The halves are perhaps the most important position on a rugby league field, and having star quality in those positions is often vital to a team’s success.
A number of playmakers in those positions are off-contract at the end of 2026, and following on in our series of going through each position and ranking the top five who have deals running out in 12 months time, the halves are up next.
Joe Burgess and Oliver Gildart form part of their respective lists of wingers and centres, however this ranking features no players from Hull KR, with all their halves under contract for at least another year.
However, the likes of Warrington Wolves, Leeds Rhinos and St Helens will have big decisions to make, with some of the league’s best halves having their current deals expiring at the end of next season.
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The best Super League halves off-contract in 2026
Daejarn Asi (Castleford Tigers)
The Tigers half’s ability to shine in Super League was marred by the poor performances of the rest of the Castleford squad. Signing a two-year contract, Asi secured 15 try assists and scored six tries this year, but with an improved squad and a better-equipped coach, you’d expect that number to increase next year.
With Jenson Windley an up-and-coming half, and the club having a lot of faith in him to be the long-term option, it could mean that Asi finds himself looking for a new club in 12 months time.
Adam Clune (Huddersfield Giants)
Clune’s time at Huddersfield has been halted by injury, particularly in 2025 where he only featured five times across the season. His first season, in 2024, saw him play 24 times.
As he enters his final year, the club currently have Oliver Russell, Kieran Rush and George Flanagan Jr in the squad that could be realistic longer-term options, so he will have to stay fit and perform well if the 30-year-old’s time at the Accu Stadium is to be extended.
Brodie Croft (Leeds Rhinos)
Croft, who is 14/1 to be crowned Man of Steel in 2026, the same odds as teammate Jake Connor, is one of the bigger names on the list, with his Leeds future currently unknown.
The former Salford man has been vocal on his ambitions to return to the NRL, and with Perth Bears needing an established half to partner Toby Sexton next year, could a return down under be on the cards?
Mason Lino (Wakefield Trinity)
Lino has been at Trinity for five seasons, but it’s safe to say his 2025 season was by far his best. Influential in big wins over Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR, he has come into his own under Daryl Powell, and cemented himself as first-choice at the club.
The 30-year-old clearly loves life in West Yorkshire, and another season like the one he has just had will surely see him put pen to paper on a new deal.
Jackson Hastings (St Helens)
The second player on the list that is a former Man of Steel, Hastings returns to Super League with St Helens, but has only signed for a year, with no extension options placed in his contract. Revealing last month that his main role will be to mentor George Whitby, the former Newcastle man is still a quality player in his own right, and under Paul Rowley has shown previously that he can excel.
Tristan Sailor (St Helens)
Following a season that included him featuring in a number of different positions, Sailor’s role in Rowley’s side still remains uncertain, with the Aussie himself remaining coy on the subject.
With Jack Welsby at full-back and Whitby, Jonny Lomax and Hastings in the halves, his name on the team sheet isn’t guaranteed, and another season being moved around could lead to either him wanting out, or him not being in Saints’ plans.
Marc Sneyd (Warrington Wolves)
Sneyd will be 36 by the time the start of the 2027 season comes around, but a veteran playmaker like him will still be an asset to any side.
Keep him fit, and have him playing with confidence, and he can be one of the top halves in the competition, with a kicking game that matches any one in the division. With George Williams also set to leave, it could be a new-look halves partnership for Warrington in 2027.
