Super League is closing in on the halfway stage and with 12 clubs having a week off for the Challenge Cup Final, what better time to rank how each team has fared so far in 2026?
Wigan Warriors and Hull KR met at Wembley on Saturday, a game that saw the Warriors become record-extending 22-time Champions. For 12 other clubs, their week may have looked a bit different, with some clubs affording their players time off, whilst others may have been cracking the whip after a disappointing first half of the campaign.
Twelve rounds into a 27-round Super League season marks just under 45% of the campaign played, so with the large sample size, we have assigned ranks to each and every club.
The ranks are as follows: Grand Final favourites, Grand Final contenders, top six, play-off push, dark horses, improving, rebuilding, and those who are already waiting for 2027.
Ranking every Super League team so far in 2026
Bradford Bulls – Improving
All three promoted clubs are hard to rank as they have all impressed and having just earned promotion, they can’t be considered rebuilders. Injuries have really hurt Bradford but they are still competing in every match and with Las Vegas booked in for 2027, they will attract players. That holds out plenty of hope for 2027 but the fact remains they’re still on the up in 2026, hence they’re improving.
Castleford Tigers – Rebuilding
The win over St Helens marked consecutive wins and with that it could be easy to throw Castleford into the dark horse category, but they’ve offered a number of false dawns this year so rebuilding is still a fair assessment. Recruitment looks strong for 2027, Ryan Carr is clearly a promising coach, and some of the recruits from this year are shining. The Tigers are in a good spot.
Catalans Dragons – Dark Horses
A first win under John Cartwright and crucially a win on the road means Catalans are just two points outside the play-offs but their terrible points difference and shaky away form are sticking points for a true play-off push. As it stands, it’s fair to say Catalans are dark horses under Cartwright with plenty of top six clubs watching with one eye over their shoulder.
Huddersfield Giants – Waiting for 2027
Things are so torrid at the Giants that they can’t really be considered as rebuilding right now but instead waiting for 2027, and the fact they’ve brought in Jim Lenihan now is a massive boost for that. He’s free to get a sense of the huge task at the club and really imprint his DNA on the playing group over the pre-season, which is when the rebuild starts, but for now the Giants and their injury crisis are holding out till then.
Hull FC – Waiting for 2027
Like Huddersfield, Hull FC already seem to be waiting it out but the difference is for them that Steve McNamara is not in post yet. He’ll join at the end of the season and the hope is that the likes of Richie Myler and club ownership have addressed many of the off-field problems in time for a 2027 rebuild, but for now it looks a long 15 rounds left for Hull FC.
Hull KR – Grand Final favourites
On the other side of the city, it’s a stark contrast and you’d have to say that Hull KR with their experience of 2025 may well be the Grand Final favourites. It’s a very competitive Super League among the top teams this year so plenty would contest this ranking but the Robins are on a roll, in the league at least, and past experience cements them as favourites.
Leeds Rhinos – Grand Final contenders
One side who would contest Hull KR’s status as favourites would be league leaders Leeds Rhinos and Brad Arthur’s side have every right to contest that, especially given their demolition of Rovers in Las Vegas in what felt comparable to a big event, such as a Grand Final. That along with their eight other wins puts Leeds as firm contenders but they’re still without a play-off semi-final appearance under Brad Arthur so cannot be considered favourites just yet.
Leigh Leopards – Play-off push
Like Catalans, Leigh are two points outside the play-offs but you get the sense that Adrian Lam really has his side clicking and the Leopards feel like the team waiting to pounce if any of the top six slip up. Moreover, Leigh have shown they can beat the top sides, seeing off Leeds in round one and that ability to knock off top teams gives them a real shot at the top six.
St Helens – Top six
One team who will be hoping they don’t slip out of the top six are St Helens, who, despite being joint-top on points, feel like one of the vulnerable sides in that group. That may be because the loss against Castleford is fresh in the memory, but the win over Huddersfield offered little confidence and they’ve been firmly beaten by Hull KR and Wigan Warriors already, with Wire also beating them.
Toulouse Olympique – Dark Horses
Toulouse have been placed into the dark horse category because it’s really unclear what to think of them for this year and 2027. They almost always compete, but they’ve won just once in their last ten and they’re also one of the sides with a weaker IMG score, therefore they’re under threat from London for 2027. As mentioned in Bradford’s assessment, it’s hard to label a promoted side rebuilders, but they don’t merit the tag of improving, thus, amid the uncertainty and the faint hope that summer rugby could favour them, they’re dark horses.
Wakefield Trinity – Top six
Wakefield stunned everyone when they made the top six in 2025 on their return to Super League, and most pointed to them as the team to drop out in 2026. But, Trinity have once again been brilliant. However, their inability to defeat the big teams in the league means they fall short of Grand Final contenders, and they will be one of the clubs wary of Leigh. As it stands though, all signs point to Wakefield making the play-offs once again.
Warrington Wolves – Grand Final contenders
After a second-season slump for Sam Burgess, Warrington are firing again, and they’re doing so with an understated injury crisis. Cai Taylor-Wray has missed more games than he has played, George Williams will only return very late in the year, if at all, and Luke Yates has now been confirmed as out for the season. And yet, Wire probably can be considered contenders. They were soundly beaten by Hull KR in the Challenge Cup semi-finals, but they boast a win over Wigan and St Helens, and if Williams is back as Burgess has suggested, then they’re in with a shout.
Wigan Warriors – Grand Final contenders
Another side who are unsurprisingly in with a shot at the Grand Final are the 2023 and 2024 Super League winners, with most agreeing that Wigan are over their slump – certainly after the Wembley win. Upcoming games against Catalans Dragons in Paris and Wakefield Trinity away will tell us more, but with Bevan French now back in and around the playing squad, don’t write Wigan off about another Old Trafford trip.
York Knights – Improving
Like Bradford, York have seen their Super League campaign derailed by injuries, but there are so many reasons to be positive about the Knights and their growing fan base. Talk that they’ve signed Cam McInnes for 2027 would suggest confidence in their Super League status for next year, and when they get players back fit, there’s no reason they won’t pick up plenty more points.
