St Helens star Mikayla Gillespie: “If you can see it, you can be it”

St Helens star Mikayla Gillespie believes “if you can see it, you can be it” ahead of the 2026 Betfred Women’s Super League season.

The New Zealand rugby league player spoke at a Women’s Super League media event in Manchester.

Impact of extended play-off series for the 2026 season

This season will operate a split-season format. Following the regular season, the top and bottom four teams will split.

They will face each other home and away in an extended play-off series.

The winners of the extended play-offs will be rewarded with a spot in the Grand Final, while the teams in second and third will face off for the remaining spot.

Gillespie has praised this new format.

She said: “I think it will be really interesting from a spectator perspective, obviously, and really good for broadcasting and things like that, to be able to grow the game and get more eyes on it.”

Limited TV coverage of the Women’s Super League

However, TV remains an area where the Women’s Super League has limited coverage, with few games set to be televised this season.

Gillespie believes more needs to be done in this area of coverage.

“The more eyes that we can get on the sport, then the bigger it is going to get.

“The more girls that can see it, then they can see it is something they can be as well.

“The more women we can get on to TV and into people’s homes, it just makes such a difference. If you can see it, you can be it.”

Encouraging the next generation of St Helens Women’s stars

Gillespie feels there is great support at St Helens, which enables young girls to aspire to become a Saints player.

“I think there is so much amazing stuff happening in that space.

“The work that Jodie [Cunningham] and the team do with the academy, the pathways and things like that. They do some amazing stuff to grow and develop those players.

“Obviously, there is always more that can be done.”

Global influence of the Betfred Women’s Super League

Gillespie is optimistic at the Super League’s ability to compete with other domestic leagues globally, such as the NRLW which incorporates teams from Australasia.

“The NRLW is huge over in Australia, and I think we are a long way off, maybe, in terms of the financial ability… but you can see the growth in it.”

However, she has valued the opportunity which the Women’s Super League has provided for her personally.

“I didn’t grow up with rugby league at all [in New Zealand]. I’ve literally only started playing in the last couple of months.

“I didn’t really ever see it as a sport that I could play, or as a sport that I was even watching as a fan.

“To come over here [to the UK] in the last few years and see what their game looks like, what it has the potential to look like, and how far it has come is really exciting.”

Aspirations for the 2026 season

Gillespie also shared her aspirations for her season ahead with St Helens.

St Helens will be looking to spring back after suffering defeat in the 2025 Women’s Grand Final to Wigan Warriors.

“For me personally, as a player, just to learn as much as I possibly can off all the girls and take all the opportunities.”

“As a team, obviously, last year we got to all the finals and we didn’t quite come away with the silverware, so obviously everybody’s really trying to push hard to try to achieve that and try to get those trophies back on the shelves.”

St Helens will get their 2026 Betfred Women’s Super League campaign underway on Sunday 17th May. They take on Barrow Raiders at Craven Park.