THE adage of ‘always a bridesmaid never a bride’ has another meaning for York Valkyrie’s Kelsey Gentles and St Helens’ Chantelle Crowl ahead of today’s Betfred Women’s Super League Grand Final.

Just eight days separate Gentles’ wedding to former York Knights centre Jacob Ogden and the sides’ trophy-crowning match at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Lindsay Anfield’s charges are vying to become the first team in the women’s game to win back-to-back Grand Finals, whilst Saints are one step away from securing the treble, having lifted both the League Leaders’ Shield and Women’s Challenge Cup earlier in the season.

Not just foes in front of the Sky Sports cameras, the pair also play in the same position following the Valkyrie star’s transition from the wing to prop after the birth of her daughter Maia last year.

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But whilst they remain the best of friends off the pitch, Gentles insists she will be giving Crowl no special treatment on it.

“I love Channy to pieces,” the England international told The Press.

“She’s one of my best friends in the whole world so it was a no-brainer to have her as one of my bridesmaids.

“But I think it’s quite exciting that she was my bridesmaid last Saturday, and then this Sunday we’re going to be going up against each other, in the same position, and trying to knock everything out of each other! 

“We’re both really competitive and we want to be the winner. Either way, I’m sure Channy will have a lot to say about it on Sunday!

“I think it’s quire a rarity having someone as your bridesmaid and then playing against them a week later. 

“Normally the other rugby players have their weddings in the off-season so they don’t have to worry about these things, but that’s just not the way I do it!”

Having sat on the sidelines as York lifted the Grand Final trophy for the first time last year, Gentles is itching to be a part of the side that does the same again today.

And the forward has certainly played her part in securing their place in the trophy-crowning match, having opened the scoring in their thrilling 12-10 victory at Leeds Rhinos a fortnight ago.

Gentles opened the scoring for York in their Play-off Semi-Final against Leeds Rhinos a fortnight ago.Gentles opened the scoring for York in their Play-off Semi-Final against Leeds Rhinos a fortnight ago. (Image: Craig Hawkhead Photography) “That try meant everything to me, to be honest,” she reflected.

“It’s been a pretty tough year for the squad, and then for me personally coming back from having a baby. My body had changed and I had to get used to what my body can do now, and my knee’s also not been great since having a baby, I need an operation on that.

“I’ve been pushing that back just so I can perform for the squad this year.

“I’ve had a lot of self doubt this year, so scoring in the semi-final, I just felt like I’d done my job. I’d got us on top, I’d come on and been that impact player that I wanted to be.

“And because I’d put us ahead on the scoreboard, I felt like I was valuable.”

But whatever happens in Merseyside, Gentles knows it is a day sure to be full of emotions.

“Because I missed it last year, I’m even hungrier to be playing in a Grand Final,” she continued.

“I’ve not played in a Grand Final since 2022 and then I actually found out that I was pregnant a week after that, so I look back on that Grand Final as being a whirlwind thinking about all those emotions.

“But now I’m playing a Grand Final, my daughter is going to be in the stands and she’s going to be my mascot when I walk out with her on Sunday.

“There’s just so many emotions attached to the day, I can’t even think about it.

“They played in the Grand Final last year, they are the Champions, and we are the Champions at York Valkyrie. But I didn’t play in that game, and I wasn’t a part of that season.

“From a personal perspective, of course I want to be in the Grand Final, I want to be a Grand Final winner. 

“I want to be that Champion in my own right.”