It’s that time of year again, when the competition comes to a close and the awards are handed out to the season’s best and brightest. This year, Ian & I thought it would be a fun exercise to put together our own individual Dream Teams for the preceding season. For this, I’ve borrowed the format that our prediction series has taken; my (Nathan’s) picks will be in regular font, and Ian’s in bold. Without further ado, here are the Dream Team picks for me and Ian.

1. Jai Field. This was probably the position I agonised over the most. There are two standout players for the fullback spot, both equally deserving, in my opinion, of inclusion. One is Leeds’ Lachlan Miller, who has enjoyed his best season since arriving on these shores, and the other is Jai Field, who I’ve just about given the edge to here. It really is a case of I wish I could pick them both, but since I can’t, Field just gets it.

1. Lachie Miller: Ask anybody and they will tell you the fullback slot was between my selection and Jai Field, but I also had to consider others, however I came down in favour of the Leeds number 1 because, while Field is fast I think he offers little else and I personally think Miller is more of an all-rounder, he doesn’t have the strike threat of Field, but he has a kicking game and excellent distribution effectively making him an extra half back on the pitch.

2. Maika Sivo. Who else could it be, really? A try-scoring machine for a very strong Leeds Rhinos side, it really makes you wonder what he could have been like had he not spent all of last year injured, and if he wasn’t coming towards the twilight of his career. Despite this, he’s been a revelation for Leeds and racked up a try count matched by very few in a single season; it was only an injury in the late stages of the season that slowed down this Fijian juggernaut.

2. Maika Sivo: The top try-scorer in Super League this season, and I absolutely love what he has done since the shattering blow of missing all of last season. It has to be said he has absolutely ripped it up in Super League, equally devastating from close range or coming from his own end of the pitch. He absolutely has to be a shoo-in for any dream team, just as much for his temperament and how he has gone about his business after what happened previously and not letting it ruin him, besides everything else.

3. Ash Handley. Partnering Sivo in my Dream Team is his Leeds Rhinos teammate, Ash Handley. Simply put, these two have been dynamite together all season, with Handley providing the service that has seen Sivo rack up such an impressive try-scoring record. Besides that, he has impressed in his own right all season, and some would say he has firmly staked a claim on a starting position for England in the World Cup.

3. Adam Keighran: Signed by the champions elect for his goalkicking prowess, the Australian has been a revelation this season, particularly with his eye for a try, along with his goalkicking. He has shown a great turn of pace as well, and his disciplinary problems appear to be much improved as well.

4. Umyla Hanley: It’s been an up-and-down year for the Leigh Leopards, but a few of their players have shown their consistent class all season for Adrian Lam’s men. The first of which is centre Umyla Hanley, who featured in last year’s Dream Team as well, and who has continued his impressive form throughout 2026, which has seen him be added to Brian McDermott’s performance squad for England.

4. Albert Hopoate: I am including the Warrington number 4 because I think he has operated under the radar somewhat, but one look at his stats certainly tells a story of why I’m including him ahead of people like Ash Handley and Jake Wardle, for example. He has operated at both centre and wing, using his undoubted pace to score tries for fun and proving his versatility in a much improved season for the primrose and blue. I would go so far as to suggest that he is personally responsible for much of that improvement.

5. Zach Eckersley: Wigan’s conveyor belt of excellent talent continues to roll on at pace. This season has seen the true emergence of Jack Farrimond, as well as a break-out year for Noah Hodkinson, but it is Zach Eckersley who has shone the brightest for the Warriors this season from their youth talent, for my money. Given a starting shirt number at the start of the season might have intimidated lesser talent, but it seems to have galvanised Eckersley, who has never looked out of place in the star-studded Wigan team, and has rewarded Matt Peet’s confidence in him with a boatload of tries. He should be pushing for a seat on the plane to Australia in October.

5. Zach Eckersley: A young man given his first starting shirt this season, albeit in a position he maybe wasn’t known for previously, and his try-scoring this season proves that he has taken to it like the proverbial duck to water, leaving more established people like Matty Ashton and Tom Johnstone floundering in his wake. Eckersley has scored tries for fun in an all-conquering Wigan side while playing mostly in an unfamiliar position, although switching to both centre and fullback when necessary and remaining a first choice despite the emergence of teammate Noah Hodkinson at the same time.

6. Brodie Croft: Spoilers for the next entry, but I have both of Leeds’ first-choice halfback pairing as my 6 and 7. I know Ian has put Connor at six instead of seven, but he does generally play as a seven, and I think their output together more than justifies their inclusion together here, even if it means that Harry Smith misses out on inclusion, despite his excellent season. This has been unquestionably Croft’s best season in West Yorkshire, and unfortunately for the Rhinos, it’s also his last season there, as he will leave to join Warrington in 2027. He’s left on a great season though, being a creative force as well as competing with teammate Maika Sivo at the top of the try-scoring charts; it’s easy to see why Leeds haven’t struggled to score points in 2026.

6. Jake Connor: This could be a bit controversial, but the current Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel has undoubtedly been in imperious form this season, including kicking easily the most prodigious 40/20 ever seen anywhere in the world a few weeks ago. Many will point to the try-scoring exploits of his Leeds teammate Brodie Croft, but I believe Connor is a better all-round player who Croft and the aforementioned Miller both definitely benefit from having alongside them, thanks to his excellent vision and distribution.

7. Jake Connor: The current Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel, and, for my money, the front runner to bag that particular award once again this season. He’s an almost unrecognisable player from the disruptive force he once was at Huddersfield and in his latter Hull days. A maestro with the boot, he has guided this Leeds team around the pitch with great aplomb all season, and more than earned the plaudits he has received since his switch to Leeds.

7. Harry Smith: I simply can’t not include the man who has taken over the captaincy reins in the absence of Liam Farrell and proved what an excellent leader he clearly is. Obviously known for his outstanding kicking game, he has also developed more of a running game this year, grabbing some important tries along the way. As a result, he is definitely a red-hot property for Wigan at the moment, and another angle to consider must also be how much Jack Farrimond clearly benefited from being alongside him in the halves while superstar Bevan French was missing.

8. Joe Ofahengaue: Another easy selection for me, Ofahengaue has been a sensational signing for the Leopards ever since he arrived mid-way through last season. An impact prop in the old-school mould, he gets Leigh on the front foot with his carries, and his leadership qualities make him just as good value off the pitch, I’m sure. He wouldn’t look out of place in a top team, but stands out all the more for being in a Leopards side that has run hot and cold all year.

8. Joe Ofahengaue: Leigh’s enforcer has been in tip-top form for much of this year and was an easy pick for me. I believe it would be fair to say that opposition players could potentially demand being paid danger money to play against this traditional, old-school battering ram; such is his impact in the middle on either side of the ball. He has consistently got the Leopards on the front foot with his barnstorming runs.

9. Brad O’Neill: Whilst tribal loyalties make it difficult not to give this spot to Jez Litten, it simply can’t be denied that Brad O’Neill has been the premier hooker of the Super League this season. Whilst Litten and Danny Walker of Warrington have shown their quality several times this season, they haven’t done so quite as consistently as O’Neill has for the Warriors, who should unquestionably be England’s first-choice hooker for the World Cup this year.

9. Brad O’Neill: Arguably my easiest pick for dream team, the Wigan hooker has taken his game up another level this year and simply must be in the box seat to be handed the England number 9 shirt in the World Cup. You always know what you’re going to get from him: a combative man, particularly in defence, but this year his distribution has certainly improved, and his sheer intensity has seen him play the likes of Jez Litten and Danny Walker etc off the park at times.

10. Caleb Hamlin-Uele: Another player who has appeared in both of our squads, although Ian has stuck him at loose forward for reasons best known to himself, much of Wakefield’s success this year has been through the middle of the park. They have firepower in spades, what with captain Mike McMeeken, Caius Faatili, the controversial Jazz Tevaga, and this man, Caleb Hamlin-Uele. A smart piece of business as you’re ever likely to see, and someone who could be dominating Super League for years to come.

10. Luke Thompson: Wigan forward Thompson has obviously put the disappointment of missing last year’s Ashes Series behind him and responded in the best way possible by being the big, aggressive threat the Warriors originally signed. As well as his reliability and his ability to physically dominate in the middle, he has also developed a great sense of positioning and timing, as evidenced by his try at Wembley, among other examples. His physical prowess is 2nd to none, and he is a regular ‘go-to’ figure when the Warriors need to batter a team down the middle.

11. Dean Hadley: The solitary Robin in my squad, Dean Hadley is simply the kind of player any coach would kill to have. Consistent, hard-working, and tough beyond belief, ‘Deano’ is simply indispensable to the Rovers pack, and if you want proof, just look at the difference in how they operate when he isn’t playing compared to when he is; it’s a night and day difference. In a mediocre season for the Red and Whites, Dean Hadley has remained a guiding light.

11. Ben Currie: The Warrington stalwart has certainly rolled back the years and is still a major threat for the team from the Halliwell Jones Stadium. I have been impressed with him from day one of this season; his advancing years are clearly no issue for him as he continues to produce absolutely top-draw performances week in, week out. He has shown all his considerable experience this year in an unstoppable charge to the top 4 for a team who didn’t make it to the playoffs last year.

12. Junior Nsemba: After a disappointing 2025 season, both individually and team-wise, for Junior Nsemba, he burst back onto the scene with a bang in 2026. Despite an injury derailing the back end of the season, I still saw enough in Nsemba’s season to remind me why he was such an exciting prospect when he first burst onto the scene a few years ago. Now, he has the added bonus of top-line experience, both good and bad, and it seems to be doing him the world of good.

12. Isiah Vagana: It has to be said that Wakefield Trinity somewhat struck gold by picking him up, and then compounded that by tying him down to a long-term deal before others came sniffing around. Vagana has been a player who has made a profound difference for Daryl Powell’s side on various occasions this season, particularly evidenced by his impressive try tally this season.

13. Ben Currie: If there’s one thing that’s unfortunate about my selections, it’s that there wasn’t quite enough room for more Warrington players. It’s not that they haven’t had a great season, they have, or that their players aren’t worthy of inclusion, because they are; it’s just that there are other players in those positions who have had even better seasons. The same cannot be said for Ben Currie, however, as the veteran forward has enjoyed one of his finest seasons yet in the Primrose and Blue, and has been rewarded for his fine form with a new contract.

13. Caleb Hamlin-Uele: A very important commodity in the modern game, a big, ball-handling middle with aggression, strength and a surprising turn of pace for such a big unit. He has had an impressive breakout season in Super League, and I will gladly eat my entire wardrobe, never mind just my hat, if international recognition doesn’t follow in due course.

Nathan’s Dream Team:

1. Jai Field
2. Maika Sivo
3. Ash Handley
4. Umyla Hanley
5. Zach Eckersley
6. Brodie Croft
7. Jake Connor
8. Joe Ofahengaue
9. Brad O’Neill
10. Caleb Hamlin-Uele
11. Dean Hadley
12. Junior Nsemba
13. Ben Currie

Ian’s Dream Team:

1. Lachlan Miller
2. Maika Sivo
3. Adam Keighran
4. Albert Hopoate
5. Zach Eckersley
6. Jake Connor
7. Harry Smith
8. Joe Ofahengaue
9. Brad O’Neill
10. Luke Thomson
11. Ben Currie
12. Isiah Vagana
13. Caleb Hamlin-Uele

Written by Nathan Major (Site editor & Hull KR fan) and Ian Judson (Site contributor & Hull FC fan)