List of Super League seasons

The Super League is the top tier rugby league competition for teams in Great Britain. It was formed in 1996 replacing the Rugby Football League First Division which was the top tier in Britain from 1895 to 1996.

Super League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event Super League XXVIII
SportRugby League
Founded1996 (1996)
Most recent
champion(s)
St Helens
(10th title)
Most titles St. Helens
(10 titles)
Relegation toChampionship
Domestic cup(s)Challenge Cup
International cup(s)World Club Challenge

Since 1998, the winner of the Super League has been determined by a play-off series at the end of each season, culminating in a Grand Final at the Old Trafford. Four teams have won the Grand Final during the history of the Super League, with St Helens being the current holders. St Helens are the most successful team in the Super League era, with ten titles. In the first two seasons of Super League, the champion was determined by league position at the end of the season.

The participants of the play-off series are determined by the league position of teams at the end of the regular season. The team at the top the Super League table at the end of the regular season are awarded with the League Leaders Shield. St Helens are the current holders of the League Leaders Shield, and hold the record for most Shields with nine. The League Leaders have been recognised with their own trophy since 2003.

Seasons

Season Overview

Year Champions League Leaders Relegated Promoted
1996 St. Helens[a] (1) Workington Salford
1997 Bradford[a] (1) Oldham

Paris St Germain[b]

Hull F.C.
Huddersfield
1998 Wigan (1) Wigan (1) None Gateshead[b]

Wakefield

1999 St. Helens (2) Bradford (1) None
2000 St. Helens (3) Wigan (2)
2001 Bradford (2) Bradford (2) Huddersfield Widnes
2002 St. Helens (4) St. Helens (1) Salford Huddersfield
2003 Bradford (3) Bradford (3) Halifax Salford
2004 Leeds (1) Leeds (1) Castleford Leigh
2005 Bradford (4) St. Helens (2) Leigh
Widnes
Castleford

Catalans

2006 St. Helens (5) St. Helens (3) Castleford Hull Kingston Rovers
2007 Leeds (2) St. Helens (4) Salford Castleford
2008 Leeds (3) St. Helens (5) None Salford
Crusaders[b]
2009 Leeds (4) Leeds (2) None
2010 Wigan (2) Wigan (3)
2011 Leeds (5) Warrington (1) Crusaders[b] Widnes[b]
2012 Leeds (6) Wigan (4) None None
2013 Wigan (3) Huddersfield (1)
2014 St. Helens (6) St. Helens (6) London
Bradford
2015 Leeds (7) Leeds (3) None
2016 Wigan (4) Warrington (2) Hull Kingston Rovers Leigh
2017 Leeds (8) Castleford (1) Leigh Hull Kingston Rovers
2018 Wigan (5) St. Helens (7) Widnes London
2019 St. Helens (7) St. Helens (8) London Toronto Wolfpack
2020 St. Helens (8) Wigan (5) Toronto Wolfpack[b]
  • a: Champions decided by league table
  • b: Elected in/out of league without promotion/relegation via league performance

Grand Finals

Year Champions Score Runner Up Venue Attendance
1998 Wigan 10–4 Leeds Old Trafford 43,533
1999 St. Helens 8–6 Bradford Increase 50,717
2000 St. Helens 29–16 Wigan Increase 58,132
2001 Bradford 37–6 Wigan Increase 60,164
2002 St. Helens 19–18 Bradford Increase 61,138
2003 Bradford 25–12 Wigan Increase 65,537
2004 Leeds 16–8 Bradford Increase 65,547
2005 Bradford 15–6 Leeds Increase 65,728
2006 St. Helens 26–4 Hull F.C. Increase 72,575
2007 Leeds 33–6 St. Helens Decrease 71,352
2008 Leeds 24–16 St. Helens Decrease 68,810
2009 Leeds 18–10 St. Helens Decrease 63,259
2010 Wigan 22–10 St. Helens Increase 71,526
2011 Leeds 32–16 St. Helens Decrease 69,107
2012 Leeds 26–18 Warrington Increase 70,676
2013 Wigan 30–16 Warrington Decrease 66,281
2014 St. Helens 14–6 Wigan Increase 70,102
2015 Leeds 22-20 Wigan Increase 73,512
2016 Wigan 12-6 Warrington Decrease 70,202
2017 Leeds 24-6 Castleford Increase 72,827
2018 Wigan 12-4 Warrington Decrease 64,892
2019 St. Helens 23-6 Salford Decrease 64,102
2020 St. Helens 8-4 Wigan KCOM Decrease 0[a]

a: No crowd due to COVID-19 restrictions

Top Scorers

Year Tries Points
Player Club Tries Player Club Points
1996 Paul Newlove St. Helens 28 Bobbie Goulding St. Helens 257
1997 Nigel Vagana Warrington 17 Andrew Farrell Wigan 243
1998 Anthony Sullivan St. Helens 20 Iestyn Harris Leeds 255
1999 Toa Kohe-Love Warrington 25 Iestyn Harris Leeds 325
2000 Sean Long
Tommy Martyn
St. Helens

St. Helens

22 Sean Long St. Helens 352
2001 Kris Radlinski Wigan 27 Andrew Farrell Wigan 388
2002 Dennis Moran London 22 Paul Deacon Bradford 301
2003 Dennis Moran London 24 Paul Deacon Bradford 286
2004 Lesley Vainikolo Bradford 36 Kevin Sinfield Leeds 277
2005 Mark Calderwood Leeds 27 Paul Deacon Bradford 322
2006 Justin Murphy Catalans 25 Jamie Lyon St. Helens 316
2007 Henry Fa'afili Warrington 21 Pat Richards Wigan 248
2008 Ade Gardner St. Helens 26 Pat Richards Wigan 269
2009 Ryan Hall Leeds 29 Pat Richards Wigan 252
2010 Pat Richards Wigan 29 Pat Richards Wigan 388
2011 Ryan Hall Leeds 28 Jamie Foster St. Helens 330
2012 Josh Charnley Wigan 31 Scott Dureau Catalans 281
2013 Josh Charnley Wigan 33 Danny Brough Huddersfield 281
2014 Joel Monaghan Warrington 28 Marc Sneyd Castleford 224
2015 Jermaine McGillvary Huddersfield 27 Luke Gale Castleford 247
2016 Denny Solomona Castleford 40 Luke Gale Castleford 262
2017 Greg Eden Castleford 38 Luke Gale Castleford 317
2018 Ben Barba St. Helens 28 Danny Richardson St. Helens 296
2019 Tommy Makinson St. Helens 23 Lachlan Coote St. Helens 247
2020 Ash Handley Leeds 15 Lachlan Coote St. Helens 152

Man of Steel

The Man of Steel Award is given to the Super League Player of the Season. Various methods of determining the seasons best player have been employed throughout the awards history. The current method involves points being designated to players by a select panel following each fixture. The award is also known as the Steve Prescott Man of Steel, posthumously named after the former St Helens player who established the Steve Prescott Foundation to raise money for cancer research whilst fighting his own battle with cancer, which he tragically lost in 2013.

Year Nat Player Club
1996 England Andy Farrell Wigan
1997 England James Lowes Bradford
1998 Wales Iestyn Harris Leeds
1999 Australia Adrian Vowles Castleford
2000 England Sean Long St. Helens
2001 England Paul Sculthorpe St. Helens
2002 England Paul Sculthorpe St. Helens
2003 England Jamie Peacock Bradford
2004 England Andy Farrell Wigan
2005 Australia Jamie Lyon St. Helens
2006 England Paul Wellens St. Helens
2007 England James Roby St. Helens
2008 England James Graham St. Helens
2009 Australia Brett Hodgson Huddersfield
2010 Australia Pat Richards Wigan
2011 New Zealand Rangi Chase Castleford
2012 England Sam Tomkins Wigan
2013 Scotland Danny Brough Huddersfield
2014 England Daryl Clark Castleford
2015 England Zak Hardaker Leeds
2016 England Danny Houghton Hull
2017 England Luke Gale Castleford
2018 Australia Ben Barba St. Helens
2019 Australia Jackson Hastings Salford
2020 England Paul McShane Castleford

Harry Sunderland Trophy Winner

The Harry Sunderland Trophy is awarded to the Man of the Match of the Super League Grand Final. The award predates Super League and was previously awarded to the Man of the Match of the Rugby League Premiership Final.

Year Nat Player Club
1996 England Andrew Farrell[a] Wigan
1997 England Andrew Farrell[a] Wigan
1998 England Jason Robinson Wigan
1999 New Zealand Henry Paul Bradford
2000 England Chris Joynt St. Helens
2001 Australia Michael Withers Bradford
2002 England Paul Deacon Bradford
2003 England Stuart Reardon Bradford
2004 England Matt Diskin Leeds
2005 England Leon Pryce Bradford
2006 England Paul Wellens St. Helens
2007 England Rob Burrow Leeds
2008 England Lee Smith Leeds
2009 England Kevin Sinfield Leeds
2010 New Zealand Thomas Leuluai Wigan
2011 England Rob Burrow Leeds
2012 England Kevin Sinfield Leeds
2013 Australia Blake Green Wigan
2014 England James Roby St. Helens
2015 England Danny McGuire Leeds
2016 England Liam Farrell Wigan
2017 England Danny McGuire Leeds
2018 England Stefan Ratchford Warrington
2019 England Luke Thompson St. Helens
2020 England James Roby St. Helens

† = denotes a player who won the trophy but played on the losing team in the final.

a: Award won in Premiership Final inside Super League Era.

League Structure

Throughout the history of Super League, the competition has been structured in various formats effecting awarding of championships, participation in play-off series, and inclusion in the league itself.

Year No. Team Champions Play-Offs Relegation
1996 12 League Position None League Position: Bottom place relegated to First Division
1997
1998 Grand Final Top 5 No Relegation
1999 14
2000 12
2001 League Position: Bottom place relegated to National League One
2002 Top 6
2003
2004
2005 League Position: Bottom two relegated to National League One
2006 League Position: Bottom place relegated to National League One[a]
2007
2008 No Relegation
2009 14 Top 8 Licensing
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015 12 Super 8's:

Top 4 of Top 8

Super 8's:

Bottom 3 of Middle 8 and Million Pound Game Loser relegated to Championship

2016
2017
2018
2019 Top 5 League Position: Bottom place relegated to Championship
2020 12[b] Top 6[c] No relegation[b]
  • a: Catalans Dragons exempt for relegation for first two seasons in Super League.
  • b : Teams reduced to 11 following exit of Toronto Wolfpack midseason. Toronto were later prevented from readmission with relegation cancelled for 2020.
  • c: Play-off structure amended to mitigate against COVID-19 implications.

See also

References

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