The 2025 Super League season is on the horizon and will provide opportunities for off-contract players to secure new deals. Among the 120-plus players without deals for 2026, nine are full-backs or have played the position in recent years.
Of those nine, Catalans Dragons and Wakefield Trinity boast two each which highlights a potentially key issue for them in the coming seasons should they not make moves in the upcoming months to tie players down or sign alternatives.
The reason why players who are out of contract for 2026 is such a pressing issue now, just days into 2025, is that the rules around rival clubs negotiating with players has been changed for the 2025 season.
Previously, rival clubs could not contact players with less than 12 months on their contract until May 1st, however, that was brought forward to December 1st to bring it in line with the NRL market.
As such, the players listed below are all currently available to sign with rival Super League clubs for 2026, with one player already reportedly having done so. Here are the nine Super League full-backs off-contract for 2026.
Every Super League full-back off contract at the end of 2025
Credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com
Some of the listed players are clear and obvious full-backs whilst some have slight asterisks next to them due to their positional versatility. One of those is Leigh Leopards’ Gareth O’Brien.
O’Brien was handed the number one shirt for the 2024 season but swapped positions with Matt Moylan early in the campaign, making the move into the halves. With Leigh signing David Armstrong for 2025, it’s clear O’Brien will not be the club’s first choice full-back but it’s a position he has played for the majority of his career.
On that same theme, Sam Tomkins is a veteran who has been a career full-back but has been used of late in the halves. It’s unclear where he will play in 2025 for Catalans or if he’ll play on in 2026.
Tomkins’ teammate Arthur Mourgue has already reportedly made the decision to sign for Hull KR for 2026 with the Robins seeming to be the first team to take advantage of the new rules around when rival clubs can begin negotiations.
His reported move could have big implications for incumbent Niall Evalds who is also off-contract at the end of the season having signed a two-year deal prior to 2024.
Wakefield Trinity have both Max Jowitt and new signing Josh Rourke off contract at the end of the season meaning that 2025 could prove to see the pair compete for a new deal. If either player is allowed to leave then they’ll be highly sought after.
Castleford’s Luke Hooley is another player without a deal beyond 2025 whilst youngsters Aidan McGowan (Huddersfield) and Nathan Connell (Salford) are also on expiring contracts.
