The Psychology and Physiology of a Professional Rugby Player

 Do Male Rugby Players have a higher-than-normal level of testosterone?

"Yes, male rugby players are generally believed to have higher testosterone levels compared to the   average male population. This is attributed to the intense physical demands of the sport, which can lead to increased testosterone levels. However, the relationship between testosterone levels and athletic   performance is complex and influenced by various factors, including genetics, age, and lifestyle   choices. While testosterone plays a crucial role in muscle growth and strength, other factors such as   training  techniques,  nutrition,  and stress levels also contribute to athletic performance." FluentRugby 

The player pathways of a young Rugby League player will involve some kind of Further Education from the ages of 16 to 18. In my day players would attend college on day release or undertake A Levels at the local college. At Leigh college, I attended at the same time as Darren Wright (Widnes) and Andy Collier (Leigh), although they were not allowed Rugby for the college on a Wednesday afternoon. Education seemed like an option to keep them busy until they could play Rugby full-time with their respective squad. As with any professional athlete, they need to learn life skills and know the dangers of having highly honed bodies and increased levels of testosterone. People who do bodybuilding, stamina training, coupled with high-impact tackling and ball skills, need to be able to control and direct that increased aggression. 

In Australia, the NRL stars are under intense scrutiny, which is why there are so many stories about drinking, drugs and acts of violence. Many NRL players have escaped the glare of media to find relative refuge in the Super League. The make-up of overseas players as changed in recent years, with a much easier visa restriction on players under 25.  Ben Barba is a good example of someone looking for a fresh start. In 2016 Barba test positive for cocaine and was suspended indefinitely. Barba first joined a Top 14 Rugby union team, and was sacked 4 games later. He moved onto St Helens were he won the Man of Steel award in 2018. By 2019 and back in Australia, Barba was being investigated for alleged assault of his partner. Barba was banned by both NRL and Super League. Barba has a domestic violation allegation from 2013 and in 2019 pleaded guilty to public nuisance after receiving a ban. One absolutely brilliant Rugby player and a completely flawed individual. Should St Helens should have given him the chance is still a question up for debate. Players like Barba need education and guidance, but how far does that go in reality?

Sam Burgess, the Warrington Head Coach was himself involved in a string of misconduct allegations, which included domestic violence claims surrounding his ex-wife Phoebe while she was pregnant and serious allegations that the Souths covered up illegal drug use and failed drugs tests. The case was eventually dropped and Phoebe stated that "She has also called on the NRL to do more to help what she feels is a culture of misogyny.“I look forward to the day the NRL takes action to clean up this game, which has become the punchline of every terrible joke about sexism, violence and cover-ups,” Phoebe added.“This is not the first episode, nor will it be the last, so I ask the NRL not to take a step back when it comes to reforming codes of conduct that allow situations like these to simply disappear.”
There is obviously a problem with Rugby and domestic violence and in Australia, "Voice against Violence" NRL 2024, Voice Against Violence, Alan Tongue, Domestic Violence, Prevention | NRL.com
is working to find solutions. I don't believe that UK has an equivalent organisation.

Domestic violence is not just a problem for players, but is also rife amongst those who watch the sport. In Australia, the State of Origin series puts the Police authorities on high alert. It is not just if your team loses but also when they win. The issue of Sport and alchol often leads to domestic violence. 

In the case of Tesi Nui and his partner Kiana, we know that something has happened, but it has not been reported to the authorities. Apparently they are still together and the Leigh Leopards are working to support both of them. In some respects it is a non-story, but in otherways it shines a light on a very important subject. Can a Rugby League club be impatial when an expensive overseas asset is at stake? Should the RFL be taking the lead an sending in trained professional to assess the situation?

In another example, Salford Red Devils released Joe Burgess due to an unspecified disciplinary matter. Despite being released on disciplinary grounds, the winger was then snapped up by Hull KR. Is it right and fair for one club to make a stance and another have no qualms about signing a player under disciplinary measures? 

Leigh Leopards Squad 2026

January 2026, the Leigh Leopards have yet to unveil an away strip or squad numbers. The starting XIII is fairly nailed on, so I am going to make a best guess and review of the team.

1. David Armstrong - Spent most of the season with a knee strapping and is believed to have played six games with a serious ACL injury. The speedster ran around Sam Tomkins in Perpignan on one leg. Adrian Lam has so far not unlocked the try-scoring potential of Armstrong. Expected to be available in March, the combinations and set pieces should be in place and ready for his return. 15 games and 8 tries last term, the LSV is looking forward to dry tracks in the summer months.

2. Keenan Brand - 2021 Brand appeared on loan at the LSV from Warrington. He is by far the longest-serving player at the club. Offering utility at Fullback, Wing and Centre, Brand's breakout season was 2025 on the right wing. Partnering Umyla Hanley, Brand was able to touch down 16 times, placing him as the top try-scoring Leopard. The right edge became a fertile hunting ground for Leigh as teams finally sussed out how to close down the left edge.

3. Tesi Niu - Right edge centre, with the best chant in Rugby League. Built like a forward with the pace of a back, Tesi likes nothing better than running through opposition defences. Only Lachie Miller managed more Tackle Busts than Tesi, with 141 to his name. Niu only managed 6 tries, but it is anticipated he will find his way to line more often now he is hitting form. 3254 Metres from 382 carries at an average of 8.52 puts him in the top twenty for average metres and top 10 for overall metres.

4. Umyla Hanley - Originally starting out as a winger, Hanley became one of the standout centres in the competition and earned a place in the Dream Team, just above Tesi Niu. Super League fans were impressed with how Umyla was rescued from a life on the building site by Adrian Lam, when he was released by Wigan at the end of the 2022 season.

5. Josh Charnley - The 34-year-old veteran had a mixed season. A string of poor performances saw Charnley slip down the order at the LSV. A return to the squad saw Charnley break a raft of try-scoring records, and as the 2nd highest try scorer in Super League history is still on the hunt for Ryan Hall's record, sitting 8 tries behind the Leeds legend.

6. Adam Cook - The first of the new recruits. Cook has already been earmarked to replace Gaz O'Brien in the key spine position of Stand-off. It is hoped that Cook's superior kicking game, from both hand and the tee will propel Leigh into the top two positions. Much will depend on how he gels with Lachlan Lam.

7. Lachlan Lam - The most influential player in Super League. 41 Try Assists would normally see a player swoop up the Man of Steel award in any given year. Still, he was seen as the only 3rd best hal-back in the Dream Team awards. This was Lam's most productive season by a mile. Improvements in his kicking game saw him achieve 5 Forty-Twenty's, putting him on par with the best kickers in the game. Expect to see the double pump and the Sydney Harbour pass many times next season.

8. Joe Ofahengaue - One of the best mid-season signings in Super League history. 30-year-old Joe, already has 200 NRL games under his belt and arrived at the LSV with thoughts of retirement nowhere near the forefront of his mind. 15 Games and five tries for the Leopards transformed their season. An off-load game which averages nearly two a game, bore fruits to the fantastic try by Edwin Ipape against Wigan. 

9. Edwin Ipape - The jewel in the crown, confirmed his loyalty to Adrian Lam and the Leopards faithful, with a new contract which takes him to end of 2031. Any worries of him returning home to the new franchise team PNG Chiefs have been dashed. A regular try scorer, running from dummy half and huge defensive hits have made him a hero in Leigh and the Super League in general.

10. Robbie Mulhern - The Irish international prop had a relatively quiet 2025 season. Suffering a number of injuries, he failed to play to his full potential. Believed to be happy at Leigh, at the age of 31, he might see it has the last chance to mix it up with the best of the NRL. 

11. Frankie Halton - Local boy made good. Frankie had moved around before landing his dream of playing for the Leopards. A tackle machine in the 2 row, Frankie added to this, an eye for the try line. Taking the spot vacated by Kai O'Donnell, Halton was often the crash ball outlet for Lachlan Lam.

12. Owen Trout - England International, Trout has flourished under the stewardship of Adrian Lam. Enjoying both the position of Prop forward and 2nd row when required. On numerous occasions was seen skipping his way to the try-line, most notably in the Magic Weekend game against Catalans Dragons. Last year of current contract, rumours suggest that Trout was wanting more money than Wigan Warriors were prepared to pay. He does have ambitions to go to Australia, but everybody wants him to stay.

13. Isaac Liu - Last season Liu had big shoes to fill, with the loss of John Asiata. Issac is not a natural loose forward but he certainly grew into the role. Every present in the Leigh side the "Iceman" always took the right option. Not risking passes and dangerous off-loads he would take the ball and drive. 300 career games and two NRL Grand Final medals to his name, it is surprising that he goes under the radar. Out of contract at the end of the season, LIU would still be good for another 2 seasons.

14. Aaron Pene - An injury-affected season, Pene is incredibly athletic for a prop forward. Perhaps he has not hit the heights expected of him, but he is still a useful bench forward.

15. Jacob Alick-Wienke - The PNG International 2nd row forward is a direct replacement for the departing Ethan O'Neill. Highly rated by Adrian Lam, we will reserve judgment. Certainly a big unit at 6ft 4in.

16. Gareth O'Brien - the 34-year-old Gaz O'Brien has had a mixed career. Whatever team he plays for they have looked to replace him. Always plays the game at 100% but as a result receives more than his fair share of HIA's. Leigh will look to use him sparingly and would not be surprised to see him move into coaching. Good cover ain the halves and at full-back.

17. Liam Horne - The much under-rated PNG international will provide plenty of cover at both 9 and 13. He provides a similar range of skills to Edwin Ipape and will benefit from working with Edwin and Adrian Lam. Having spent the last 3 years at Castleford, it will be a nice change for Horne to work behind a pack with more go-forward.

18. Bailey Hodgson - A breakthrough season for Hodgson, playing both on the wingand at full-back. He will start the season as the first-choice full-back until Armstrong is fit and ready to go. Bailey's stats for 2025 are amazing with 498 carries, 3907 metres at an average carry of 7.85. Hodgson offers the team a different dimension to Armstrong, and it would be wonderful to have an amalgamation of the two players. It will be very hard to keep such a talent out of the playing squad.

19. Jack Hughes - The 34-year-old veteran with 295 Super League career appearances is possibly coming to the end of his usefulness. Last season he featured in almost every match-day squad. If Jack only makes 10-15 appearances, that means that the Leopards have a relatively clean bill of health. Often playing as a generic forward, the team will have a dip in performance, often on at the same time as Matt Davis. A faithful squad player was released by Warrington 3 seasons ago because he was not quite good enough.

20. Matt Davis - "The Axe", not quite big enough for the modern game, lacks basic passing skills, but he does chase hard to harry the kicker. 2025 was a good season for Davis, with the most number of tries in a season (4) and 27 match appearances.

21. Andrew Badrock - Badrock gained the trust of Adrian Lam, and can be expected to appear in that strange hybrid role 2nd row/centre. Appeared to be not out of place in either role and can expect to make more than the 13 appearances he managed in 2025. At 25, Badrock is still learning the game.

22. Ben McNamara - At the age of 24, McNamara as been in around Super League setups for the last 5 years. Although talented, there is a nagging doubt that he will ever get regular game time in his chosen position. This season will see him drop down another peg, with Adam Cook, who is a similar age. 

23. Innes Senior -  Senior comes into the squad as a direct replacement for Darnell McIntosh. It is not obvious who got the better of the deal between Leigh and Castleford. Senior has struggled to settle down earlier in his career, but did have stability at Castleford. Innes managed 14 tries in 2024 and appears to the casual observer to have more pace than McIntosh. How many games Senior makes remains to be seen.

24. Louis Brogan - Brogan, another Leigh lad. He has made several appearances, but has never set the world alight. Trusted by Lam to do a job, it is hoped he will eventually blossom into a regular squad player.

25. AJ Towse - Towse has a 100% win record with Leigh. Chances have been fleeting, but Lam has no issues deploying him when needed.

26. Will Brough - An early-season injury to Brough curtailed his Leigh career. He is a young lad, and whilst talented, it may still be a few years before he gets his chance.

27. Nathan Wilde - Wilde has been drafted on a few occasions, but it remains to be seen if he gets a chance in the near future.

28. Ryan Brown

29. Oliver Polec - New signing, unsure what the plans are for this young man.

30. Brad Martin - Forgotten man. Is he still with the club?

31. Kavan Rothwell - another forgotten man. Is he still with the club?

Play-the-Ball Rule Change for 2026

Rule Change for 2026, well, not exactly more of a re-interpretation of the rules. In the 2025 Ashes series, much was made of the slow play-the-balls in the British game. The trend from the lawmakers is always to try and make the game quicker with less wrestling and rolling away from the tackle. The coaches always try to make the game slower by practising wrestling and then the three man pile on, hopefully with the tackler trapped on his back. Arms and legs often get entangled in the process and players have increasingly been in the way of the play-the-ball, also slowing down the game.

Phil Bentham the head of match officials, has stated that the whole process will be cleaned up in the 2026 season. This will bring the Northern Hemisphere game more in-line with the Southern Hemisphere game.

Who will benefit most from this law change? The answer in a crude metric will be the dummy-halves, who will have more opportunities to run from the dummy half position. I have compiled a list of the top runners from the 2025 stats. This will obviously exclude the new hookers who have signed for clubs for the new season. The list contains the top 20 players:

20. Liam Horne - A utility player in the pack managed 25 runs. Now partnering Edwin Ipape at the Leigh Leopards

19. Cade Cust - Half back/make shift Hooker 30 runs. Expected to spent more time in the number 9 position next season.

18. Andy Ackers - second-string hooker at Leeds last season will see more action at Bradford. Managed 31 runs.

17.Jordan Rapana - Surprise for a utility back to feature in this list at 33 runs. Now retired from the game.

16. Judah Rimbu - In just 10 games, he managed to scout 34 times. Returned to PNG mid-season.

15. Harvey Smith - the new kid on the block at Wakefield. with 27 appearances and 38 runs.

14. Brad O'Neill - not renowned as a dummy runner, managed 40 runs

13. Tristan Sailor - the very definition of a utility player, also managed 40 runs

12. Zac Cini - Centre/Winger ran 40 times from the dummy half for Castleford

11. Joe Mellor - Converted half back managed 43 runs in a very poor Salford side. Now signed with Bradford

10. Alrix Da Costa - One of a handful of players to remain at Catalans Dragons made 52 runs

9. Amir Bourouh - The Hull FC hooker ran 54 times

8. Jared O'Connor - Starting hooker for Leeds Rhinos ran 73 times

7. Kruise Leeming - The Wigan livewire ran 76 times

6. Zac Woolford - The highly rated Giants hooker got on his bike 78 times

5. Liam Hood - The Wakefield veteran who managed 78 runs, has switched clubs to Castleford.

4. Danny Walker - Suffered a severe mid-season injury and still managed 79 runs

3. Daryl Clark - Former man of steel, is the first player to run over 100 times, with an impressive 114 runs

2. Edwin Ipape - The livewire Leigh Hooker darted 115 times.

1. Jez Litten - Little Jeremy is the top-rated Hooker and 2025 Dream team number 9, having managed to run 125 times.

Depending how much the new interpretation of the refereeing of the play-the-balls goes, it looks extremely beneficial on paper for Hull KR, Leigh, St Helens and Warrington. Also benefiting will be the Wigan pair at 7 and 14 in the hit parade. Wakefield will be happy with Harvey Smith and the new incumbent, Tyson Smoothy. Leigh have a new pairing with a total of  155 runs between Liam Horne and Edwin Ipape.

2026 Super League Predictions

Super League 2026, has grown to 14 teams with three new teams entering the bright lights of the Northern Hemisphere's top Rugby League competition. Personally I welcome the addition of York Knights, Bradford Bulls and Toulouse Olympique. The season will be much fairer with Home and Away fixtures and a single rivals round at Everton's Hill Dickinson stadium for the Magic Weekend. There are 27 rounds of the Betfred Super League 2026 season to enjoy starting in mid-February.

The argument against 14 teams has always been that there is not enough talent to support an extra two teams, but with the increase in overseas quota spots from seven to ten, all teams look stronger for the new season. If anything, it was a good move ahead of the NRL expansions in Perth and Papua New Guinea for 2027 and 2028 seasons. The 2025 season saw an increase in attendances across the competition, despite fears that figures would drop with all matches now available on Sky Sports' streaming services. The trend was the opposite with games well attended and combined Sky Sports viewing figures rising. 

The demise of Salford Red Devils in 2025, might actually be beneficial to the sport. Salford always struggled with home support and the Community Share Scheme highlighted the need for them to achieve 6000+ as an average gate in order to be sustainable. In 2024 Salford achieved an average 4,646 which dropped to only 4,000 in 2025. As a sport ideally every game would have at least 7,500 with the best supported teams achieving 15,000. This would represent real growth in the game and would hopefully improve Sky Sports' viewing figures, representing a potential better offer in Television rights. St Helens and Hull KR representatives have both highlighted the TV deal has being the only way out of the financial crisis affecting the game. Currently, only two teams reported a profit last year, Leigh and Bradford. The Bulls have achieved this whilst being in the Championship and Leigh have significantly increased the fandom section of the IMG grading. Neither team were in the Super League during the covid season and I believe that Leigh did not take the Covid loan. If I was an owner of a Super League team, I would look very closely at how Derek Beaumont is achieving a profit at the same time as increasing the match day experience. 

2026 Super League Predictions

Without further ado, let's move on to the predictions.

14. Toulouse Olympique - Financially hampered by having to pay the flight costs for the 12 UK based teams and only receiving half of the central funding. Having two French teams in the Super League may assist in Catalans and Toulouse finding a Television deal in France. Olympique appear to have cut their cloth accordingly and in terms of numbers, they have lost three players and brought in six new players. Brendan Hands played eight times for Toulouse in 2025 on loan before completing a deal for the 2026 season. Hands will be joined by Henry O'Kane, who has experience in the NSW Cup. The most notable signing is Tyler Dupree, on a season-long loan from Wigan. Dupree dropped down the pecking order at the Warriors, and even with a number of front line props leaving the club, was considered surplus to requirements. Having won the 2025 Championship Grand Final, they might believe they are strong enough to finish above the other promoted teams.

Aspirations - 12th

Need more quality

13. Bradford Bulls - Kurt Hagerty has made monumental changes to the Bradford playing squad. 14 players have left Odsall, whilst 16 have made Bradford their new home. Most of the signings are Super League regulars, with the biggest signings being Andy Ackers, Jayden Nikorima, Ryan Sutton and Esan Marsters. This looks like a squad built to compete in Super League, but in reality, it lacks any gold dust. Ackers has made the short journey from Leeds to Bradford, but he has failed to light up Super League since the move to Leeds in 2024. At 32, his best years appear to be behind him. Ryan Sutton could be one of the signings of the season after returning from six seasons in the NRL at Canberra and Canterbury. The last two seasons, however, have been injury-ravaged, and there is an inherent risk with this signing. Mellor, Marsters, Milnes and Nikorima will provide some positives. Question marks remain over the appointment of Kurt Hagerty, who will need all the skills he picked up from Paul Rowley.

Aspirations - 9th

Crowds return to Odsal, but lacking the x-factor

12. York Knights - The future of Super League depends on teams like York Knights. Just outside of the traditional heartlands, York can provide a different demographic to the usual working-class towns built on long-forgotten industries. York is an affluent city and a popular tourist destination. Clint Goodchild is revolutionary thinker in Rugby League circles, and if anyone can make a go of this opportunity, it is Clint. York was an early adopter of women's Rugby League and the Valkyres are one of the top teams. Hopefully, York can utilise hordes of away supporters arriving to witness the LNER Community Stadium for the first time. With a capacity of 8,500 it would be great to see this stadium full to the rafters. 11 players have exited the club and 12 players have joined the squad. The most eye-catching is Paul Vaughan. Vaughan saved his best Rugby for the Challenge Cup in 2025, and came close to lifting the trophy at Wembley. Super League regulars include, Josh Griffin, Sam Wood, Justine Sangare and Jon Bennison all bring much needed experience.

Aspirations - 12th

Hopefully, the game will flourish in North Yorkshire

11. Huddersfield Giants - 2022 seems a long time ago for Giants fans, when they narrowly lost to Wigan in the Challenge Cup final and finished 3rd in the league. Since 2022, it has been a rapid descent to the bottom quarter of the table, finishing 9th, 10th and 9th respectively. Injuries were blamed for last season, but the squad appears to be understrength and tires in the latter stages of games. Huddersfield have 7 going out and 5 coming in. Key players like Cudjoe have retired, and the highly rated Oliver Wilson has moved on to Wigan. Starters like Bibby, Wallis and Golding have all left the club. Incoming players appear lightweight. Evalds had played for the Giants on loan in 2025, two signings from Wakefield in Cozza and Russell, and two overseas players in Chris Patola and Asher O'Donnell. It appears that much will rely on Asher being as good as his brother Kai.

Aspirations - Play-offs

10. Castleford Tigers - Chris Chester has been busy delving into his little black book. Leigh Leopards have made reference to the fact that they are in a bidding war with Castleford for every player they are looking to sign. New manager Ryan Carr will inherit a brand new squad 11 players heading for new homes, and 11 players moving to the OneBore stadium. A new Team and  a new Manager, logic dictates that it is going to take time to bed in. Will the Fords be more competitive? probably, but I think that other teams have strengthened from a more stable base.

Aspirations - Play-offs

Improvements on the field, but not enough to progress up the table.

9. Catalans Dragons - Big expectations from the Dragons after two consecutive finishes outside the play-offs. The result is to jetison an entire starting 13, including Sam Tomkins, Theo Fages, Tevita Pangai Jr, Fouad Yaha, Arthur Romano, Paul Seguier, Elliott Whitehead, Tariq Sims, Tanguy Zenon, Bayley Sironen, Reimis Smith, Luke Keary, Jordan Dezaria. This is a culling on a monumental scale with the lose of a large number of players with big reputations. Admittedly, they performed nowhere near their potential, but there are risks involved in setting up a brand new side (see Castleford). 12 new players. have moved to the South of France with a raft of overseas players trying to settle in. Toby Sexton is thought to be the pick of the crop, but he is already heading back to the NRL in 2027. The rest of the overseas contingent are predominantly under the age of 25. Joel Tomkins is putting his faith in youth. Not sure it is enough to change the dial and propel them up the ladder.

Aspirations - Play-offs - 

Bernard Gausch to wield his chopper on Joel Tomkins

8. Warrington Wolves - Has McNamara managed to clean up the toxic culture that has prevailed at the HJ Stadium for more years than I can remember? There was a stink about the place towards the back-end of Tony Smith's reign in 2017. Steve Price managed to get a tune of sorts, but rumours of a drinks culture were rampant. 2022 with Daryl Powell looked like he would steady the ship, but this all came to nought and Powell lost the dressing room. Sam Burgess provided an upsurge in 2024 and a downsurge in 2025. Most Warrington fans do not know to expect, but it is likely to a be bumpy ride. Burgess and club captain George Williams are expected to return to Australia in 2027, and Danny Walker is on the NRL wishlist. 11 players have moved on from the HJ Stadium, with 7 mostly match-day starters arriving. James Bentley, a man who can start a fight in an empty room, has moved to Warrington and the toxic cauldron. Leeds stated Bentley by mutual consent, but most people suspect a misdemeanour or falling out took place. Sipley, Hopoate and Tanginoa look like good signings, but Warrington still looks lightweight in the pack. Oddly enough, the half-back pairing of Williams and Sneyd has so far failed to gel. The expectation is for youth to be given a chance, and so development may take time for them to settle in.

Aspirations - Play-offs

Always their year - but not this year. Burgess is to be asked to bugger off to Australia

7. St Helens - Controversial Saints to finish outside the top six. Popular opinion states Rowley will get the best of the old players and will develop the very talented youth at his disposal. The reality is that St Helens have been on a slide ever since winning the World Club Challenge in 2023. What are the major issues facing Saints? Age - Mark Percival 32 in a few months has always played at 100 mph. Unfortunately, his body can no longer take the knocks, and a 27+ game season is beyond him. Alex Walmsley turns 36 early in the season. Props take a battering, and Big Al takes longer to recover. Unlikely to capture the outstanding performances of just a few years ago. Daryl Clark turns 33 before the start of the season, and every year he makes fewer darting runs from dummy half. Is there a suitable dummy half to rotate with Clark? Jonny Lomax, already 35 years old, was being squeezed out of the matchday side in 2025, despite being the club captain. Given the number 7 jersey for 2026, he is already part of the problem and not the solution. Spine - enough to send a shiver down the spine of any Red Vee fan. Adding Jackson Hastings into the mix does nothing to clear the picture. At Fullback - the natural choice would be Jack Welsby. who has struggled through injuries and poor form. Tristan Sailor was signed as a half-back, but lacks the creativity to be really useful in this position. Sailor has pace to burn, but is lightweight and not good in the tackle. Half-back (6&7), two positions with no individual nailed on to hold these positions down. Jackson Hastings (circa 2018 - 2021 - playing for Salford and Wigan) would absolutely cement a place in this team. Last season Hastings started in reserve grade until week 15. Eventually, he managed just five appearances for Newcastle. He was pushed into playing Loose-Forward, which raises question marks over his ability to still play in the halves. Jonny Lomax is no longer the creative force of old, and Slomax would appear to be a more suitable name for the Saints legend. George Whitby, this young talent, is being carefully managed; he is fully expected to lead the Saints in the future, but is considered not quite ready to face the rigours of a full season. Harry Robertson is another option at 1,6 and 7. I have no doubt he would play 9 and 13 if asked. At Hooker, Daryl Clark appears to be lacking a genuine interchange option. At Loose-forward, Saints have lost Morgan Knowles, who has been the rock at 13 for the last 10 years. St Helens have signed Jacob Host and David Klemmer, but the rest of the squad is made up of refugees from the Salford Red Devils. Rowley likes to sign players he is already familiar with, so expect anyone connected to Salford in the past four years to rock up in the Red Vee.

Aspirations - Top four minimum, with a treble on the cards

A good coach, some good players, but several years of poor recruitment have left the Saints facing younger, faster and leaner opposition moving up the rails. Expect the Saints to bully teams in the lower half of the League, but struggle against the top six sides.

6. Hull FC - John Cartwright, in his first season, was able to turn around the fortunes of the Black and Whites. A huge turnover of players in 2025, was full of hits and misses. Hits included Asiata, Hardaker, Sezer, Cust, Rapana. Knight and Pryce. Misses included Abdull, Holmes and Watts. Injuries to key players hampered progress and they narrowly missed out on the play-offs. FC are hoping to replace the misses with an influx of forwards. Lisone, Batchelor, Bell and Hill. A further missing part of the jigsaw was a half-back partner for Sezer, which will be filled by Jake Arthur. Cartwright looks to have all the pieces in place to push on to the play-offs in 2026.

Aspirations - Top six minimum, hoping for top four

Gaps filled in and a pack ready to rumble. If the spine fires, they will be pushing for a top-four finish. Much will depend on keeping the spine injury-free.

5. Wakefield Trinity - Trinity, who made the play-offs in 2025, have strengthened the side by moving on some older players and fringe players, and replacing them with some major talent from the NRL in the shape of Jazz Tevaga and Tyson Smoothy. These two signings alone will ensure Wakefield will be a team to be respected.

Aspirations - Top six minimum, hoping for top four

Reaching the play-offs in 2025 was a tremendous achievement. Well placed to reach the semi-finals in 2026.

4. Wigan Warriors - The treble winners in 2024, 2nd in the ladder and reaching the Grand Final. This will be considered a bad season for the Warriors. Recruitment is key to keeping a dynasty hungry for more, but instead, Wigan have managed only one major signing in two years. The rumour mill suggests that Oliver Wilson will be out injured for the whole season, after dispatching 3 prop forwards to other clubs. As a two-man team, Wigan will need to wrap French and Field in cotton wool, as with two race horses, they often pull up mid-season with hamstring issues. Wigan have also decided to re-sign club captain Liam Farrell for a further two seasons, despite the fact that, at 35 years old, he is starting to show signs of fatigue.

Aspirations - Silverware as a minimum, with a treble on the cards

A very strong squad of 20, but the salary cap skews the full squad with 23 down to 35 filled with academy kids. Of course, Wigan are renowned for a production line of talent, but this does not mean they are ready for a plethora of games. Everything will hinge on French and Field remaining on the pitch for as much of the season as possible.

3. Leeds Rhinos - Brad Arthur, on a rolling contract, has provided a bit of stability, and with Jake Arthur also now in the country, there are more reasons to stay. A large NRL contract may soon change all of that. A fourth-place finish for Leeds was a first home play-off for many a season, with the two previous seasons resulting in Leeds missing out on post-season Rugby. In 2024, after missing out, he made sure they still continued to train, rather than hit the beaches early. Arthur is known as a disciplinarian, and that was obvious in the structure of the defence. Jake Connor was nurtured slowly after initially being left out of the squad. 2026 will see a former and the reigning Man of Steel partnering for a second consecutive season. How well the Rhinos progress is dependent on Croft and Connor combining well. Croft in his final year, has seldom shown the form that resulted in a fee being paid for his services from Salford. Recruitment is strong with Jeremiah Mata'utia, Ethan O'Neill and Danny Levi joining the Rhinos, but there are some big losses with Morgan Gannon, Sam Lisone and James Bentley leaving. Maika Sivo, having not played last season, will be like having a new signing.

Aspirations - Top four as a minimum, Silverware will be expected

Is the Las Vegas game going to adversely affect Leeds. They will also have one of the easier matches at Magic Weekend.

2. Hull KR - Reigning treble winners, will have a bullseye slapped on their backs, as they prepare to defend all three titles and win a fourth against the Brisbane Broncos. Recruitment has been difficult with the salary cap starting to pinch. All those treble winners will be looking for a pay rise in their new contracts. Litten and Lewis will need extra incentives not to eye up those lucrative NRL deals. The old warhorses Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Micky McIlorum have hung up their boots after a magnificent swansong. Kelepi Tanginoa left to seek a longer contract with Warrington. To replace the departing players, in step, Tom Amone and Karl Lawton. Lawton offers plenty of NRL experience and, more importantly, possible cover at hooker. Tom Amone will be a worry for little Willie, will he get Castleford 2025 or Leigh 2024, Tom Amone. There is the issue of defending all three trophies, the Robins also have a strength-sapping trip to Las Vegas straight after the World Club Challenge. This will also result in having to squeeze an extra regular-season fixture to replace the one missed because of the World Club Challenge. There are then two early-season trips to the South of France, all before the middle of April.

Aspirations - Retain all three trophies and win the World Club Challenge

Hull KR have broken the hoodoo, but defending it might be harder than achieving the treble in the first place. Hull derbies are going to be much more competitive, and there are three to enjoy with Magic Weekend.

1. Leigh Leopards - Adrian Lam has been working on a five-year strategy. Although not publicly stated, it would be fairly reasonable to assume that winning the Grand Final in 2027 is the ultimate goal. Finishing the regular 2026 season in first or second would amount to steady progress toward that objective. 2023 - 5th place, 2024 - 5th place(4th place with play-offs), 2025 - 3rd place. This rise through the ranks has been achieved without a long-established academy, but through shrewd recruitment first with a raft of unknown NSW/QLD cup players and some experienced older heads. This later morphed into a much younger group of talented overseas players and bringing through the likes of Owen Trout, Keenan Brand, Bailey Hodgson and Umyla Hanley. The crown jewels of the team are Lachlan Lam and Edwin Ipape. NRL veterans Joe Ofahengaue and Issac Liu bring a level of professionalism to the team. There is also a sprinkling of stardust from Tesi Nui and David Armstrong. The team has lacked a top-quality goal kicker and a creative half-back in all three seasons in the Super League. Matt Moylan was briefly the answer to the creative half-back, but was later swapped with Gaz O'Brien due to defensive frailties. Adam Cook has been identified by Adrian Lam as the missing piece of the jigsaw and the perfect foil for Lachlan Lam. If Lammy snr is correct, then the Leopards will be incredibly dangerous and coupled with a fully fit David Armstrong, then attacking from any part of the field becomes a real option.

Aspirations - Top two finish - Challenge Cup a bonus.

Leigh has a relatively settled side, but this might be the last season due to salary cap constraints. They are a difficult side to beat, and this season is going to be a tough competition. 

2026 Super League Coach's Assessment

There are just two days remaining of the year 2025. The Super League season kicks off in about 6 weeks time, and most of the pre-season signings have been made and the returning Internationals are back with their clubs.

2026 promises to be an exciting year for Northern Hemisphere rugby league with three new teams, pushing the ranks up to 14 teams. Everybody has an opinion as to how teams will perform over the course of the season based on existing squad strength and the quality of new recruits. In my opinion the quality of the Head Coach matters more than the quality of the playing roster.

Love Rugby League have compiled Super League coaches' win percentages Ranking every 2026 Super League coach's career win percentage . This gives an indication but does not reveal the whole picture.

Below is my gut reaction to the current crop of Super League coaches:

14. Kurt Haggerty - Unlike Love Rugby League, I actually know that Haggerty was in charge of Leigh Centurions in 2021, after John Dufty left by mutual consent. Leigh won only two games out of the 19 with Haggerty in charge. During his tenure, Leigh played attacking formations, which would have been familiar to Haggerty from his playing days. Having been an Assistant Coach for the last four seasons, it is unclear whether Haggerty has incorporated modern playing styles into his repertoire. Inexperienced in the top job, I expect him to struggle to create a cohesive team in time to win many games.

13. Sylvain Houles - 12 years and counting, Houles has been a permanent fixture at Toulouse Olympique. Last year, he guided Toulouse to a 2nd-placed finish and victory in the grand final against York. A career record of 67% win percentage also includes a solitary season in the 2022 Super League. Favouring a core of home grown French players, and not being backed financially to bring in a full complement of overseas players. It's hard to assess his coaching strengths when he's not competing on a level playing field.

12. Ryan Carr - There is a lot of excitement in Rugby League press about Castleford's chances in 2026. Carr returns to the UK after previously being in charge of Featherstone Rovers in 2019. Carr was interim manager at St George Illawarra Dragons in 2022, but only managed three wins from 14 matches. Carr inherits a team very much influx. Castleford have been bumbling around the bottom of the table for the last three years, and a major culture change and some good management are required. Not sure that Ryan Carr has the necessary skills to make such a quick change around.

11. Luke Robinson - A total of 48 games in charge of Huddersfield with a 31% win percentage, has overseen a steady decline in Huddersfield's fortunes. Ken Davy the owner of the Giants, has been incredibly loyal in recent seasons. Rhetoric coming from Davy suggests that he wants to see Huddersfield win a trophy in the next few years. Robinson may have had to overcome a terrible string of injuries, but the jury is out as to how much time he has to turn things around.

10. Joel Tomkins - A strange choice to take on the Catalans Dragons. No experience in the role, and a team massively underperforming under Steve McNamara. Tomkins was able to add a little steel to a very poor Les Dracs team. Unlikely to make Catalans into a top six side in 2026.

9. Mark Applegarth - A single season in Super League with Wakefield was very demoralising for the young coach. Highly rated as a youth coach, he was unable to get any tune out of a very poor Wakefield side. Moving to York, has given Applegarth a new appetite for the game, and made the York City Knights into a free-flowing side. Recruitment is thought to be good for the new season and Applegarth will relish a second chance in the top flight.

8. Sam Burgess - As a player Burgess did not accept any nonsense. As a coach he has allowed a poor culture to fester at Warrington. An experienced coach like Daryl Powell was unable to sort out the behaviour and matey Burgess appeared far too close to the players to maintain discipline. Tactically naive last year, the backroom staff appeared to have no idea how to turn the team around. Steve McNamara might be the catalyst for a change in the culture at the HJ Stadium.

7. Paul Rowley - Rowls is considered to be one of the best man managers in the game. Able to get the best out of old hands and bring on young talent. At St Helens he will have to deal with an abundance of both. Often considered to be tactically naive, with players given free rein to attack from any part of the field, it creates an attractive spectacle when it comes off, something that will be greatly appreciated at St Helens. This will be Rowley's big opportunity to achieve something at a big club. Rowley is shrewd observer of the game, and his time as a pundit shows a real understanding for the game.

6. John Cartwright - Cartwright inherited a Hull side on the slide, with consecutive 9th, 10th and 11th finishes. Myler revitalised the squad by raiding the Leigh Leopards. Cartwright with 7 seasons at the Gold Coast Titans as Head Coach, and many more as an assistant in the NRL, was able to add steel and style to a new Hull side. Injuries to key players eventually proved to be the downside to reaching the play-offs. A complete season under his belt, Cartwright will be expecting bigger and better things for the Black and Whites.

5. Daryl Powell - Powell's resurrection from the disastrous spell at Warrington. Wakefield and Powell are a match made in heaven. A return to West Yorkshire was exactly what Powell needed with previous success at Leeds, Featherstone and Castleford. With a season reset in the Championship, Powell has built a strong base for Wakefield's first assault back in Super League, next season looks promising for a second consecutive play-off season.

4. Brad Arthur - Arthur is an experienced NRL coach with 10 consecutive seasons at the Parramatta Eels. A tough coach who expects to win games through defensive endeavours. He inherited a Leeds Rhinos team with a soft underbelly after the tenure of Rohan Smith. His greatest success so far in Super League is taming the maverick nature of Jake Connor. Any Arthur team will be physically fit and defensively organised.

3. Matt Peet - Controversial choice for a coach who has every trophy in his short tenure at Wigan. Credited with creating the cultural envy of Super League, it is actually unclear where the ideas and philosophy emanate. The reality is probably from Kris Radlinski, who controls the club with a rod of might. Wigan are often described as a 2 man team, and their results without Field and French back up these criticisms. What is often overlooked is that they were signed under Adrian Lam's tenure, with both being injured in Lam's final season at Wigan. Peet is one of Rugby League's great thinkers, but he is surrounded by the best training facilities and a great team of assistants, with arguably the best academy 

2. Adrian Lam - Much maligned during his tenure of Wigan Warriors for their boring five drives and a kick philosophy. Lam took a recently relegated side and built it up in the image of himself. With a small coaching setup, essentially just Clubb and Lam, they have recruited well, starting with older experienced players and finally moving to a young, dynamic team. Well respected for bringing talent through like, Trout, Brand, Hanley and Hodgson, with an eye for talent both old and young like Asiata, O'Donnell, Amone and Ipape. More recently, Ofahengaue, Nui, Liu and O'Neill. To establish Leigh in the top six, three years running is an incredible achievement.

1. Willie Peters - Little Willie is my choice at number one. He has a ruthless streak in the recruitment market and will quickly move players on if a better option becomes available. Without having insider information, he also appears to be ruthless when dealing with assistant coaches who don't agree with him. He needs total commitment to the cause and has created a united defence and a maverick attacking side capable of striking anywhere on the pitch. Hull KR were deserving champions of 2025.