Emily Rudge: ‘I really think we deserved to get paid’

BY JOHN DAVIDSON

Former England captain Emily Rudge believes the players in the Women’s Super League deserved to be paid as the competition enters its sixth year.

Founded in 2017, both Leeds and York started making matchday payments to their players this season.

Rudge stars for St Helens, the current Challenge Cup holders, who are yet to pay their players. Also this year a number of top English players are headed to the NRLW when they will be paid.

Speaking to the Forty20 Live podcast, the forward admits it is a difficult issue and described being unpaid as like being “in limbo”. 

“It’s a tough one for me because I really think we deserved to get paid and other clubs are there offering that,” Rudge said. 

“I know some of the girls could have had the opportunity to go and get paid elsewhere. But we decided to stick together as a squad. 

“It’s tough because we get things in other ways at Saints… we’re not going to paid this season, we know that. We’ve had the discussion with Mike Rush, he’s not going to pay us this season. It’s a conversation for the start of next season.

“But they have stepped up this year, which I’m plased about, because I wasn’t happy at the start of the season. When all that came out, you see what other players are getting and you’re thinking well we’re doing exactly the same. 

“And in some respects the likes of me and Jodie, and TJ and Channy, we’ve been around a long time. And there’s other girls that, no disrespect to them because they deserve it, but there’s 16, 17 and 18-year-olds who are now getting paid. 

“And we’re like, hang on a minute that doesn’t sound fair. So we had a discussion with the club, told them how we felt about it and the club has come back and done some good things this year. 

“They’re paying for every player to have a gym membership. They’re paying for all our supplements. We’ve got really good support in other ways which we didn’t have last year – medical support and nutritional support. 

“So I think it’s better in the sense that last year we were paying out for those things. I was paying for my own gym membership, I was paying for my own supplements. 

“This year I’m not doing that so although it’s not a payment to me directly, but it means I’m not putting my hand in my own pocket to play for the club, which I don’t think we should have to at this point. 

“I think the game’s got to the point now where teams are getting paid, and it’s only going to get better, more money, better sponsorship, so I think we’re in this really tough position at the moment where we’re in limbo. 

“We’re still working full-time, but we want to get paid by the club but we’re not full professional. It is a difficult situation, the club have been good. I always think all clubs can do more.

“I’m outspoken and demanding more… so I’m probably harsh on the club. We’ll see what happens next year. It should be interesting because I think the league is going to set out new standards and hopefully it will be more of a requirement rather than a optional, which it is at the moment.”