Molyneux: Drive to win silverware

- Wigan Warriors Women’s Vicky Molyneux has shared her desires to win silverware in 2024.
- Molyneux: “I’ve got that ambition and drive to win some silverware here with Wigan and that would be the icing on the cake.”
- The forward will receive the RFL’s President’s Award in Leeds later this month.
Wigan Warriors Women’s forward Victoria Molyneux has shared her ‘ambition’ to win silverware as preparations continue for the 2024 season.
The Warriors, who finished last season as semi-finalists in the Challenge Cup and Women’s Super League, announced Denis Betts as the new head coach in October.
“Last year we proved we’re getting that little bit closer but we are fed up of just closing the gap. We are striving to be getting past the semi-final stages this time around and I feel the culture and common purpose amongst everyone.
“We want to be reaching finals and we want to win silverware. I feel like we’ve got a squad that can do that. Everyone is looking good, Denis has been great from the coaching aspect, and we’re enjoying his expertise and just looking forward to seeing what this season will bring.”
The RFL announced earlier this week that Molyneux will be first recipient of the Presidents Award from Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP later this month.
On winning the award, Molyneux said: “I received an email from Tony Sutton with an invite to the President’s Ball and attached was a fantastic letter from Sir Lindsay Hoyle; it made me cry, my dad cry and my mum cry.
“The letter was really personal, highlighted the reasons to why he has selected me for the award and just some of the words he used to describe me, it took me back a little bit – I don’t feel quite deserving of it.”
Molyneux will receive the President’s Award, which was introduced by the Rugby Football League in 2019 to recognise inspiring work to change lives and communities through rugby league, and achievements by players, coaches and volunteers which bring the sport to new audiences, at the RFL President’s Ball in Leeds on Saturday 13 January.
Sharing her excitement on attending the President’s Ball, Molyneux said: “It’s a really proud moment for the family. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a ball before apart from school ones so I think the whole event and evening is going to be amazing – it’s exciting.”
The award is the latest for Molyneux who became the first female player to be inducted into the Wigan Warriors Hall of Fame in October. The forward then played her final game for England at Headingley Stadium the following month, bringing to an end a historic international career.
Speaking on the decision to hang up her international boots, Molyneux said: “It was a decision that I found really difficult to make and I found it really difficult the first few weeks to be honest. It’s always a great honour representing your country so to never have that feeling again of standing and singing the National Anthem is and was a difficult concept to take.”
With her focus firmly on the Warriors, Molyneux is prepared for a big season ahead: “When I was considering retirement, I didn’t want to retire from everything. It’s such a difficult environment to walk away from, particularly at Wigan and the way the investment is coming from the Club which gets more exciting every year.
“It’s not just the rugby that brings the joy, it’s the people around you and when you’re getting so much backing from the Club there’s always that carrot dangling in front of you, wanting to carry on and try and achieve.
“Sometimes you compare your career to how many trophies you’ve won and medals around your neck and that’s another reason why I haven’t retired fully yet. I’ve got that ambition and drive to win some silverware here with Wigan and that would be the icing on the cake.”