The best performers in Super League according to the stats

With the Super League season approaching its mid-point and most of the teams on an effective mid-season break during the Challenge Cup weekend, the league is beginning to take shape.

At the top, where there was once a six-way tie for the top spot, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge. St Helens and Wigan Warriors lead the way on 20 points, with Hull KR and Warrington Wolves close behind on 18 points. Catalans Dragons and Salford Red Devils make up the top six on 16 points.

At the bottom, Castleford Tigers are somewhat stranded in no man’s land. The Tigers are five points ahead of London Broncos and Hull FC in the bottom two spots, but two points behind Leigh in the place above them. Realistically, Leigh are clinging onto their top six hopes by their fingertips and will need an exceptional second half of the season to make the play-offs.

The picture regarding the league’s top individual performers is also beginning to crystalise. Using the stats on the Super League website, we look at who has excelled in six different categories.

Super League Quiz: Name the clubs these 10 players have not played for

Top Try Scorer

Liam Marshall has had an exceptional first half of the 2024 season and has been in prolific try-scoring form. Marshall has grabbed 13 tries in 11 appearances so far in 2024, at an average of 1.18 tries per game. He is well on course to beat his best try-scoring season in Super League, when he scored 21 tries in 2017.

Huddersfield Giants winger, Adam Swift, is close behind Marshall, with 11 tries in his in 10 games, at an average of 1.1 tries per game. Swift’s feat is even more impressive given he is performing in a Huddersfield side which has struggled at times this season.

Making up the top three try scorers is not a winger, but St Helens’ full-back, Jack Welsby. England international, Welsby has bagged 11 tries this season, at an average of 0.85 tries per game for the Saints. He is a crucial part of their attack, and will be crucial to their chances of competing for silverware this year.

Most Try Assists

Niall Evalds has arguably been the signing of the season so far in 2024. Evalds joined Hull KR from Castleford in the close season and has taken no time to settle into life in East Hull. Evalds has registered an incredible 15 try assists in just 12 appearances this season, at an average of 1.25 try assists per game. When combined with his six tries, he is averaging a try contribution every 45 minutes in Super League this season.

Marc Sneyd is hot on Evalds’ heels, with an impressive 14 try assists in 13 games, averaging 1.08 assists every game. Sneyd’s importance to a Salford side which continues to defy the odds cannot be underastated.

In third place, there is an other close season signing. Leeds Rhinos’ recruit, Brodie Croft, has created 13 tries for his side this season. Brodie Croft is less of a scoring threat than Evalds, with just two tries to his name from 12 appearances. However, he will be crucial to the Rhinos’ hopes of climbing the table in the second half of the season.

Top Metre Maker

The role of the back has transformed in the Super League era, with a side’s back five now expected to make the tough yards away from their own line, as well as producing the spectacular breaks to score tries. This is represented by the make up of the top metre makers category.

Warrington’s influential full-back, Matt Dufty, leads the way for metres made this season. Dufty had made a whopping 2243 metres in 12 appearances this season, averaging 186.92 metres per game. Combined with eight tries and nine try assists, it is clear to see why he is such an important part of Warrington’s side.

Salford’s off-season recruit, Nene Macdoonald is second on the list. Macdonald has contributed 1982 metres this season, at an average of 152.46 metres per game. Macdonald has been a huge part of Salford’s success this season and is part of a deadly combination in the centres with Tim Lafai.

Worryingly for opposition defences in 2025, Esan Marsters is third on the list, with 1949 metres. Marsters, who will join Salford next season, actually averages more metres per game than MacDonald, with 162.42. He also has four tries and six try assists, making him a potent threat.

Most Offloads

Offloads are a high risk, high reward play. With two or three defenders committed to the tackle, a successful offload can change the momentum of a set, putting the attacking side on the front foot. It is something of a surprise, then, to see a player from Super League’s bottom side leading the offload charts this season.

Hakim Miloudi, of the London Broncos, has the most offloads in Super League this season. The Frenchman, who is ever present for the Broncos this season, has 29 offloads in 13 games, averaging 2.23 per game. He has been one of the few shining lights in a difficult year for the Broncos.

Nene Macdonald features in another list, with an impressive 25 offloads so far this season, with 1.92 offloads per game on average. Hull FC’s Herman Ese’ese is third on the list, with 24 offloads in 11 appearances, at an average of 2.18 per game.

Perhaps, given two of the top three play in struggling sides, the number of offloads hints towards their lack of structure in attack. Still, they are great when they come off.

Most Tackles

The number of tackles made per game by individuals is one of the categories which sets Rugby League apart from its cross-code cousin in Union, with League players making significantly more tackles per game on average.

Cameron Smith leads the way with a huge 513 tackles in 13 appearances for the Leeds Rhinos. Whilst Smith plays big minutes for the Rhinos, he is not an ever present on the pitch, having been substituted on occasion, making the feat more impressive. Smith averages just short of 40 tackles per game across the season so far.

St Helens’ Joe Batchelor is next on the list. Batchelor has posted huge numbers this season. He has made just eight appearances for the Saints so far, yet has made 475 tackles, at an average of 36.54 per game played.  If Batchelor had been ever present for Saints this season, he would be pushing Smith close for top spot on the list.

Hull’s Jordan Lane makes up the top three. The FC defence has been made to work hard so far this season, and Lane’s 450 tackles in 13 appearances is testament to that. Lane averages 34.62 tackles per game.

Most Carries

It is logical that the player with the most metres would also be high on the list of most carries. Therefore, it is no surprise to see Matt Dufty top another list. Dufty has carried the ball 255 times this season, with an average of 21.25 carries per game, with an average of 8.8 metres per carry.

Ryan Hall has always been a willing worker when the ball is close to his own line, and he is second on the list for most carries. Leeds-bound Hall has carried the ball 245 this season in 13 appearances, at an average of 18.85 carries per game. He will add an element of power to the Leeds side which has been lacking at times this season.

Hall’s future team-mate, Lachie Miller, rounds off the top three for most carries. Miller has struggled to adapt to Super League at times, however, his willingness to get his hands on the ball cannot be questioned. Miller has made 244 carries for Leeds in his first Super LEague season, at an average of 20.33 carries per game.