With every Super League club’s squad numbers now been announced, it’s only fair we analyse who has the oldest and who has the youngest squads on paper.
Castleford Tigers
The Tigers do have somewhat of an ageing first-team squad with the likes of Michael Shenton, Paul McShane, Liam Watts and Grant Millington all the wrong side of 30. However, this is is somewhat counterbalanced with the addition of youngsters such as Sam Hall, Brad Graham and Lewis Peachey. Castleford’s average stands at 27.
| Niall Evalds | 27 |
| Derrell Olpherts | 29 |
| Peter Mata’utia | 30 |
| Michael Shenton | 34 |
| Sosaia Feki | 29 |
| Jacob Trueman | 22 |
| Danny Richardson | 24 |
| Liam Watts | 30 |
| Paul McShane | 31 |
| Grant Millington | 34 |
| Oliver Holmes | 28 |
| Cheyse Blair | 29 |
| Adam Milner | 29 |
| Nathan Massey | 31 |
| George Griffin | 28 |
| Gareth O’Brien | 29 |
| Alex Foster | 27 |
| Jacques O’Neill | 21 |
| Tyla Hepi | 27 |
| James Clare | 29 |
| Jesse Sene-Lefao | 31 |
| Daniel Smith | 28 |
| Greg Eden | 30 |
| Suaia Matagi | 33 |
| Jordan Turner | 32 |
| Lewis Bienek | 22 |
| Lewis Peachey | 20 |
| Brad Martin | 19 |
| Sam Hall | 17 |
| Brad Graham | 19 |
| Cain Robb | 18 |
| 27 |
Catalans Dragons
Catalans’ most important men all sit over the age of 30 – Sam Tomkins, Joel Tomkins, Michael McIlorum and James Maloney – but the Dragons do have a plethora of young Frenchmen in their ranks in the form of Corentin Le Cam, Mathieu Cozza and Mathieu Laguerre. That leaves the average age of just over 26.
| Arthur Mourgue | 21 |
| Tom Davies | 24 |
| Samisoni Langi | 27 |
| Dean Whare | 31 |
| Fouad Yaha | 24 |
| James Maloney | 34 |
| Josh Drinkwater | 28 |
| Gil Dudson | 30 |
| Michael McIlorum | 33 |
| Julian Bousquet | 29 |
| Matt Whitley | 25 |
| Mike McMeeken | 26 |
| Benjamin Garcia | 27 |
| Alrix Da Costa | 23 |
| Benjamin Julien | 26 |
| Paul Seguier | 23 |
| Mickael Goudemand | 25 |
| Lambert Belmas | 23 |
| Arthur Romano | 23 |
| Mathieu Laguerre | 22 |
| Corentin Le Cam | 22 |
| Joel Tomkins | 34 |
| Mathieu Cozza | 20 |
| Jason Baitieri | 32 |
| Joe Chan | 19 |
| Sam Kasiano | 30 |
| Sam Tomkins | 32 |
| 26.40740741 |
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield do not boast that many players over the age of 30 with club stalwarts such as Jermaine McGillvary, Michael Lawrence and Leroy Cudjoe upping the average age. However, the bulk of the Giants squad is around the mid-20s with the likes of Matty English, Jack Cogger, Oliver Wilson and Olly Russell bringing the average age back to just under 26.
| Ashton Golding | 24 |
| Jermaine McGillvary | 32 |
| Jacob Wardle | 22 |
| Ricky Leutele | 30 |
| Darnell McIntosh | 23 |
| Lee Gaskell | 30 |
| Aidan Sezer | 29 |
| Luke Yates | 26 |
| Adam O’Brien | 27 |
| Michael Lawrence | 30 |
| Kenny Edwards | 31 |
| Joe Wardle | 29 |
| Josh Jones | 27 |
| Matty English | 23 |
| Joe Greenwood | 27 |
| Jack Cogger | 23 |
| Chris McQueen | 33 |
| Jack Ashworth | 25 |
| James Cunningham | 26 |
| Oliver Wilson | 21 |
| Leroy Cudjoe | 32 |
| James Gavet | 31 |
| Oliver Russell | 22 |
| Louis Senior | 20 |
| Owen Trout | 21 |
| Jon Luke Kirby | 22 |
| Sam Wood | 23 |
| Sam Hewitt | 21 |
| Ronan Michael | 20 |
| Chester Butler | 26 |
| Olly Ashall-Bott | 23 |
| 25.77419355 |
Hull FC
The Airlie Birds have seven players over the age of 30, with all seven of them being given shirt numbers 1-13. That has left the rest of the squad to be made up of those in their 20s as well as 19-year-olds Jude Ferreira and Ben McNamara.
| Jake Connor | 26 |
| Bureta Faraimo | 30 |
| Carlos Tuimavave | 29 |
| Josh Griffin | 30 |
| Mahe Fonua | 28 |
| Josh Reynolds | 31 |
| Marc Sneyd | 30 |
| Scott Taylor | 30 |
| Danny Houghton | 32 |
| Tevita Satae | 28 |
| Andre Savelio | 26 |
| Manu Ma’u | 32 |
| Ligi Sao | 28 |
| Jordan Johnstone | 23 |
| Joe Cator | 22 |
| Jordan Lane | 23 |
| Brad Fash | 25 |
| Ben McNamara | 19 |
| Jack Brown | 20 |
| Adam Swift | 28 |
| Josh Bowden | 29 |
| Connor Wynne | 20 |
| Cameron Scott | 21 |
| Masi Matongo | 24 |
| Jude Ferreira | 19 |
| Jamie Shaul | 28 |
| 26.19230769 |
Hull KR
Four 19-year-olds have been given shirt numbers by Tony Smith ahead of the 2021 season, including Mikey Lewis, Will Tate, Charlie Cavanaugh and Tom Whur. That youth has been delicately balanced with experience in the shape of 33-year-olds Ryan Hall and Shaun Kenny-Dowall to give KR an average age of just over 25.
| Adam Quinlan | 28 |
| Ben Crooks | 27 |
| Greg Minikin | 25 |
| Shaun Kenny-Dowall | 33 |
| Ryan Hall | 33 |
| Jordan Abdull | 25 |
| Albert Vete | 28 |
| Matt Parcell | 28 |
| Korbin Sims | 29 |
| Brad Takairangi | 31 |
| Kane Linnett | 32 |
| Dean Hadley | 28 |
| Jez Litten | 23 |
| George Lawler | 25 |
| George King | 26 |
| Elliot Minchella | 25 |
| Matthew Storton | 22 |
| Will Dagger | 22 |
| Mikey Lewis | 19 |
| Owen Harrison | 21 |
| Ethan Ryan | 24 |
| Joe Keyes | 25 |
| Rowan Milnes | 25 |
| Will Maher | 25 |
| Luis Johnson | 22 |
| Muizz Mustapha | 20 |
| Anesu Mudoti | 20 |
| Will Tate | 19 |
| Tom Whur | 19 |
| Charlie Cavanaugh | 19 |
| Jimmy Keinhorst | 30 |
| 25.09677419 |
Leeds Rhinos
There is a perfect blend of youth and experience in Richard Agar’s squad with playmakers Luke Gale, Kyle Eastmond, Rob Lui and Richie Myler all over the age of 30. Youngsters such as Liam Tindall and Jack Broadbent are certainly knocking on the door for more appearances in 2021. With an average of just under 25, Leeds possess the second youngest squad in Super League.
| Jack Walker | 21 |
| Tom Briscoe | 31 |
| Harry Newman | 21 |
| Konrad Hurrell | 29 |
| Ash Handley | 25 |
| Robert Lui | 31 |
| Luke Gale | 32 |
| Mikolaj Oledski | 22 |
| Kruise Leeming | 25 |
| Matt Prior | 33 |
| Alex Mellor | 26 |
| Rhyse Martin | 28 |
| Zane Tetevano | 30 |
| Brad Dwyer | 28 |
| Liam Sutcliffe | 26 |
| Richie Myler | 30 |
| Cameron Smith | 22 |
| Tom Holroyd | 20 |
| Bodene Thompson | 32 |
| Alex Sutcliffe | 22 |
| Sam Walters | 20 |
| Callum McLelland | 21 |
| Luke Briscoe | 27 |
| James Donaldson | 29 |
| Jarrod O’Connor | 20 |
| Jack Broadbent | 19 |
| Corey Hall | 18 |
| King Vuniyayawa | 26 |
| Liam Tindall | 19 |
| Levi Edwards | 17 |
| Morgan Gannon | 17 |
| Kyle Eastmond | 32 |
| 24.96875 |
Leigh Centurions
It’s perhaps no surprise that the newly-promoted side has of the highest average-aged squads in the league. In order to stay in Super League, Leigh have recruited the experience that will prove vital to this task with Joe Mellor, Adam Sidlow and Tyrone McCarthy all over 30.
| Ryan Brierley | 29 |
| Matty Russell | 27 |
| Iain Thornley | 29 |
| Junior Sa’u | 33 |
| Lewis Tierney | 26 |
| Blake Wallace | 28 |
| Joe Mellor | 30 |
| Ben Flower | 33 |
| Liam Hood | 29 |
| Mark Ioane | 30 |
| Ben Hellewell | 29 |
| Jordan Thompson | 29 |
| James Bell | 26 |
| Matty Wildie | 30 |
| Alex Gerrard | 29 |
| Nathaniel Pateru | 29 |
| Jamie Ellis | 31 |
| Matty Gee | 26 |
| Nathan Mason | 27 |
| Adam Sidlow | 33 |
| Tyrone McCarthy | 31 |
| Craig Mullen | 23 |
| Tom Spencer | 30 |
| Keanan Brand | 22 |
| Brendan Elliot | 27 |
| Josh Eaves | 23 |
| Matty Foster | 19 |
| Nathan Roebuck | 21 |
| Tom Burnett | 18 |
| 27.48275862 |
Salford Red Devils
Salford’s only teenager is hooker Connor Aspey going into 2021, with Matty Costello the next youngest at 22. 1-13 does not boast anyone under 25 with Ryan Lannon taking the mantle as the youngest in the first-team. 36-year-old Kevin Brown is the oldest in the squad as Salford’s average age stands at just under 28.
| Morgan Escare | 29 |
| Ken Sio | 30 |
| Kallum Watkins | 30 |
| Krisnan Inu | 34 |
| Joe Burgess | 26 |
| Tui Lolohea | 26 |
| Kevin Brown | 36 |
| Lee Mossop | 32 |
| Andy Ackers | 27 |
| Sebastine Ikahihifo | 30 |
| Ryan Lannon | 25 |
| Pauli Pauli | 26 |
| Elijah Taylor | 31 |
| Danny Addy | 30 |
| Oliver Roberts | 26 |
| Greg Burke | 28 |
| Josh Johnson | 26 |
| Chris Atkin | 28 |
| Elliot Kear | 32 |
| Harvey Livett | 23 |
| James Greenwood | 29 |
| Rhys Williams | 31 |
| Dan Sarginson | 28 |
| Matty Costello | 22 |
| Jack Ormondroyd | 29 |
| Jack Wells | 23 |
| Sam Luckley | 25 |
| Darcy Lussick | 31 |
| Declan Patton | 25 |
| Connor Aspey | 18 |
| 27.86666667 |
St Helens
Reigning champions St Helens have a number of youth players ready to put their hand up, with 19-year-olds Lewis Dodd and 20-year-old Jack Welsby outlining their credentials in 2020. New signings Joel Thompson and Agnatius, 32 and 29 respectively, have upped the average age somewhat to just over 25.
| Lachlan Coote | 30 |
| Tom Makinson | 29 |
| Kevin Naiqama | 32 |
| Mark Percival | 26 |
| Regan Grace | 24 |
| Jonny Lomax | 30 |
| Theo Fages | 26 |
| Alex Walmsley | 30 |
| James Roby | 35 |
| Matty Lees | 22 |
| Joel Thompson | 32 |
| James Bentley | 23 |
| Morgan Knowles | 24 |
| Sione Mata’utia | 24 |
| LMS | 35 |
| Kyle Amor | 32 |
| Agnatius Paasi | 29 |
| Jack Welsby | 20 |
| Aaron Smith | 24 |
| Joe Batchelor | 26 |
| Lewis Dodd | 19 |
| Josh Simm | 20 |
| Jake Wingfield | 20 |
| Josh Eaves | 23 |
| Dan Norman | 23 |
| Tom Bisbet | 21 |
| Matty Foster | 19 |
| Nico Rizzelli | 20 |
| Ben Davies | 20 |
| Sam Royle | 21 |
| 25.3 |
Wakefield Trinity
The crux of the Wakefield squad is around the late 20s and early 30s with David Fifita, Kyle Wood, Matty Ashurst, Tinirau Arona and Joe Westerman all the age of 31. Teenagers Harry Bowes and Dane Windrow are the youngest in the Trinity side at 18 years of age, which leaves Wakefield’s average age of just under 26.
| Max Jowitt | 23 |
| Tom Johnstone | 25 |
| Bill Tupou | 30 |
| Reece Lyne | 28 |
| Liam Kay | 29 |
| Jacob Miller | 28 |
| Mason Lino | 27 |
| David Fifita | 31 |
| Kyle Wood | 31 |
| Tinirau Arona | 31 |
| Matty Ashurst | 31 |
| Kelepi Tanginoa | 27 |
| Joe Westerman | 31 |
| Jay Pitts | 31 |
| Eddie Battye | 29 |
| James Batchelor | 22 |
| Chris Green | 31 |
| Innes Senior | 20 |
| Jordan Crowther | 24 |
| Joe Arundel | 29 |
| Alex Walker | 25 |
| Adam Tangata | 30 |
| Josh Wood | 25 |
| Jack Croft | 20 |
| Brad Walker | 23 |
| Yusuf Adin | 20 |
| Lee Kershaw | 21 |
| Ryan Hampshire | 26 |
| Connor Bailey | 20 |
| Ollie Greensmith | 20 |
| Harry Bowes | 18 |
| Dane Windrow | 18 |
| 25.75 |
Warrington Wolves
Six teenagers make up Warrington’s squad, but established stars like Chris Hill, Gareth Widdop, Blake Austin and Stefan Ratchford are all the wrong side of 30. An average age of just over 25, the Wolves seemingly have a great mix.
| Stefan Ratchford | 32 |
| Tom Lineham | 28 |
| Greg Inglis | 34 |
| Toby King | 24 |
| Josh Charnley | 29 |
| Blake Austin | 30 |
| Gareth Widdop | 32 |
| Chris Hill | 33 |
| Daryl Clark | 28 |
| Michael Cooper | 32 |
| Ben Currie | 26 |
| Jack Hughes | 29 |
| Joe Philbin | 26 |
| Jason Clark | 31 |
| Matt Davis | 24 |
| Danny Walker | 21 |
| Matty Ashton | 22 |
| Jake Mamo | 26 |
| Rob Mulhern | 26 |
| Sitaleki Akauola | 28 |
| Rob Butler | 22 |
| Ellis Robson | 22 |
| Josh Thewlis | 18 |
| Riley Dean | 19 |
| Eribe Doro | 19 |
| Ellis Longstaff | 18 |
| Connor Wrench | 19 |
| Nathan Roebuck | 20 |
| Jacob Gannon | 19 |
| 25.4137931 |
Wigan Warriors
With Wigan’s academy often the subject of envy from rivals, it’s no surprise that the Warriors’ squad has the lowest average age in Super League at just over 24. Only Tommy Leuluai, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell and Tony Clubb are over the age of 30 with the likes of Liam Byrne, Harry Smith, Ethan Havard and Morgan Smithies no older than 21 despite being entrenched members of the first-team squad.
| Bevan French | 25 |
| Dom Manfredi | 27 |
| Zak Hardaker | 29 |
| Oliver Gildart | 24 |
| Liam Marshall | 24 |
| Jai Field | 23 |
| Thomas Leuluai | 35 |
| Brad Singleton | 28 |
| Sam Powell | 28 |
| Joe Bullock | 28 |
| Willie Isa | 32 |
| Liam Farrell | 30 |
| John Bateman | 27 |
| Oliver Partington | 22 |
| Morgan Smithies | 20 |
| Tony Clubb | 33 |
| Liam Byrne | 21 |
| Harry Smith | 21 |
| Ethan Havard | 20 |
| Jake Bibby | 24 |
| Mitch Clark | 27 |
| Joe Shorrocks | 21 |
| Kai Pearce-Paul | 20 |
| Sam Halsall | 19 |
| James McDonnell | 21 |
| Umyla Hanley | 19 |
| Jackson Hastings | 25 |
| Ben Kilner | 21 |
| Amir Bourouh | 20 |
| 24.62068966 |
