Most improved English Rugby League players of 2019

Bateman joined Canberra ahead of the 2019 season and although he was well known in Super League, he was relatively unknown to those in Australia. Previously, he played for the Bradford Bulls and Wigan and it was during his time with the Warriors that he really made a name for himself. He has repeatedly been chosen to compete in international tournaments like the 2016 Four Nations, the 2017 Rugby League World Cup and most recently the Great Britain tour of Oceania. It takes a special player to make the NRL’s team of the season but Bateman achieved just that in his first season with the Raiders. He was also voted the competition’s best buy of 2019 as well as leading the green machine to the NRL Grand Final.

Daryl Clark

Since 2015, Clark has been one of Warrington Wolves’ danger men but this season he became their key player. His performances in 2019 helped the Wire win the Challenge Cup final and achieve a top four finish. Over the course of his career so far he has scored a total of 280 points and 70 tries and he has continuously impressed on the field, helping him to earn spots on the 2019 Great Britain Lions tour and the English team for the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s. Although the season didn’t end how he would have liked, on both domestic and international fronts, 2019 has been a good year for Clark and he will be one of the favourites for the Steve Prescott Man of Steel award next year.

Jackson Hastings

At only 23, Hastings has already played for three teams: Sydney Roosters, Manly Sea Eagles, and Salford Red Devils. Those are three teams you wouldn’t normally hear in the same sentence and if you had to guess which team really took Hastings career to the next level you probably wouldn’t guess Salford. But Hastings won the Man of Steel award for his performance during Super League XXIV for the Red Devils and helped the 100/1 outsiders make the Grand Final against all the odds. Like Clark, Hastings was also selected to join the 2019 Great Britain Lions tour despite his Australian birth, due to him having English ancestors.

Josh Charnley

Charnley has returned to the top of his game since returning from Rugby Union after he followed up a trophy-laden spell with Wigan with a stint in the 15-man code at Sale Sharks. It’s not just his prolific try-scoring record that makes him ones of the best in the business, but since he returned to rugby league he has managed to make his ball returns and defence the best part of his game. Solid, reliable and capable of game-changing moments, Charnley has had a brilliant 2019 and has a trophy to show for it after helping Warrington beat St Helens at Wembley in August.

Jonny Lomax

Lomax is a one-club man and is the proclaimed ‘best player in Super League’ according to reigning Man of Steel Jackson Hastings. His versatility on the field, where he’s able to smoothly transition between various positions like fullback, scrum-half and stand-off has always made Lomax a valuable asset but this season he has become priceless with his performances in the halves. He played in both the 2019 Challenge Cup Final (a loss) and the 2019 Super League Grand Final, where he helped to defeat the Salford Red Devils, while also producing consistent performances week in week out to help Saints top the Super League table by a record margin.

Maybe in the years to come, we’ll see some of these players make the list for the top rugby league players of all time.