Not to worry you, but we’re now halfway through the 2025 Betfred Super League season. We’re on the verge of round fourteen this weekend, and the 1-0 Wigan vs Leigh game from Round One now seems like a distant memory. As the end of the season becomes ever more visible on the horizon, I’d like to look back on the 2025 season so far, looking at each team in turn and giving their season a grade. Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments!

Castleford Tigers

Current Position: 10th

Grade: D

It’s not been smooth sailing for Danny McGuire in his first season as a head coach. On the back of receiving an ‘A’ grading from IMG late last year, one would expect the West Yorkshire side to kick on and aim to improve their standings from the last few seasons, but in reality, they’re still in much the same place as they were in 2024.

A 10th placed finish last season saw coach Craig Lingard sacked, and some fairly decent recruitment has gone on, with Zac Cini in particular looking dangerous, and the likes of Tom Amone and Chris Atkin brought in mid-season to bolster a fairly thin squad. How much of an effect they can have though remains to be seen, as there is already a four-point gap between them and ninth-placed Catalans. This may not seem insurmountable, but with wins as few and far between as they are, it’s hard to see how they might close that gap.

In positive news for the Tigers, however, minority owner Martin Jepson has taken up the option to buy the club outright, promising fresh investment for the team. Again, we won’t know what he can do for them until later on, but it is to be hoped he can have the same effect that local rivals Wakefield’s owner Matt Ellis had after his arrival.

Catalans Dragons

Current Position: 9th

Grade: D-

You might be wondering, understandably, why I have given Catalans a lower grade than Castleford, despite the fact they sit one place higher on the table, and the answer to that is expectations. Simply put, nobody expected many great things from Castleford, but given the players Catalans had recruited and the ambition the team has, it’s hard not to see sitting 9th at this stage of the season as a monumental failing.

Following the disappointment of missing out on the playoffs in 2024, Le Dracs went big in the player market in the run up to 2025. Luke Keary was brought in from the NRL, so to was Tevita Pangai Junior, not to mention a relentless winner like Tommy Makinson being signed from St Helens. All the pieces were there for a Catalans revival this season, but none of the promise has evolved into results.

Keary has been a big disappointment. Coming in with a lot of hype, and certainly not helping himself by his comments to the media about the state of the league. Then they parted ways with their long-term coach, Steve McNamara in May, leaving the inexperienced Joel Tomkins in charge on an interim basis, which has done nothing to improve their fortunes. Something needs to change and fast or the Dragons will be facing another season with no play-off action.

Huddersfield Giants

Current Position: 11th

Grade: D

It’s hard not to feel sorry for the Huddersfield Giants. They’ve had some incredibly rotten luck with injuries right from the start of the 2025 campaign. I’m not even sure if they’ve yet had their strongest thirteen available all season, such has been their luck.

There have been signs of promise in the Giants’ performances, but for the longest time, they just couldn’t buy a win, even managing to lose to a Salford side who can barely raise a team from week to week. Even now, with more of their players back, they have only managed to put one win on the board, sitting eleventh by virtue of Salford’s terrible points difference.

Their biggest bright spot, however, has been the emergence of mercurial young talent George Flanagan Jr, whose performances have singled him out as one of Huddersfield’s best players already, at the age of just twenty. The Giants were shrewd to tie him down to a long-term contact earlier this season, ensuring a payout in case he is tempted away in a few years. As talented as he is, he can’t carry the team, and they’re destined for a lower-placed finish once again.

Hull FC

Current Position: 5th

Grade: B

If I were handing out an award for most improved side so far, it would have to (begrudgingly) go to Hull FC. From being within a frog’s hair of picking up the wooden spoon this season to playoff contenders is a remarkable turnaround (again, I am saying all of this through firmly gritted teeth), and a testament to the clubs rejuvenation under John Cartwright.

Their recruitment was an unknown factor heading into 2025. a real grab bag of players who could have gone one way or the other, but for the most part, they’ve gelled together extremely well. Aidan Sezer is a player reborn in black and white, following disappointing spells at Leeds in the Super League and the Wests Tigers in the NRL, he really marshalls the side well and has picked up a few well-deserved play of the match awards.

The signing of Will Pryce mid-season was a big talking point, also, and while it’s still too soon to judge definitively about his impact, he’s started to find his form in recent games, and with age on his side, could be the fulcrum of the side for many years to come. It’s hard to say what the second half of the season has in store for the Arlie Birds, but it’s safe to say they’re a million miles better than in 2024. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go and brush my teeth after having to praise Hull FC.

Hull KR

Current Position: 1st

Grade: A

After the last few years, the spectre of the ‘nearly men’ label loomed large over Hull KR. Despite two years of improvements under Willie Peters, and reaching two major finals, no silverware had been added to Craven Park’s trophy cabinet. That all changed in 2025, and there’s a higher than average chance that it won’t be their only trophy either.

A record of twelve wins from thirteen games (seventeen from eighteen in all competitions) sees the Robins perched pretty on the top of the table. Not only are they leading the pack, but they’ve finally managed to break their trophy hoodoo by winning the Challenge Cup at Wembley. Their first piece of silverware in forty, long, years.

Almost everything about this season has been perfect for Hull KR, with a home defeat to Wigan Warriors the only blot on their copybook. New signings have come in to strengthen an already strong squad, with Tom Davies proving to be a dangerous addition to a fierce backline. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves offers the kind of leadership and experience that is invaluable to a team, even if it will only be for a single season.

Now that the first trophy is in the cabinet, hopes will be high that a second, or maybe even a third, could be added, but Willie Peters won’t be counting his chickens just yet, and neither should the fans. The achievement is fantastic, but there’s still a lot of hard work to do between now and the end of the season.

Leeds Rhinos

Current Position: 3rd

Grade: B+

Leeds would have undoubtedly been hoping for a much-improved 2025 season after their underwhelming performance last term, where they finished eighth and missed out on a play-off berth. There was cause for optimism, however, as the coach that had helped steady the ship towards the end of last season, Brad Arthur, had agreed to stay on for 2025, and hopes were high that the Rhinos would be on the up with him at the helm.

So far, it has shown to be the case, as Leeds currently sit third in a crowded play-off race. Overcoming a setback just before the season when star signing Maika Sivo went down with a season-ending ACL injury in a friendly match, the Rhinos have clicked under Arthur, and are hoping against hope that the experienced Aussie will agree to stay on, as he eyes a return Down Under to be closer to his family.

Returning hero Ryan Hall is really turning back the clock at the club where he had so much success in the previous decade (and beyond) with the now 37-year-old winger already agreeing to go around again in 2026. The signing of Jake Connor has added real threat to the attack, and Brodie Croft seems to be playing with much more ease than he did in his first season in West Yorkshire. It will be interesting to see how far this new-and-improved Rhinos can go in 2025.

Leigh Leopards

Current Position: 4th

Grade: B

It was another year of rebuilding for the Leopards, as the end of 2024 saw such names as John Asiata, Zak Hardaker, Tom Amone, and Kai O’Donnell leave the Leopard’s Den, but former Director of Rugby Chris Chester (now at Castleford) showed his worth as a recruiter by bringing in the likes of David Armstrong, Tesi Niu, and Isaac Liu, all of whom have been instant successes at the Leigh Sports Village.

It was going to be hard to top the previous two years for the Leythers. Both seasons had seen them finish fifth and book play-off places, even making the semi-finals last year, but with deft recruiting, and an eye-catching style of play, they have managed to surpass expectations so far, no more than in their very first game, where they beat defending champions Wigan Warriors 1-0 in an all-time classic defensive game.

While club owner Derek Beaumont remains a divisive figure amongst rugby league supporters, it is hard not to respect the work and dedication he has put into making Leigh a successful club. It took him a few attempts at cracking the Super League puzzle, but after a few years building momentum and assembling the right team both on and off the pitch, all that work appears to be making dividends. Whether the team will stay the course and surpass 2024’s performance remains to be seen, but the groundwork has been laid successfully for the team to really kick on.

Salford Red Devils

Current Position: 12th

Grade: F

Oh dear. I feel sorry for Salford’s fans at the moment for the situation they’re in, I really do. If it weren’t for many other clubs having financial backers willing to lose money year on year, it could be any team in this situation. I feel harsh giving an F, but it really is the only possible grade to give them, and they only avoid an F- by virtue of winning one game.

The story of Salford’s season has, of course, been more to do with off-the-field matter rather than on it. The season started with them in a bad situation, and it has since descended into chaos and crisis the likes of which we haven’t seen since Bradford’s collapse in the early 2010s. The club was sold, the owner’s interest in the club was called into question, wages went unpaid, and throughout all of this, the team has been placed under a sustainability cap which handcuffs their team selections, and makes their defeat week-on-week almost a foregone conclusion.

They brought in the likes of Esan Marsters and Chris Hill prior to the 2025 season, but their restrictions have meant that when their senior players can play, they’re surrounded by reserve and academy-grade players who, despite their best efforts, are out of their depth. The club is in crisis and it’s becoming harder and harder to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

St Helens

Current Position: 6th

Grade: C+

The truest definition of a mixed bag, St Helens have well and truly blown hot and cold in 2025 so far. Barely squeaking into the playoff in 2024, there were hopes that the Red V could be contenders once more in 2025, and big name signings Tristan Sailor and Kyle Feldt only added to fans’ expectations.

While Sailor has been a consistent fixture in the starting line-up, it has taken them a while to find his best position in the team. He seems to have settled as a winger in the Saints set up, but with Kyle Feldt soon due back from injury, questions remain as to where Sailor will fit in once the prolific winger does return to the fold.

A lot too has been made of the head coach, Paul Wellens, and whether Saints’ decision to give him a new one-year contract last year was a mistake or not. Most fans seem to be losing patience with the club legend, and there is a feeling that a few more defeats might see him shown the door. The second half of the season will be a key time to find consistency for a team who has struggled to build lasting momentum, and will ultimately decide if they make the top six or not.

Wakefield Trinity

Current Position: 7th

Grade: B-

Wakefield were somewhat of an unknown quantity heading into 2025. True, they had stormed the Championship and recruited well on paper, but the step up from the Championship to the Super League is a massive one, and one that few teams have managed to successfully navigate, so it is to Wakefield’s immense credit that they currently sit just outside the play-off spaces, with a top six finish not entirely outside the realms of possibility.

New(ish) owner Matt Ellis has overseen quite the rebuild at the DIY Kitchens Stadium since the Trin were relegated in 2023. Not only has the stadium had a significant facelift, but the playing team has also, with the likes of a returning Tom Johnstone, Mike McMeeken, and Caius Faatili bolstering a squad that already contained the likes of Max Jowitt, Jay Pitts, and Mason Lino. The team has big stage experience and that has shown in their performances.

They have been particularly effective on the road, and have already claimed a few scalps this season. Many of their losses have been narrow too, as a second round clash with Hull KR could have gone to golden point extra time, had Max Jowitt been able to convert his conversion right at the death. There’s a lot of positives to build on, and Wakey will take heart in a strong start, and hope to back that up with further success down the final stretch.

Warrington Wolves

Current Position: 8th

Grade: C-

It’s been a case of ‘second season syndrome’ for Sam Burgess at Warrington thus far in 2025, as his side find themselves outside the top six at the halfway point, something that few would have predicted following their third-placed finish in 2024.

The season got off to a bright start for the Wolves, who won their first two games, but a disastarous trip to Las Vegas to face the Wigan Warriors proved to be the spanner in the works of their league season, as they were summarily dispatched by the reigning champions by a score of 48-24. From there they have struggled for consistency in the Super League. They only sit two points below the play-off spots, but have a far inferior points difference to those above them, and that could make all the difference by the time September rolls around.

There have been positives to their 2025 season, however. Their early-season signing of Marc Sneyd from Salford is an inspired piece of business, and their run to the Challenge Cup final, despite their eventual narrow loss in the final, produced some of their best performances of the season. Warrington are a side whose season could go either way at this point, as hard as it would have been to foresee them missing out on the playoffs, that now seems like a distinct possibility.

Wigan Warriors

Current Position: 2nd

Grade: A-

It took a few round for last years quadruple winners Wigan to find their feet, but since they have started rolling, they have been on typical imperious form. The Warriors last tasted defeat (in the league) in Round Five, against the Leeds Rhinos, since then, their form has only been matched by league leaders Hull KR, and the Warriors have one up on Rovers so far, having handed the Robins their only loss so far this season.

It was always going to be hard to follow last season for the Warriors, perhaps the most impressive and dominant season in the sports history (especially in the summer era) and things got off to a less-than-stellar start with an opening round defeat at the hands of the Leigh Leopards, albeit only in Golden Point extra time by a score of 1-0, a first for the summer era. It’s telling that both the Warriors’ defeats have been by slim margins, one point against Leigh, and two against Leeds, and the Robins will be rightly looking over the shoulders as the Warriors continue to roll.

In the end, the race for top spot is likely to come down to the Wigan vs Hull KR game at the Brick Community Stadium in August, in a similar case to last year, where a late-season trip to Lancashire ended Rovers’ hope of winning the Shield. It really is a flip of a coin at this time as to which order they finish, but it would take a spectacular crash and burn for either of the current top two to finish any lower than second.

Conclusion:

As a small conclusion, I would like to present what I predicted as the final 2025 Super League table at the start of the season, and offer an updated prediction now we are halfway through the campaign. Here is my original prediction from January:

1. Wigan Warriors
2. Hull KR
3. Warrington Wolves
4. Catalans Dragons
5. St Helens
6. Leigh Leopards
7. Leeds Rhinos
8. Hull FC
9. Salford Red Devils
10. Wakefield Trinity
11. Castleford Tigers
12. Huddersfield Giants

It is worth pointing out that this prediction was made before the full scale of Salford’s financial meltdown was truly known, and I was going off the past few seasons worth of surpassing expectations. With that said, here’s my updated predicted Super League 2025 table:

1. Hull KR
2. Wigan Warriors
3. Leeds Rhinos
4. Leigh Leopards
5. Warrington Wolves
6. Hull FC
7. St Helens
8. Wakefield Trinity
9. Catalans Dragons
10. Castleford Tigers
11. Huddersfield Giants
12. Salford Red Devils

I also, like many pundits, believe that we will see a replay of the 2024 Grand Final this year, but I remain unconvinced of who I think will clinch the title. As a Hull KR fan, you would expect me to be gung ho about our chances now we have collected one trophy, and while I think that one more trophy isn’t a ludicrous expectation, winning both might just be one step too far. In my opinion, Hull KR will beat Wigan at least once, either at Wigan and win the LLS, or at Old Trafford and win the Grand Final. Either way, it’s going to be a hard race to predict, and I look forward to seeing how the story of the season continues to unfold.