The new Super League season is less than two months away and most sides will be feeling content with the business they’ve done ahead of 2026.
Of course, the odd signing could still be made between now and February 12 as clubs make last minute additions, but largely at this point of pre-season squads are set.
With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at the business done by all 14 Super League sides and given our opinion.
Super League recruitment rated
Bradford Bulls
Signings: Andy Ackers (Leeds), Caleb Aekins (Featherstone), Ed Chamberlain (Hull FC – season-long loan), Eribe Doro (Hull KR), Brandon Douglas (Halifax), Will Gardiner (Hull FC), Loghan Lewis (Salford), Esan Marsters (Salford), Joe Mellor (Salford), Rowan Milnes (Hull KR), Jayden Nikorima (Salford), Dan Russell (Warrington), Ethan Ryan (Oldham), Ryan Sutton (Gold Coast Titans), Connor Wynne (Featherstone)
Grade: C+
Bradford needed to add to their squad and they’ve certainly done that with 15 new signings arriving at Odsal over the course of the off-season. Ryan Sutton has the potential to be the stand out recruit if he can stay fit, while the Bulls have more than taken advantage of the Salford situation, signing four from the liquidated club.
However, it’s probably fair to say they still lack Super League quality with a number of the players signing being considered to be fringe players at their former clubs.
Castleford Tigers
Signings: Jack Ashworth (Hull FC), Renouf Atoni (Wakefield), Aiden Doolan (Barrow) Brock Greacen (Newcastle Knights), Liam Hood (Wakefield), Jordan Lane (Hull FC), Darnell McIntosh (Leigh), Mikaele Rivalawa (St George Illawarra Dragons), Blake Taaffe (Canterbury Bulldogs), Semi Valemei (North Queensland Cowboys), Tom Weaver (Gold Coast Titans).
Grade: B+
Castleford have added star quality from down under with the likes of Ravalawa, Taaffe and Weaver set to give the Tigers an edge in 2026. Indeed, Chris Chester will be more than happy with the recruitment he has done from overseas and eyes will be on the Tigers to see how they settle.
Lane and McIntosh are decent signings, too, but it must be said they still look light through the middle. Lawler and Atoni have got the starting prop jerseys but Ashworth, Brad Singleton and Sam Hall are the only other recognised options, with Joe Stimson being given the 13 shirt and Joe Westerman more useful at loose-forward than prop.
Catalans Dragons
Signings: Josh Allen (Dolphins), Ben Condon (Widnes), Lewis Dodd (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans), Solomona Faataape (Wests Tigers), Manase Kaho (Norths Devils), Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e (Hull KR), Zac Lipowicz (Penrith Panthers), Toby Sexton (Canterbury Bulldogs), Josh Simm (Castleford), Charlie Staines (Wests Tigers), Harvey Wilson (Salford),
Grade: B+
It’s been a real re-build at Catalans Dragons over the off-season and they’ve made full use of the new quota rules to bring in a raft of players from down under. Dodd could prove to be a very smart signing as he strives to prove a point, while Sexton and Fa’asuamaleaui will be keen to impress ahead of joining Perth Bears.
They’ve lost a lot of experience over the off-season with Luke Keary, Sam Tomkins, Elliott Whitehead retiring and Theo Fages and Tevita Pangai Jr being amongst those moving on. But, they’ve added real excitement and quality and Joel Tomkins will be pleased with the signings he has made to slot in alongside their crop of young French talent.
Huddersfield Giants
Signings: Mathieu Cozza (Wakefield), Niall Evalds (Hull KR), Asher O’Donnell (Brisbane Tigers), Chris Patolo (Manly Sea Eagles), Olly Russell (Wakefield).
Grade: D
Huddersfield probably could have done with a little bit more this off-season, particularly after losing the likes of Leroy Cudjoe to retirement, Jake Bibby, Oliver Wilson and Ashton Golding.
Evalds is a strong signing and Russell provides decent cover in the halves should injuries strike. O’Donnell is unproven at first grade level, though, while Cozza has work to do to show he can do a job in Super League.
Hull FC
Signings: Jake Arthur (Newcastle Knights), Connor Bailey (York), Joe Batchelor (St Helens), James Bell (St Helens), Harvie Hill (Wigan), Sam Lisone (Leeds), Joe Phillips (Goole) Arthur Romano (Catalans)
Grade: B
Hull will be feeling very happy with their recruitment, which seems to have given them one of the heaviest packs in the competition. Lisone was a menace for Leeds last season and FC will be keen to see him make a real impact in East Yorkshire, too.
Eyes will be on Jake Arthur to see how settles into the stand-off role, while Harvie Hill might just turn out to be one of the signings of the year from Wigan. James Bell and James Batchelor look astute signings from St Helens, too, but their recent injury records most be noted.
Hull KR
Signings: Tom Amone (Canterbury Bulldogs), Jack Charles (Hull FC), Jordan Dezaria (Catalans), Karl Lawton (North Queensland Cowboys), Declan Murphy (Salford), Jumah Sambou (Oldham), Cobie Wainhouse (Hull FC), Tom Whitehead (Warrington)
Grade: B
Having won the treble last season, it’s fair to say Rovers didn’t need too many new signings but in Amone and Lawton they have replaced Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Micky McIlrorum with real quality.
The majority of their recruitment has been done to improve the depth beneath the starting XIII, but Charles, Whitehead and Murphy are promising young players who the club will believe are capable of applying pressure to those ahead of them in the pecking order.
Leeds Rhinos
Signings: Danny Levi (Canberra Raiders), Jeremiah Mata’utia (North Queensland Cowboys), Ethan O’Neill (Leigh).
Grade: C
Leeds didn’t really need to make too many additions over the course of the off-season and they have replaced the outgoing Ackers ad Gannon with quality in Levi and O’Neill. It remains to be seen how Mata’utia will fare though, with the forward having big shoes to fill after being brought in to replace Lisone.
Like many Super League teams, the true test of their recruitment will come if and when injuries occur and for Leeds, there is a clear lack of depth in the halves following the departure of Jack Sinfield.
Leigh Leopards
Signings: Jacob Alick-Wiencke (Gold Coast Titans), Adam Cook (Canberra Raiders), Liam Horne (Castleford), Oliver Polec (St Helens), Innes Senior (Castleford).
Grade: C+
Again, Leigh didn’t need to do too much after what they did last season. Alick-Wiencke has replaced O’Neill, while Cook strengthens their spine and looks set to partner Lachlan Lam in the halves.
Alec Tuitavake has left the club and with unproven youngster Oliver Polec being the only middle brought in for 2026, that might be one position where Leigh just feel a little bit light.
St Helens
Signings: Jacob Douglas (Wigan), Jackson Hastings (Newcastle Knights), Jacob Host (South Sydney Rabbitohs), David Klemmer (St George Illawarra Dragons), Nene Macdonald (Salford) Joe Shorrocks (Salford), Shane Wright (Salford)
Grade: A-
The Saints approach the new season with a fresh feel with Paul Rowley hoping to take the club back towards the summit of the Super League table. Jackson Hastings promises to rejuvenate a faltering attack and while Morgan Knowles will take some replacing, Klemmer and Host are quality signings from down under.
Shorrocks could be a smart signing while Macdonald really gives St Helens strength in depth in the outside backs. Immediate success at St Helens might just depend on whether Rowley can get the best out of Tristan Sailor, but with a promising crop of youngsters emerging at the BrewDog Stadium, the future certainly looks bright.
Toulouse Olympique
Signings: Tyler Dupree (Wigan – season-long loan), Brendan Hands (Parramatta Eels), Luke Polselli (London Broncos), Mathieu Pons (Oldham), Henry O’Kane (South Sydney Rabbitohs), AJ Wallace (Hull KR)
Grade: D
Do Toulouse have enough Super League quality to compete this season? That’s the big question after an off-season in which they have made just six additions, with two of those being loans made permanent in Hands and Wallace.
Tyler Dupree will feel as though he has a point to prove after being allowed to leave Wigan Warriors on loan in a deal that looks set to bring his time at the club to an end. He adds size to their pack, but it’s hard to believe they’ll have enough to really make their mark in 2026.
Wakefield Trinity
Signings: Tray Lolesio (Dolphins), Kian McGann (St Helens), Jack Sinfield (Leeds), Tyson Smoothy (Brisbane Broncos), Will Tate (Castleford), Neil Tchamambe (Hull KR), Jazz Tevaga (Manly Sea Eagles), Jordan Williams (Featherstone)
Grade: B+
In Smoothy and Tevaga, Wakefield have added genuine NRL quality to their pack, with Smoothy set to take on the hooker role, while Tevaga can expect to play 13, it seems.
In Sinfield, they have one of the brightest young half-backs in the English game and while Lolesio is unproven in Super League, Tate has shown he has more than enough talent to shine at the top level when he’s fit.
Warrington Wolves
Signings: Liam Byrne (Wigan), Albert Hopoate (Canberra Raiders), James Bentley (Leeds), Toafofoa Sipley (Manly Sea Eagles), Josh Smith (Brisbane Tigers), Sam Stone (Salford), Kelepi Tanginoa (Hull KR)
Grade: B
There’s plenty of question marks about Warrington going into the new season, but they’ll certainly be happy with their recruitment. They needed size in the pack and they’ve added that the shape of Byrne, Sipley and Tanginoa and they would have had even more had Tevita Pangai Jr followed through on his move to the club.
James Bentley could turn out to be a smart signing in the back-row after snapping him up from Leeds Rhinos, while Albert Hopoate has the potential to catch the eye in primrose and blue if he can find his best form once fully fit as he recovers from the torn ACL he suffered in March.
Wigan Warriors
Signings: Finn McMillan (Barrow) Dayon Sambou (St Helens), Jonny Vaughan (St Helens), Oliver Wilson (Huddersfield)
Grade: C-
Wilson is the only senior head to arrive over the off-season and unfortunately, according to reports elsewhere, he has picked up an injury that will rule him out long-term. As such, while Wigan rate their crop of youngsters coming through the ranks at present very highly, it could be said that they look a little light in terms of senior depth through the middle following the departures of Hill, Byrne and Dupree.
Sambou and Vaughan provide depth in the outside backs following the departure of Jacob Douglas, while McMillan is expected to be made available to his former club Barrow throughout the 2026 season.
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York Knights
Signings: Denive Balmforth (Hull FC – season-long loan), Jon Bennison (St Helens), Matty Foster (Oldham), Josh Griffin (Wakefield), Ryan Jackson (Central Queensland Capras), Jordan Lipp (Norths Devils), Danny Richardson (Hull KR), John Sagaga (Penrith Panthers), Justin Sangare (Salford), Jack Smith (Leeds), Paul Vaughan (Warrington), Sam Wood (Castleford),
Grade: C+
As Bradford Bulls and Toulouse Olympique have found, adding Super League quality on such short notice is a tricky task. York have done well to secure experienced heads in Griffin and Vaughan, though, while Richardson, Wood, Bennison and Sangare all look to be smart signings.
Jackson, Lipp and Sagaga are unproven to say the least, though, and there must be questions about the quality of Mark Applegarths’s squad.
