Costello: Feel the rewards
- Wigan Warriors Women’s Ellie Costello is looking forward to the 2024 season.
- The half back suffered a season ending knee injury in 2022 but is now back in full training.
- Costello: “The fitness has been hard but I can feel the rewards from the strength and conditioning already.”
Wigan Warriors Women’s Ellie Costello is making strides every day to make sure she is ready for the 2024 Betfred Women’s Super League season.
Costello suffered a season ending injury in her debut campaign, rupturing her ACL, MCL and tearing the Meniscus in her left knee against St Helens in May 2022.
The 23-year-old has lauded the support of her teammates through an ‘up and down’ period during her rehab.
She said: “The thing that helped me the most was that there were a few of us injured at the same time. If one of us was having a down day the other girls in the group would pick the other ones up.
“There were a few people who had a similar injury to me and were ahead in recovery. If I had any niggles or problems, they would help me and let me know that it is all okay and I am doing the right thing.”
The entirety of the 2023 season involved rehabilitation managed strictly by the backroom staff, which involved a lot of strength and mobility training for the half back. The former Orrell St James’ and England Touch Rugby player has now returned to full training with aims to return to the pitch in 2024.
Speaking on the rehab process, Costello said: “I had to do a lot of testing. Each week there was a test where, if I passed, I could move onto the next stage of running – there was a lot of running and jumping through each stage of testing.”
Costello has enjoyed her first pre-season under new Head Coach Denis Betts and believes that he has allowed her develop more as a player: “The fitness has been hard but I can feel the rewards from the strength and conditioning already.”
Looking to the upcoming season, she added: “I want to get a regular spot in the team which is going to take a bit of time, as I return from such a long lay-off. The aim hopefully is to get a full season under my belt with no injuries, be all clear and be a valued team member.”
The 2024 Betfred Women’s Super League and Challenge Cup Group stage fixtures were recently announced. See all Women’s fixtures HERE.
By Alumbir Nahal.
