The 2026 Super League season is officially in full swing, but despite the campaign only just getting going, club higher-ups will already be planning for the 2027 season and beyond.
Contract talk will slowly begin to rise as the year continues, however there have already been some major moves be confirmed, as a number of players make the switch from Super League to the NRL.
Warrington Wolves announced that George Williams, who was off-contract at the end of the year, will depart the club and head to the NRL, with reports indicating he will join ex-St Helens coach Kristian Woolf’s Dolphins.
With Williams’ exit confirmed, it removes one of the best available off-contract players in Super League but there is still plenty of talent across a number of positions.
At the time of writing, over 100 players are off-contract at the end of the season and with rival clubs able to negotiate deals with them already, it means a busy upcoming few months.
We’ve picked out the seven best players in Super League who are available for rival clubs to sign for the 2027 season with the top talent still yet to play a competitive game for their current club.
Best Super League free agents for 2027
7: Sauaso Sue
The best prop on the off-contract list is Hull KR’s Sauaso Sue with the powerhouse key to the Robins’ 2025 treble-winning season. Sue will turn 34 in April but he will still be among the most sought-after forwards for 2027.
6: Rhyse Martin
Another of the Robins’ pack who is out of contract at the end of the year is Rhyse Martin with the Papua New Guinean unable to show his best in 2025 due to injury. With a full pre-season and a clean bill of health, Martin could return to his 2024 peak that saw him earn Dream Team status, at which point he’s a clear standout for teams to sign.
5: Tristan Sailor
Sailor showed sparks in 2025, and under Paul Rowley has again shown glimpses of his talent, despite being shuffled around from the halves to full-back. If the ex-Salford boss can unlock the former NRL man’s potential, then not only will St Helens be keen to re-sign him but most of Super League will too.
4: Owen Trout
Trout is the subject of reported NRL and Super League interest and it’s easy to see why, however, no deal has been confirmed at this stage, so there could be potential for a Super League stay. He’s able to play at prop or in the second-row and his performances in 2025 earned him an England call-up.
3: Bailey Hodgson
Another of Leigh’s 2025 standouts and the clear best full-back off-contract is Bailey Hodgson. The former Newcastle Knight is currently out injured, and will be for the next two months or so. However, with David Armstrong in his way as first-choice, a move away from the Leigh Sports Village could be on the cards for the speedster.
2: Brodie Croft
Croft has been regularly linked with the NRL, and his efforts in Las Vegas will no doubt have caught the eye of a number of interested parties. Croft could be the latest Leeds Rhinos man to make the move Down Under with Harry Newman and James McDonnell both signed up to Perth Bears already.
1: Jackson Hastings
The clear standout talent who is off-contract in Super League is St Helens’ NRL signing Jackson Hastings. The former Man of Steel has regularly shown in Super League what he can do and even showed it in the NRL just last year. He represents the most talented off-contract player in Super League by far.
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