List of Super League seasons explained

See main article: Super League.

Super League
Current Season:2024 Super League season
Sport:Rugby league
Teams:12
Countries:
Champion: Wigan Warriors
(6th title)
Most Champs: St Helens
(10 titles)
Relegation:Championship
Domestic Cup:Challenge Cup
Confed Cup:World Club Challenge

The Super League is the top tier rugby league competition for teams in Great Britain. It was formed in 1996 replacing the Rugby Football League First Division which was the top tier in Britain from 1895 to 1996.

Since 1998, the winner of the Super League has been determined by a play-off series at the end of each season, culminating in a Grand Final at the Old Trafford. Four teams have won the Grand Final during the history of the Super League, with the Wigan Warriors being the current holders. St Helens are the most successful team in the Super League era, with ten titles. In the first two seasons of Super League, the champion was determined by league position at the end of the season.

The participants of the play-off series are determined by the league position of teams at the end of the regular season. The team at the top the Super League table at the end of the regular season are awarded with the League Leaders Shield. The Wigan Warriors are the current holders of the League Leaders Shield, while St Helens hold the record for most Shields with nine. The League Leaders have been recognised with their own trophy since 2003.

Seasons

Team Performances

Season Overview

YearChampionsLeague LeadersRelegatedPromoted
1996 St Helens (1) Workington Salford
1997 Bradford (1) Oldham
Paris St Germain
Hull F.C.
Huddersfield
1998 Wigan (1) Wigan (1)None Gateshead
Wakefield
1999 St Helens (2) Bradford (1)None
2000 St Helens (3) Wigan (2)
2001 Bradford (2) Bradford (2) Huddersfield
2002 St Helens (4) St Helens (1) Salford Huddersfield
2003 Bradford (3) Bradford (3) Halifax Salford
2004 Leeds (1) Leeds (1) Castleford Leigh
2005 Bradford (4) St Helens (2) Leigh
Widnes
Castleford
Catalans
2006 St Helens (5) St Helens (3) Castleford Hull Kingston Rovers
2007 Leeds (2) St Helens (4) Salford Castleford
2008 Leeds (3) St Helens (5)None Crusaders
Salford
2009 Leeds (4) Leeds (2)None
2010 Wigan (2) Wigan (3)
2011 Leeds (5) Warrington (1) Crusaders Widnes
2012 Leeds (6) Wigan (4)NoneNone
2013 Wigan (3) Huddersfield (1)
2014 St Helens (6) St Helens (6) Bradford
London
2015 Leeds (7) Leeds (3)None
2016 Wigan (4) Warrington (2) Hull Kingston Rovers Leigh
2017 Leeds (8) Castleford (1) Leigh Hull Kingston Rovers
2018 Wigan (5) St Helens (7) Widnes London
2019 St Helens (7) St Helens (8) London Toronto
2020 St Helens (8) Wigan (5) Toronto Leigh
2021 St Helens (9) Catalans (1) Leigh Toulouse
2022 St Helens (10) St Helens (9) Toulouse Leigh
2023 Wigan (6) Wigan (6) Wakefield London

Grand Finals

See main article: Super League Grand Final.

YearChampionsScoreRunner UpVenueAttendance
1998 Wigan10–4 LeedsOld Trafford43,533
1999 St Helens8–6 Bradford 50,717
2000 St Helens29–16 Wigan 58,132
2001 Bradford37–6 Wigan 60,164
2002 St Helens19–18 Bradford 61,138
2003 Bradford25–12 Wigan 65,537
2004 Leeds16–8 Bradford 65,547
2005 Bradford15–6 Leeds 65,728
2006 St Helens26–4 Hull F.C. 72,575
2007 Leeds33–6 St Helens 71,352
2008 Leeds24–16 St Helens 68,810
2009 Leeds18–10 St Helens 63,259
2010 Wigan22–10 St Helens 71,526
2011 Leeds32–16 St Helens 69,107
2012 Leeds26–18 Warrington 70,676
2013 Wigan30–16 Warrington 66,281
2014 St Helens14–6 Wigan 70,102
2015 Leeds22-20 Wigan 73,512
2016 Wigan12-6 Warrington 70,202
2017 Leeds24-6 Castleford 72,827
2018 Wigan12-4 Warrington 64,892
2019 St Helens23-6 Salford 64,102
2020 St Helens8-4 WiganKCOM Stadium 0
2021 St Helens12-10 CatalansOld Trafford 45,177
2022 St Helens24-12 Leeds 60,783
2023 Wigan10-2 Catalans 58,137

Individual Performances

Top Scorers

YearTriesPoints
PlayerClubTriesPlayerClubPoints
1996Paul Newlove St. Helens28Bobbie Goulding St. Helens257
1997Nigel Vagana Warrington17 Wigan243
1998Anthony Sullivan St. Helens20 Leeds255
1999Toa Kohe-Love Warrington25 Leeds325
2000Sean Long
Tommy Martyn
St. Helens St. Helens22Sean Long St. Helens352
2001Kris Radlinski Wigan27 Wigan388
2002Dennis Moran London22 Bradford301
2003Dennis Moran London24 Bradford286
2004Lesley Vainikolo Bradford36 Leeds277
2005Mark Calderwood Leeds27 Bradford322
2006Justin Murphy Catalans25 St. Helens316
2007Henry Fa'afili Warrington21Pat Richards Wigan248
2008Ade Gardner St. Helens26Pat Richards Wigan269
2009Ryan Hall Leeds29Pat Richards Wigan252
2010Pat Richards Wigan29Pat Richards Wigan388
2011Ryan Hall Leeds28Jamie Foster St. Helens330
2012Josh Charnley Wigan31Scott Dureau Catalans281
2013Josh Charnley Wigan33Danny Brough Huddersfield281
2014Joel Monaghan Warrington28Marc Sneyd Castleford224
2015Jermaine McGillvary Huddersfield27Luke Gale Castleford247
2016Denny Solomona Castleford40Luke Gale Castleford262
2017 Castleford38Luke Gale Castleford317
2018Ben Barba St. Helens28Danny Richardson St. Helens296
2019Tommy Makinson St. Helens23 St. Helens247
2020Ash Handley Leeds15 St. Helens152

Man of Steel

See main article: Man of Steel Awards. The Man of Steel Award is given to the Super League Player of the Season. Various methods of determining the seasons best player have been employed throughout the awards history. The current method involves points being designated to players by a select panel following each fixture. The award is also known as the Steve Prescott Man of Steel, posthumously named after the former St Helens player who established the Steve Prescott Foundation to raise money for cancer research whilst fighting his own battle with cancer, which he tragically lost in 2013.

YearNatPlayerClub
1996Andy Farrell Wigan
1997James Lowes Bradford
1998Iestyn Harris Leeds
1999Adrian Vowles Castleford
2000Sean Long St. Helens
2001Paul Sculthorpe St. Helens
2002Paul Sculthorpe St. Helens
2003Jamie Peacock Bradford
2004Andy Farrell Wigan
2005Jamie Lyon St. Helens
2006Paul Wellens St. Helens
2007James Roby St. Helens
2008James Graham St. Helens
2009Brett Hodgson Huddersfield
2010Pat Richards Wigan
2011Rangi Chase Castleford
2012Sam Tomkins Wigan
2013Danny Brough Huddersfield
2014Daryl Clark Castleford
2015Zak Hardaker Leeds
2016Danny Houghton Hull
2017Luke Gale Castleford
2018Ben Barba St. Helens
2019Jackson Hastings Salford
2020Paul McShane Castleford
2021Sam TomkinsCatalans[1]
2022Brodie CroftSalford[2]
2023Bevan FrenchWigan[3]

Harry Sunderland Trophy Winner

See main article: Harry Sunderland Trophy. The Harry Sunderland Trophy is awarded to the Man of the Match of the Super League Grand Final. The award predates Super League and was previously awarded to the Man of the Match of the Rugby League Premiership Final.

YearNatPlayerClub
1996Andrew Farrell[a] Wigan
1997Andrew Farrell[a] Wigan
1998Jason Robinson Wigan
1999Henry Paul Bradford
2000Chris Joynt St. Helens
2001Michael Withers Bradford
2002Paul Deacon Bradford
2003Stuart Reardon Bradford
2004Matt Diskin Leeds
2005Leon Pryce Bradford
2006Paul Wellens St. Helens
2007Rob Burrow Leeds
2008Lee Smith Leeds
2009Kevin Sinfield Leeds
2010Thomas Leuluai Wigan
2011Rob Burrow Leeds
2012Kevin Sinfield Leeds
2013Blake Green Wigan
2014James Roby St. Helens
2015Danny McGuire Leeds
2016Liam Farrell Wigan
2017Danny McGuire Leeds
2018Stefan Ratchford Warrington
2019Luke Thompson St. Helens
2020James Roby St. Helens
2021Kevin Naiqama St. Helens[4]
2022Jonny Lomax St. Helens[5]
2023Jake Wardle Wigan[6]

† = denotes a player who won the trophy but played on the losing team in the final.

a: Award won in Premiership Final inside Super League Era.

League Structure

Throughout the history of Super League, the competition has been structured in various formats effecting awarding of championships, participation in play-off series, and inclusion in the league itself.

YearNo. TeamChampionsPlay-OffsRelegation
199612League PositionNoneLeague Position: Bottom place relegated to First Division
1997
1998Grand FinalTop 5No Relegation
199914
200012
2001League Position: Bottom place relegated to National League One
2002Top 6
2003
2004
2005League Position: Bottom two relegated to National League One
2006League Position: Bottom place relegated to National League One[a]
2007
2008No Relegation
200914Top 8Licensing
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
201512Super 8's

Top 4 of Top 8

Super 8's

Bottom 3 of Middle 8 and Million Pound Game Loser relegated to Championship

2016
2017
2018
2019Top 5League Position: Bottom place relegated to Championship
202012[b]Top 6[c]No relegation[b]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sam Tomkins named 2021's Super League Man of Steel; Steve McNamara Coach of Year; Jack Welsby Young Player of Year .
  2. Web site: Brodie Croft named 2022 Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel .
  3. Web site: Bevan French named 2023 Steve Prescott MBE Betfred Super League Man of Steel .
  4. News: St Helens beat Catalans Dragons to win third straight Super League – as it happened . The Guardian . 9 October 2021 . McLaughlin . Luke .
  5. Web site: REACTION: Harry Sunderland Winner Lomax and Try scorer Percival on historic win! . 24 September 2022 .
  6. Web site: Harry Sunderland Trophy winner revealed as Wigan Warriors overcome Catalans Dragons . 14 October 2023 .