The average age of every Super League squad for 2021

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

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