the same as we have for every other game," she said.

Key full-back Tara Jane Stanley (centre) has had her hands on the League Leaders' prize with York, and is now bidding for the outright title silverware

"We've been really successful here [at the LNER Stadium] and - as we saw from the semi-final of the Challenge Cup to get to Wembley - our players don't react particularly well to pressure.

"We've tried to tackle that, but there's not much you can do. The fact it's here [in York] does do that and the fact they can visualise what it will look like will help us.

"It's a 90% mental battle. We know we're there physically, and we can play rugby, the times it's broken down this year is when we've mentally let go of the game or we've not been switched on."

• Sign up for live match notifications on the BBC Sport app