Two Leeds Rhinos rising stars have been nominated for a top honour in the women’s game.

Centre Connie Boyd and hooker Ruby Bruce are on a three-strong shortlist to become Betfred Women’s Super League young player of the year. The other nominee is Wigan Warriors’ 19-year-old half-back Isabel Rowe.

Boyd, 20, scored 16 tries in as many appearances this season and won the club’s first Spirit of the Rhinos award as women’s player’s player of the year. Bruce, 19, touched down four times in 12 games in 2026 and was a Super League young player of the year nominee last term.

The winner, decided by the England performance staff, will be announced at the Rugby League Awards Night in Manchester on Tuesday, when Rhinos full-back Lachie Miller is in contention to be named Man of Steel.

Leeds Rhinos' teenage star Ruby Bruce gets a pass away against Wigan Warriors. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

placeholder image — Leeds Rhinos' teenage star Ruby Bruce gets a pass away against Wigan Warriors. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.

Two former Rhinos stars have made an impact in the southern hemisphere NRL Women’s competition this year with Georgia Roche signing a new long-term contract at Newcastle Knights and Fran Goldthorp being named North Queensland Cowboys’ player of the year.

Meanwhile, Rhinos’ Lacey Owen has confirmed her retirement. Owen featured for Castleford Tigers and York Valkyrie, where she won two Grand Finals, before joining Leeds last year.

The 26-year-old former England forward played 16 times for Leeds including last Friday’s play-off semi-final defeat by York. She said: “It has been a tough decision, but I feel the time is right.

“I've had many amazing years playing rugby and I feel like I've completed a lot of things I wanted to throughout my career. I’ve played from such a young age and my commitments are just starting to lie elsewhere now so I just feel like now’s the time to hang up my boots.”

With players like Boyd and Bruce coming through, Owen feels Rhinos have a bright future despite last week’s disappointment. She added: “We’ve got the youngest team in Women’s Super League so if we can come second - and everybody thought we were going to come fourth this year - imagine what we can do next year and the year after. I think the girls are going to smash it.”