After all the fuss over rugby league’s new way of determining places in Super League, it was business as usual this year. The IMG grading system produced only one change to the top-flight for 2025 as Championship winners Wakefield Trinity replaced London Broncos, which would have happened anyway if promotion and relegation was based on playing performance alone.
Now clubs are also ranked on ‘fandom’, finances, stadium and community to produce a mark out of 20, with 15 being needed to secure an A-grade and guaranteed Super League status.
Nine clubs received an A grade this year and are joined in Super League by the three highest-ranked B-grade sides.
The most vulnerable of those are Salford Red Devils, with a score of 13.97. Here we look at the four clubs within two points of the 12th-placed outfit on the IMG table.
Toulouse Olympique: IMG score 13.58.
The French side are in pole position in terms of their IMG grading, being 13th this year and were runners-up to Wakefield Trinity in the Championship table and Grand Final. Finances are a worry, though.
London Broncos: IMG score 12.65.
Relegated from the top-flight this year, London were 14th on the IMG table, rocketing up 10 places from their indicative ranking in 2023. But their best players have been raided by Super League clubs and they are having to rebuild their squad going into next season.
York Knights: IMG score 12.42.
The ambitious North Yorkshire club have made huge progress on and off the field in recent years and the top-flight is now within sight. After a poor start to 2024, their on-field performance improved significantly after Mark Applegarth was appointed coach.
Bradford Bulls. IMG score 12.15.
Fallen Giants Bradford are confident they can get back into the big time next year and their recruitment suggests they are going all out to win the Championship. They insist improvements at their Odsal Stadium will boost next year’s IMG score.
