Five NRL signings to take Super League by storm including Leeds Rhinos and St Helens men

Almost 30 players from the NRL have signed with a Super League club for the 2025 season but who are the ones set to make the biggest impact?

Whilst two teams (Salford Red Devils and Wigan Warriors) have not made a single signing from the NRL, some have made as many as four.

All of Catalans Dragons, Huddersfield Giants and Leigh Leopards have made four signings from the NRL as they see an overhaul of their overseas quota players. The Leopards have also signed Ethan O’Neill from Burleigh Bears, making him their fifth overseas recruit.

St Helens are the only club to exclusively sign players from the NRL with all three recruits coming from Down Under – albeit one is Englishman Lewis Murphy.

We’ve picked out five of these NRL signings that we expect to make the biggest impact in Super League for the 2025 season with the players listed in no particular order.

Five NRL signings set to take Super League by storm

Maika Sivo – Leeds Rhinos

Fans have already had a chance to see what Sivo can bring to Leeds Rhinos with the winger featuring on Boxing Day in the friendly against Wakefield Trinity. The powerful winger scored 17 tries in just 12 games in the NRL last season and boasts over 100 scores all time in the competition. As a big-bodied winger, he and Ryan Hall could terrorise defences in Super League in 2025.

Tevita Pangai Junior – Catalans Dragons

One of two forwards on this list but unlike the other, Pangai Junior is in his prime – set to turn 29 the week before the Super League season starts. He has had time away from the sport, venturing into boxing, but he played in State of Origin as recently as 2023 highlighting his immense talent. Expect Catalans to be on the front feet very often thanks to this man in 2025.

David Armstrong – Leigh Leopards

The flying full-back is a stark contrast to Leigh’s full-back Matt Moylan in 2024. Very few players will beat Armstrong for pace but he brings far more than that with his try-scoring record speaking for itself – five in five in the NRL with a further 13 in 12 in the NSW Cup in 2024. Derek Beaumont has compared him to Bevan French, if Armstrong is half the player than Leigh have got a serious talent on their hands.

Tristan Sailor – St Helens

Another speedster joining the spine of a play-off team is Tristan Sailor. The former Brisbane Broncos man also sees his attacking coach Lee Briers make the switch to Saints – something that will only benefit the 26-year-old. Stuck behind Reece Walsh in the NRL, Sailor always shone when deputising at full-back but will now have the chance to star in the halves alongside Jonny Lomax.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves – Hull KR

A real tone-setter style of signing for Hull KR. They’ve lost finals in consecutive seasons but the arrival of a serial winner such as JWH shows the aspirations of the club and could be the sort of signing to help them end the trophy drought. The big question around the NRL icon is discipline but should he stay on the field then there’s no doubt that he can take the competition by storm.