Super League 2022: What to expect from Leeds Rhinos' rivals

This is the 27th Super League season and so far only four clubs, Leeds Rhinos, St Helens, Wigan Warriors and Bradford Bulls, have got their hands on the trophy.

Another five - Hull, Warrington Wolves, Castleford Tigers, Salford Red Devils and, last year, Catalans Dragons have fallen at the final hurdle and Huddersfield Giants topped the table without reaching the Grand Final.

Of the 12 teams in this season’s competition, only Hull KR, Wakefield Trinity and newly-promoted Toulouse Olympique have yet to either finish as league leaders or appear at Old Trafford.

Three of the last five title deciders have featured a team playing in the final game of the season for the first time, but current champions St Helens’ dominance looks as strong as ever.

Their three successive titles equals the record set by Rhinos from 2007-2009 and they are the bookies’ favourites to extend that this season.

It’s not difficult to see why. Saints have retained most of last year’s squad and while they haven’t particularly strengthened, they didn’t need to.

From a Rhinos perspective, eyes will be on how Konrad Hurrell performs following his surprise move to TW Stadium.

Assessing Leeds’ other rivals, Catalans Dragons finished above Saints on the league ladder last year, led for part of the game at Old Trafford and have strengthened well, with Mitchell Pearce replacing key man James Maloney and Dylan Napa and Tyrone May also adding quality and experience.

That will make the French outfit tough to beat at any time, but especially on home soil.

Given the quality of players they have had on their books, Warrington should have won the title by now.

Coach Daryl Powell has been brought in from Castleford to put that right and if they do lift the trophy on September 24, it will be largely down to his influence.

Their recruitment has been less spectacular than usual and Jake Mamo is a big loss, to Castleford, but with half-backs of Gareth Widdop and George Williams’ quality and a hooker as dynamic as Daryl Clark, they won’t be far away.

Wigan, unusually, have been widely written off as serious title contenders. They had a poor year in 2021, despite finishing fourth and have a rookie coach in Matt Peet.

He will need to improve their attack and a lot will depend on the form of Cade Cust, who has replaced Jackson Hastings in the halves.

Elsewhere, if there is a surprise package this year, it might be Hull KR, who have been transformed over the past couple of seasons under ex-Leeds boss Tony Smith.

Bringing in full-back Lachlan Coote from Saints was a major coup and most of last year’s squad have been retained.

The Robins are an exciting, unpredictable team to watch and forward Frankie Halton, signed from Featherstone Rovers, could prove one of the competition’s smartest additions.

Hull go into every season with high hopes, often have a good start and then fade alarmingly.

Failing to reach the play-offs last year made them Super League’s big under-achievers and much will depend this time on the form and fitness of former Castleford and Leeds scrum-half Luke Gale.

It is a new era at Castleford Tigers, under ex-Hull boss Lee Radford and with stalwarts including Michael Shenton, Grant Millington and Oliver Holmes having retired or moved on.

Jake Mamo is probably the most exciting of their eight signings, but stand-off Jake Trueman is now over his long-term back injury and Tigers will cause plenty of teams problems this term, though it might take them a few games to get going.

Huddersfield Giants are another club whose season could go either way. Prop Chris Hill and halves Tui Lolohea and Theo Fages are good additions and they have some exciting young players, particularly Will Pryce, but the squad doesn’t look strong enough to win silverware.

Wakefield Trinity begin every year as one of the sides tipped to struggle. They haven’t done much recruitment and the pre-season defeat at Featherstone was a worry, but form since Willie Poching took over midway through last season has been good and they don’t look like relegation material.

Salford Red Devils have a new coach in Paul Rowley, who did well in the second tier with Leigh Centurions and Toronto Wolfpack.

He will need to get the most out of new halves Marc Sneyd and Brodie Croft and while Salford aren’t likely to repeat their achievements of 2019, they will probably finish above Toronto Wolfpack.

Making the most of home advantage will be crucial, but the promoted side have hardly recruited, lost some key players because of the Covid situation in France and look likely to make a repaid return to the Betfred Championship.

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