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Top 10 coaches of the Super League era

In the 25 years of Super League we have seen hundreds of coaches try to achieve success with one or multiple teams, but who are the best of the best? Here are our top 10…

10. John Kear

After a tough stint in charge of Paris Saint-Germain, Kear came into his own at Sheffield as they overachieved in Super League before their famous Challenge Cup triumph in 1998. The ‘underdog king’ worked his magic again at Hull FC in 2005 with another cup success and a Grand Final appearance the following year. He then took over a financially-stricken Wakefield side and kept them in Super League season after season, before dropping down the leagues to coach Batley and now Bradford.

9. Ian Millward

There’s no denying Ian Millward’s success in the game, especially his six seasons with St Helens. Having lifted two Super League titles, as many Challenge Cups as well as the League Leaders Shield and World Club Challenge, Millward made himself one of the top coaches in the British game. After leaving Saints under a cloud, he took over arch-rivals Wigan but endured a turbulent spell and was sacked early in 2006. It was six years before the Australian was seen in Super League again, taking over Castleford in 2012, winning six of his 25 games in charge before his departure a year later.

8. Justin Holbrook

Justin Holbrook will be long remembered for reviving St Helens’ flagging fortunes and turning them into the top team in Super League again. Saints looked lost in 2017 under former playing great Keiron Cunningham, as they languished in mid-table and were hammered by Castleford in the Challenge Cup. Then in came their salvation in Holbrook, who immediately got off to a flying start by annihilating Hull FC at Magic Weekend in his first official game. That was the sign of things to come as since then the Red Vee have bagged back-to-back League Leaders Shields, set a record for the amount of points in a season and lifted their seventh Super League title. The whole left by Holbrook’s departure at the end of 2019 is already showing, with Saints losing as many games after just six rounds this season as they did in the whole of the last campaign.

Justin Holbrook won the Super League title in his final season at Saints. Credit: Mark Cosgrove/News Images

7. Tony Smith

Tony Smith guided Huddersfield back up to Super League and helped them survive the drop against all odds in 2003. He replaced Daryl Powell at Leeds a year later and secured the Rhinos their first Super League title in 2004. He led the club to World Club Challenge glory a year later before another Super League crown in 2007. After an unsuccessful spell in charge of England, Smith returned to the domestic game and made Warrington contenders again, taking them from the bottom to the top of the league within two years. The highlight of his time at the Wolves came between 2009 and 2012 as they won three Challenge Cups in four years. Now at Hull KR, Smith is tasked with keeping the Robins in the top flight and he will hope to bow out on a high if this is his last job.

6. Brian McClennan

The Kiwi assumed the role at Leeds from the aforementioned Smith in 2008 and immediately helped the Rhinos win their second World Club Challenge. Taking over the champions is never easy but ‘Bluey’ made it look easy at times as they secured back-to-back titles under his leadership, and three in a row as a club. In what was a golden decade of success for the Headingley outfit, the role of McClennan should not be forgotten and his selflessness in handing over the reins early to Brian McDermott will probably never be seen again.

5. Shaun Wane

Taking over from Michael Maguire at Wigan in 2012, Wane successfully maintained Wigan’s high standards of rugby league that his predecessor initially introduced. Having won three Super League titles alongside a League Leaders Shield, Challenge Cup and World Club Challenge, Wane’s no-nonsense style of coaching was certainly effective. His passionate, old-school attitude is something the British game still desires and he could yet prove to be the perfect fit in his new role as the England national team head coach.

Shaun Wane lifted the Super League trophy three times as Wigan coach. Craig Milner/News Images

4. Michael Maguire

Wane’s predecessor Michael Maguire is ranked that place higher despite spending considerably less time in charge at the Warriors. Wigan had finished sixth in 2009 and the dominance of Leeds and St Helens looked too much to overcome, certainly in the short term. However, the Australian turned the Cherry & Whites into the team to beat in the blink of an eye. They topped the league, defeated every other side, and lifted both the League Leaders Shield and Super League title in a season of dominance. Though 2011 was not quite as successful, Maguire still managed a Wembley win and set a precedence that Wigan’s ‘glory days’ were well and truly back.

3. Brian McDermott

Arriving in 2005 to replace Ian Millward, Daniel Anderson would guide St Helens to four consecutive League Leaders Shields, a feat matched by no other coach in the summer era. After somehow missing out on both finals in 2005, Saints dominated a year later and secured a clean sweep of awards, including the Sports Personality Team of the Year. An impressive world title followed in 2007 and was backed up as they secured their third consecutive Challenge Cup triumph in 2008. Two heartbreaking defeats to Leeds at Old Trafford in both 2007 and 2008 denied Saints an unprecedented treble-treble, an achievement that will likely never be seen. Anderson’s impact didn’t just bring silverware; he helped Saints produce arguably the most scintillating rugby Super League has ever seen, especially in 2006.

1. Brian Noble

Brian Noble is ranked as the greatest coach of the Super League era in our prestigious list. It’s owed to his trophy-laden seven-year spell in charge of the Bradford Bulls in which he was named the International Coach of the Year and the club’s Coach of the Century. Noble brought the best out of the Bulls, who reach their peak in the early-to-mid 2000s, with the side he assembled full of size, speed and international prowess. His spell in charge saw Bradford win three Super League titles, three World Club Challenge trophies, two League Leaders Shields and a Challenge Cup; with the Bulls class of 2003 the highlight as they stormed to the treble. Noble left for Wigan in 2006 and helped them back up the table, before taking Welsh outfit Crusaders to an unlikely playoff spot in 2010. His last job in Super League was with Salford in 2014, but Noble will always be remembered for his heroics at Bradford during the peak of ‘Bullmania’.

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