Five of the best defenders currently in Super League

Every Super League fan is rightly in love with attacking rugby but the defence in Super League is just as important.

So, here are five of the best defenders in Super League.

Zak Hardaker – Leigh Leopards
Zak Hardaker is perhaps Super League’s best ever defensive fullback. The way he assesses breaks and attacking situations from his opponents is second to none and he always comes up with the right response. He is also brilliant at centre in dangerous situations which is one of the reasons Leeds Rhinos reached the Grand Final in 2022.

Danny Houghton – Hull FC
Always at the top of the tackling charts, in 2022 he was the only player to make over a thousand tackles registering 1031 and only missing a total of 213. During his career he has rarely not been at the top of these rankings.

Jack Welsby – St Helens
In many ways the heir to Thomas Leuluai. Despite being a scrum-half, Leuluai was capable of the biggest hitters and Jack Welsby at St Helens is very similar. He is capable of a perfect tackle.

Cameron Smith – Leeds Rhinos
A tackling machine like Houghton, Smith is also capable of a try saving tackle and a big hit. He’s at the heart of the Leeds defence which ultimately carried the Rhinos to Old Trafford.

Joe Westerman – Castleford Tigers
After Houghton, Westerman was the closest player to a thousand tackles in 2022 with 929 last season only missing 168 tackles throughout the year which is less than other players up at that end of the tackle charts.