THE 2024 Super League Dream Team has been announced.
It includes four players from Wigan Warriors, who have retained the League Leaders Shield and therefore earned a bye through the first round of the Play-Offs – meaning they are only 80 minutes from the chance to defend their Betfred Super League title at Old Trafford on October 12.
England centre Jake Wardle is the only member of the 2023 Dream Team to retain his place, and his Wigan and England team-mate Luke Thompson is the only other player to have been previously selected – when he was at St Helens in 2019.
They are joined by prolific wing Liam Marshall, who is the season’s leading try-scorer with 27, and 20-year-old second-row Junior Nsemba – two of the debutants in this year’s Dream Team.
Warrington Wolves, who finished third and host St Helens in the first round of the Play-Offs this weekend – with live coverage on Saturday evening on Sky Sports and BBC Two, the first Play-Off to be shown live by the BBC – have three players included.
Matt Dufty is selected at full-back – the only Australian in the team – and is joined by two more England internationals hoping to face Samoa this autumn, with Matty Ashton on the opposite flank to Marshall, and Danny Walker at hooker.
Five of the remaining six players in the Dream Team are from clubs still in contention for Old Trafford – two each from Hull KR and Salford Red Devils, and one from Saints.
Hull KR, who have also earned a bye through the first round of the Play-Offs after earning a best-ever Super League finish of second, have Mikey Lewis selected at half-back, and their captain Elliot Minchella at loose forward.
Salford, who will kick off the Play-Offs with the first of this weekend’s elimination matches at home to Leigh Leopards on Friday night, have their fourth-placed finish recognised with the selection of Papua New Guinea centre Nene Macdonald and scheming half-back Marc Sneyd.
That leaves Leeds Rhinos’ goalkicking second-row Rhyse Martin, another Kumul, as the only player not involved in the Play-Offs to earn selection for the Dream Team – which is determined by votes from the same panel of experts who watch every Betfred Super League fixture to determine the Man of Steel.
The 2024 Betfred Dream Team will be presented with their shirts by Paul Sculthorpe MBE, the two-time Man of Steel who was recently inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame, at a media event on Monday.
“I’ll be honoured to present the players with their Dream Team jerseys,” said Sculthorpe. “It’s a reflection of outstanding form all through the Super League season, and it’s great to see that recognised. We’re lucky to be able to watch these guys week in week out, and now going into the Play-Offs.”
Tickets for all five matches in the 2024 Betfred Super League Play-Offs are now available, up to and including the Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday October 12.
Betfred Super League Dream Team 2024
(players listed with their Dream Team heritage number)
1. Matt Dufty (Warrington Wolves – 212)
2. Matty Ashton (213)
3. Nene Macdonald (215)
4. Jake Wardle (211)
5. Liam Marshall (214)
6. Mikey Lewis (216)
7. Marc Sneyd (217)
8. Matty Lees (218)
9. Danny Walker (219)
10. Luke Thompson (174)
11. Rhyse Martin (220)
12. Junior Nsemba (221)
13. Elliot Minchella (222)
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