For any team, in any sport, to work well, there needs to be a strong balance of youth and experience, and the same rules apply in Super League.
Go too young, and you run the risk of having inexperience in the games that matter, and whilst it may be a learning curve for longer-term success, the short-term glory suffers as a result.
However, if you go the other way, there is a chance you neglect the up-and-coming stars and they opt to move on to pastures new in a bid to find more playing time.
Getting that scales of young and old right is something that has worked wonders for teams in the past, with the likes of Leeds Rhinos having a number of young stars in their golden generation, and embedded in the side were experienced heads who also played their part in the club’s success.
With that being said, Serious About Rugby League has gone through each set of Super League squads and ranked each side by their average age, and there are some big differences between the 14 clubs.
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Super League sides ranked by average age
For clarity, the average has been worked out by using each clubs number 1-17 on the squad numbers, with that suggested to be each side’s best possible 17 when fully fit. All stats are taken from Rugby League Project and the list goes from youngest to oldest. Averages rounded to two decimal places.
Wakefield Trinity – Average age: 27.06
Daryl Powell’s side is the youngest in the league, and there is only one person in the starting 17 that is over the age of 32, though Mason Lino will turn that age before the season starts.
That man is Jay Pitts, who turned 36 in December. What his playing time will look like this year remains to be seen, but with Jazz Tevaga coming in this year and Cameron Smith arriving in 2027, the club are already planning on who replaces him.
The youngest man in the squad is Harvey Smith, who turned 20 a fortnight ago.
Catalans Dragons – Average age: 27.75
The Dragons went heavy on recruitment this off-season, and every signing the club made were under the age of 28.
That bodes well for Joel Tomkins, as he looks to capture players either at the beginning of their career, or as they reach their prime.
Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e is the youngest man in the squad at 22, whilst there are three players 33 or over – Chris Satae, Tommy Makinson and Julian Bousquet.
Wigan Warriors – Average age: 27.81
Wigan are known for utilising their youngsters, and with seven academy products in the 17, there is a reason why their squad is amongst the lowest in the league.
Junior Nsemba, 21, is the baby of the group, whilst Zach Eckersley is the second youngest, as he takes Abbas Miski’s number two jersey for the year. Liam Farrell is the only player that is 32 or older, with the club legend turning 36 this coming July.
Hull FC – Average age: 28.03
The Black and Whites almost go from one extreme to the other, in that they either have players who are 23 and under or 31 and over. Only three players – Jed Cartwright, Amir Bourouh and Cade Cust don’t fall into those categories, highlighting the vast difference in ages within the 17.
The likes of Davy Litten and Lewis Martin are established first-teamers now, despite their age, and that bodes well for FC’s future. If they can tie down their homegrown products for the longer term, they have a core of the squad that can stay together for seasons to come.
Warrington Wolves – Average age: 28.26
The Wolves have opted to give youth a chance this season, and whilst only Adam Holroyd and Cai Taylor-Wray have been given numbers in the 17, the likes of Ewan Irwin and Leon Hayes will be looking to make their mark in the side throughout the campaign.
Marc Sneyd is the oldest member of the squad, he will turn 35 in the week of the season opener. Sam Powell is second oldest, with the hooker’s 34th birthday coming in July.
Leigh Leopards – Average age: 28.31
The majority of the Leigh squad fit into the 23-28 age bracket, though there are a number of experienced heads that bump the average age up.
Josh Charnley and Isaac Liu, both 34, are the oldest in the 17, but by no means does that affect their performances. Charnley is still a prolific scorer and Liu featured in every game for Leigh last season, and made a great impact.
Toulouse Olympique – Average age: 28.35
The first of the newly promoted sides, it’s expected that all three teams would have a higher average than most, given their need to recruit experienced heads who know what it takes to be a Super League player.
However, Toulouse have decided to opt against that notion, and of their seven signings, the average age of the new recruits is only 24.89, with their oldest recruit being Luke Polselli, 27.
It will always be a struggle for a promoted side in Super League, and you have to wonder whether a recruitment window focusing on older players would be more profitable for the Olympians.
Bradford Bulls – Average age: 28.59
Coming in slightly older than their promoted rivals, Bradford have gone completely different to Toulouse in their recruitment strategy.
The Bulls have brought in 16 players this off-season, in what is a huge turnover as they adapt from part-time to full-time rugby. The youngest player in the 17 is 23-year-old Loghan Lewis, whilst their oldest is Joe Mellor at 35.
Huddersfield Giants – Average age: 28.78
What’s interesting with the Giants is that the average age of their backs is three years more than the average age of the forwards.
Squad numbers 1-7 are aged 30 on average, whilst 8-13 are averaged at 27. You would perhaps expect this to be the opposite way round given how forwards tend to go further in their careers and reach their peak later on in their journey.
Sam Halsall, 24, is the only starting back under 30, whilst the 33-year-old Tom Burgess will spearhead a strong-looking Giants pack this year.
Castleford Tigers – Average age: 29
Another side with a ruthless off-season, the Tigers have made 13 signings and parted ways with 11 players, as the Ryan Carr era begins to take shape.
In the first 17, 10 players are new recruits, with the youngest being half-back Tom Weaver at 22. Liam Hood was brought in from Wakefield Trinity, with the 34-year-old looking to use his experience to bolster the side in that area.
Joe Westerman, who was given the squad number 16, remains at the club after signing a new one-year deal in the off-season. The 36-year-old is heading into his 20th season as a player.
Leeds Rhinos – Average age: 29.13
Castleford’s West Yorkshire rivals boast a squad that is only just older than their own, as Leeds look to win their first trophy since the Covid-impacted 2020 season, where they won the Challenge Cup.
Club legends Ryan Hall and Kallum Watkins boost their average up, with Hall turning 38 two months ago. Maika Sivo, who is yet to play a competitive game for the club, is 32, as is the versatile Chris Hankinson.
The youngest player in the 17 is Jarrod O’Connor, who is 24. Cooper Jenkins is the same age, but was born just over a week later.
York Knights – Average age: 29.43
The Knights have also recruited heavily, and whilst they have brought in a number of unproven Australians, they have also added in some veteran Super League men.
Four players in the 17 are 34 or above, with those being Ben Jones-Bishop, Paul Vaughan, Paul McShane and Jordan Thompson. Xavier Va’a and Denive Balmforth are amongst the youngest at 22.
Hull KR – Average age: 29.55
The Robins must be doing something right with their squad, because despite it being the second oldest in the league, they still managed to win every trophy available to them in 2025.
Lots has been said over the fact their academy isn’t as prosperous as other clubs, and whilst others many disagree with their recruitment style, KR have mastered their recruitment perfectly.
Only four players are under the age of 27, with Mikey Lewis being the youngest at 24. Dean Hadley, Sauaso Sue and Peta Hiku are the oldest in the 17, with the trio all being 33.
What’s interesting about KR’s recruitment is that those three players are the only first team regulars who are out of contract at the end of 2026. The Robins have already tied down the majority of their squad for 2027 at least, which bodes well to continue the long-term success they are currently enduring.
St Helens – Average age: 29.92
The Red Vee have the oldest starting 17 on average, with Jack Welsby and Harry Robertson the only players in the side to be under the age of 26.
Jonny Lomax and Alex Walmsley are both 35, whilst Kyle Feldt, Daryl Clark, Curtis Sironen and David Klemmer are all 32 or above.
Again, there is no doubting that just because of their age, they are any less talented than in previous years, but it is something that Rowley will absolutely need to factor in when making recruitment decisions going forward.
Another thing that will need to happen is the transition between the likes of Lomax and Walmsley with younger players in the squad who will be there for the long-term. The likes of George Whitby and George Delaney should be getting more game time across the season to allow them to continue their development before they come into the first-team on a more prominent basis.
