Now that every Super League club have confirmed their shirt numbers for 2026, we’ve picked out the best player wearing each respective shirt.
Within the top XIII, it’s effectively a run down of who the best player in each position is but progressing beyond that it becomes a lot harder to assess as wingers get compared to forwards, or playmakers to props.
That said, the criteria for who the ‘best player for every shirt number’ was judged upon was simply subjective and to a player’s best ability on their day. It’s not a projection of what a player could be, but instead what that player can do in 2026.
One thing worth noting is that injured players are listed as the list is created on the assumption of each player being healthy and performing to their best ability.
Twelve of the fourteen clubs in Super League have players making the list with Catalans Dragons and Castleford Tigers the only two not to feature, though some players were certainly very close.
Equally, some of the teams expected to perform near the top of Super League don’t feature prominently with Leeds Rhinos having just one player on the list, though they’d arguably have five or six of the second-best player at each position.
Below is Serious About Rugby League’s verdict on the best player for every shirt number in Super League 2026. You can check out every Super League player’s shirt number here and check along to see who you agree or disagree with.
Who are the best players in Super League at each number?
1 – Jai Field (Wigan Warriors)
Lachie Miller might have something to say and he’ll certainly benefit from quicker rucks in 2026 but Jai Field, on his day, is an absolute standout at the position.
2 – Tom Davies (Hull KR)
Davies’ debut season with Hull KR was extraordinary with the winger unlucky to miss out on England selection.
3 – Harry Newman (Leeds Rhinos)
Leeds’ only player on the list and he won’t be on this list in 2027 with Newman having already agreed a deal with Perth Bears in the NRL.
4 – Umyla Hanley (Leigh Leopards)
A Super League Dream Team centre in 2025, Hanley just beats out the likes of Ash Handley and Jake Wardle.
5 – Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves)
Injured at the moment but certainly the best left wing in Super League.
6 – Bevan French (Wigan Warriors)
Mikey Lewis might have taken the silverware in 2026 but there simply isn’t a better player in Super League than Bevan French.
7 – Lachlan Lam (Leigh Leopards)
Jake Connor perhaps runs him close but Lam has been consistently great and can hit heights that the Man of Steel perhaps can’t.
8 – Herman Ese’ese (Hull FC)
Another man on the list who is injured and that almost factored into Mike McMeeken being selected but when fit, there’s no stopping big Herman.
9 – Jez Litten (Hull KR)
The best hooker in Super League and he proved that with his solid performance at the Ashes.
10 – Matty Lees (St Helens)
Named captain of St Helens in 2026, Lees is one of the toughest men in Super League with his ability to play long minutes a key reason why he’s the best about.
11 – Junior Nsemba (Wigan Warriors)
A down year for Nsemba in 2025 but when he is on form, his talent and athleticism make him a devastating player.
12 – James Batchelor (Hull KR)
Another number where Leeds are maybe unlucky to miss out with NRL-bound James McDonnell overlooked for treble-winner Hull KR.
13 – Jazz Tevaga (Wakefield Trinity)
A new signing takes the 13 shirt with NRL recruit Tevaga beating out the likes of John Asiata and Isaac Liu.
14 – Jack Broadbent (Hull KR)
Traditionally a shirt worn by the back-up hooker and Cade Cust did push Broadbent close but the Hull KR man beats out his Hull FC counterpart.
15 – Toafofoa Sipley (Warrington Wolves)
Another NRL signing on the list with Warrington’s enforcer edging out fellow NRL recruit Jacob Alick-Wiencke.
16 – Sam Lisone (Hull FC)
Sam Lisone wins the battle of the props at 16 as he’s just judged to be better than Caius Faatili with Lisone’s wrecking ball impact too much to ignore.
17 – Rhyse Martin (Hull KR)
Someone who would have a starting shirt at many clubs, the former Dream Team member will hope to have a healthier year in 2026 to justify this pick.
18 – Bailey Hodgson (Leigh Leopards)
Hodgson starred at full-back last year with the Leigh man an obvious choice.
19 – Karl Lawton (Hull KR)
Unfortunately for Jack Farrimond, Hull KR went and signed Karl Lawton to be their 19 with the NRL signing simply too good.
20 – James Bentley (Warrington Wolves)
Similar to at 19, James Bentley is picked over young gun Presley Cassell with the experienced Ireland international probably able to provide more on his day in 2026 than the young Leeds prop.
21 – George Flanagan Jr (Huddersfield Giants)
Huddersfield full-back George Flanagan, a Super League Young Player of the Year nominee, edges out his former teammate Oliver Wilson.
22 – Joe Shorrocks (St Helens)
A really smart signing by St Helens with Shorrocks capable of playing a number of positions.
23 – Tyler Dupree (Toulouse Olympique)
Leeds’ Danny Levi might have something to say but Dupree is a top prop and he’ll hope to prove himself to parent club Wigan by tearing it up at Toulouse this year.
24 – Owen Dagnall (St Helens)
Matt Dufty would have claimed this position but his return to Australia leaves exciting outside back Dagnall as the top option.
25 – Nene Macdonald (St Helens)
Nene Macdonald would arguably be in contention to be the best number three or number four so having him number 25 feels unfair.
26 – Josh Smith (Warrington Wolves)
Another centre who could and may well start in 2026 is Wire signing Josh Smith with the Aussie impressing on debut in pre-season against Widnes.
27 – Matty Foster (York Knights)
One of the former Salford players who found his way back to Super League and the first of a handful of York players on this list.
28 – Oli Leyland (Warrington Wolves)
Had a tough start to life at Warrington which was compounded by a season-ending injury but Leyland is still a top player.
29 – Tiaki Chan (Wigan Warriors)
The former Salford loanee is head and shoulders above a lot of the players numbered this low down in squads.
30 – Leon Ruan (Bradford Bulls)
Hull KR have loaned out Ruan to the Bulls with the second-rower the club’s only player on the list.
31 – Jackson Hastings (St Helens)
Hastings could and perhaps should be the number seven but his affinity for the number 31 means he takes that shirt and that makes him the clear standout for this spot.
32 – Olly Russell (Huddersfield Giants)
A late addition to the Huddersfield squad as they loaned back their former starter and that’s seen Russell land a high jersey number.
33 – Tommy Rhodes (Warrington Wolves)
Just a handful of players wear 33 but Rhodes is an up and coming half who toured Australia aged 16 back in November.
34 – Finlay Yeomans (Wigan Warriors)
Yeomans beats out Hull FC’s Joe Ward as the only 34 in Super League with the teenager handed a first-team shirt for the first time this year.
35 – Finn McMillan (Wigan Warriors)
Signed from Barrow Raiders for 2026, McMillan already has 13 games at senior level, which is mightily impressive.
36 – Lennon Clark (Hull FC)
The 20-year-old made eight appearances for Workington in 2025 and scored three tries from the pack.
37 – N/A
38 – Will Roberts (York Knights)
The former St Helens youngster has been handed the number 38 at York with the Knights seeming to skip a handful of numbers.
39 – N/A
40 – Taylor Pemberton (York Knights)
Another former Saints man at York with hooker Pemberton taking 40.
41 – Mitch Clark (York Knights)
The highest shirt number awarded in Super League goes to veteran Mitch Clark who recently signed a new one-year deal with York.
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Rommel Saint
January 31, 2026 at 8:13 am
So your naming the dream team from 2025?
Graham Codd
January 31, 2026 at 9:54 am
What a farce, if you include players only by the number of their shirt and for season 2026 at that.