THIS is our annual series that looks back at the year just gone and selects the most significant and memorable moments, whether they are triumphs or tragedies, great matches or momentous incidents, domestic or international events.
Let us know whether you agree with our selections.
Our countdown of the top 50 moments of the year began here.
20 Wigan captain Liam Farrell makes the first Captain’s Challenge
One of the features of the 2025 Super League season was the introduction of the Captain’s Challenge, copied from the NRL, whereby the captain of a team could challenge a referee’s decision that he thought was wrong.
Wigan captain Liam Farrell made Super League history as he called for the competition’s first Captain’s Challenge after Leigh were awarded a penalty for a ball steal against Adam Keighran, but he was unsuccessful – as Brad Dwyer and Lachlan Lam were later on when the former was adjudged to have dropped the ball.
League Express editor Martyn Sadler in that week’s issue of League Express made clear his reservations about this innovation.
“I had a largely neutral opinion before seeing it over the weekend,” he said.
“But now I’m wondering whether it’s worth it.
“There were ten Captain’s Challenges in total for the first round of Super League matches.
Eight of the challenges failed and two were inconclusive.
“Not a single Captain’s Challenge was successful.
“That’s a great compliment to the referees.
“But it does make me wonder about the wisdom of having the Captain’s Challenge at all.”
19 Samoa and Tonga draw a huge crowd in Brisbane
The Pacific Cup this year was contested by New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga.
And on Sunday 26th October the Samoans and Tongans contested the second game in this season’s competition in front of an outstanding attendance of 44,682 at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
The Samoans won convincingly 34-6 but it was a wonderful example of the potential drawing power of international Rugby League as the two South Pacific nations went head to head.
The Samoans had lost narrowly to New Zealand a week earlier in Auckland and the following week another terrific attendance of 38,914 attended Eden Park to see the Kiwis overpower Tonga 40-14.
New Zealand defeated Samoa in the final in front of a full house at Parramatta’s CommBank Stadium, but if the NRL authorities wanted any more evidence of the viability of international Rugby League, at least in the southern hemisphere, then this game was surely the proof that they needed.
18 Brad Arthur signs a new contract at Leeds
One of the ongoing sources of speculation during the 2025 season was whether Brad Arthur would remain as Leeds coach in 2026, or whether he would head back to Australia at the end of the season.
In August Leeds put that speculation to bed by announcing that Arthur had agreed a new deal with the club for 2026 with a rolling contract in place for future years.
Arthur, who previously coached Parramatta Eels in the NRL for a decade, joined the Rhinos initially just for the final ten rounds of the 2024 season before he agreed to stay at AMT Headingley for the 2025 season.
The Rhinos’ improvement in that time made the club and its supporters keen to persuade him to stay longer and they finally got the news they were waiting for.
“I am really pleased to be staying here at the Rhinos,” said Arthur.
“My family and I have been made to feel so welcome since the first day I walked in the door at AMT Headingley and I am excited about what this group of players can achieve. I would like to thank Paul Caddick and Ian Blease, in particular, for the support and patience they have shown to me.
“I always said from the outset that I only wanted to be here if I felt I could help make the team better and have an impact on this group of players. I am so proud of how they have grown as a group. No one can ever doubt their determination and commitment to the club and each other and I think that is something that shouldn’t be underestimated. I am looking forward to building on those foundations with our coaching team in the months ahead.”
17 Cameron Munster wins the inaugural Fulton-Reilly Award
In November Australian halfback Cameron Munster was revealed as the first winner of the inaugural Fulton-Reilly Award as the player of the Ashes series.
Munster was a key figure in all three Kangaroos victories as they earned a whitewash over England, including a try-scoring, player-of-the-match display in the second game.
He won the award introduced ahead of the series – the first Ashes in 22 years – and named after Bob Fulton and Malcolm Reilly, Aussie and British greats respectively. It cements his status as one of the greatest players in the game.
“We had three of four guys in that category (to win) player of the series,” said Australia coach Kevin Walters.
“I’m really pleased for him. It was disappointing for him in the (NRL) Grand Final with the (Melbourne) Storm to lose, but he’s bounced back and finished the season on a real positive, winning the series and getting player of the series.
“He’s had a big year representative-wise (also helping Queensland win State of Origin).
“I’m really happy for Cameron because he’s one of those players who really keeps you honest as a coach and keeps you on your toes.”
Munster claimed seven of the 11 votes from a panel of English and Australian journalists.
Harry Grant received two votes while there was one each for Angus Crichton and Reece Walsh.
16 Magic Weekend to go to Everton
Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium was completed earlier this year and ion 1st November it hosted the second Ashes Test between England and Australia in front of a full house of 52,106, with the crowd generating a great atmosphere despite England losing 14-4.
The RFL was tremendously encouraged by that level of support and in November the governing body announced that it would take the 2026 Magic Weekend back to the same venue on Saturday and Sunday July 4th and 5th.
And the 2026 Magic Weekend would see a reversion to local derbies, with six matches over the two days. The two French clubs would not attend the event in England, but would instead face each other at a venue yet to be determined in France.
Everton CEO Angus Kinnear said: “We are incredibly proud to be welcoming Magic Weekend to Hill Dickinson Stadium so soon after the outstanding success of the Ashes Test earlier this month. Hosting a sell-out crowd for the first major non-football event in our new home was a landmark moment for the club, and a powerful demonstration of what this stadium and our city can deliver.
“With world-class facilities for players, officials and fans, superb sightlines, and an expansive Plaza that lends itself perfectly to large-scale fan experiences, our waterfront home is the ideal location for Magic Weekend.
“We look forward to welcoming supporters from across the Rugby League community next July and showcasing, once again, the energy, ambition and hospitality that make Hill Dickinson Stadium and our city region such a special destination for major events.”
15 York and Toulouse elevated to Super League
On 13th November the RFL revealed that Toulouse Olympique XIII and York RLFC will compete in an expanded Super League of 14 clubs in 2026.
The two clubs were chosen by an independent panel and the announcement also confirmed that London Broncos would miss out.
The Super League clubs had previously voted to expand the competition to 14 for 2026, with the first 12 teams to come via the gradings system already in place, which saw Bradford Bulls elevated after finishing in tenth place.
Instead of using gradings for all, an independent panel chaired by RFL board member Lord Jonathan Caine was created to choose the additional two teams.
Nine clubs submitted applications, with Toulouse and York, who had contested the Championship Grand Final, got the nod.
“Obviously, you have seen the gradings that have been published and Toulouse are just outside the top 12 in 13th place and York are obviously in 14th place,” said Lord Caine.
“These two teams did finish first and second in the table, they did contest the Grand Final.
“What I can’t do is go into individual applications, because a lot of the information that was provided to us was done of necessity in confidence, not least your financial material.
“But we are confident as a panel that we have made the right decisions and that both of those teams will be competitive in the Super League next season.”
14 Harry Newman becomes Perth Bears first signing
Perth Bears will become the NRL’s newest club when they join the competition in 2027.
The NRL made its announcement in April this year and at the beginning of December the Bears announced that their first major signing would be Leeds Rhinos star Harry Newman on a two-year deal.
Newman will leave Leeds at the end of 2026 but hasn’t ruled out a return to Leeds in future.
The England international, who featured against Australia in this year’s Ashes series, has made 129 Rhinos appearances since making his debut in 2017.
“Harry is a Test player who has been a part of the successful Leeds Rhinos system for several years,” said Perth’s head coach Mal Meninga.
“He has the skillset and experience to make an immediate impact in the NRL and I’m really excited to see what he can do when gets here in 2027.”
Newman will join the Bears as an inaugural signing along with halfback Toby Sexton, who is set to play in Super League for Catalans Dragons next season.
“It’s always been my ambition to test myself in the NRL and I’m delighted to have the chance to do it with the Perth Bears,” Newman added.
“It’s a huge honour to be one of the Bears’ first signings and help create a legacy for Rugby League in Western Australia.”
13 England Women humiliated in Las Vegas
Women’s Rugby League in England suffered a massive blow when the England team were hammered 90-4 by the Australian Jillaroos at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas at the beginning of March.
Totally outplayed by their opponents, England conceded 17 tries, with five of them coming from NRLW star Tamika Upton.
England’s only response was a try right at the very end of the game by Georgia Roche.
Such was the scale of England’s defeat that there was no women’s game scheduled for the 2026 version of the Las Vegas weekend.
The England team and their coach Stuart Barrow inevitably came in for some harsh criticism, with allegations of a slack approach to preparing for the game and players not being adequately prepared when they arrived in Las Vegas on the Tuesday before the game, with the RFL responding to the critics.
“The anonymous inferences about the work ethic and professionalism of the England Women set-up are especially unfair,” said the RFL.
“The team trained incredibly hard throughout the winter ahead of what we knew would be a tough test against the best team in the world.
“The trip was meticulously planned and supported by a talented group of staff led by experienced head coach Stuart Barrow.
And the RFL admitted that the result against the Jillaroos posed a problem for the women’s game in England.
“Whilst those who travelled and supporters at home will be disappointed with the result, we now have a benchmark and know what we need to do to close the gap with the Jillaroos,” the RFL said.
12 Jake Connor left out of Shaun Wane’s England squad
When England coach Shaun Wane named his 24-man England squad to face Australia in the Ashes series, it was no surprise that Jake Connor, this year’s Steve Prescott Man of Steel, was left out of the squad.
Connor hadn’t been included in the 31-man squad that had been named earlier in the year to undergo initial preparations for the series, but his omission attracted more attention than that devoted to the 24 players who were selected, and Wane found himself having to defend his decision.
When asked how tough the decision had been to leave Connor out, Wane said: “Not really difficult.
“He’s a very good player. I spoke to him in the week and he’ll be available for the World Cup next year.
“When picking a squad, the thing you will never hear from me is ‘he’s won the Man of Steel’. I don’t pay attention to stuff like that, I don’t know who’s in the Dream Team.
“That never comes into my reckoning; I’ve watched the players play and I know who can do a fantastic job against Australia.
“It was more about his form than anything else. We’ve had a good chat; he’s a good lad and I’ve got lots of time for him. There’s other players other than Jake and I don’t see the obsession about the Man of Steel, it doesn’t mean anything to me.”
When asked what Connor has to do in order to be part of the World Cup squad next year, Wane said: “Play really well, consistently in every game he plays.
11 RFL changes the Gradings System
The gradings system created by IMG and introduced into the game from 2024 has been highly controversial as a mechanism to determine which clubs should be in Super League.
One of the most controversial elements was the fact that points were awarded for a supposed catchment area, which was calculated in accordance with the local authority area in which a club is located, putting clubs that share a local authority area at a significant disadvantage.
Earlier in December the RFL announced that the system would be changed for 2026.
The points previously assigned to a club’s supposed catchment area have now been removed from the criteria and have been redistributed to the ‘Performance’ and ‘Finance’ pillars of the gradings system.
More points are available for on-pitch results, meaning higher league finishes will yield greater points. And winning the Championship now carries significant weight, giving the winner a strong chance of Super League participation.
Following the Salford fiasco, the assessment of financial health will focus more on a club’s current situation and sustainability, moving away from a multi-year average that could be misleading in the event of sudden financial distress.
And instead of a full grade deflation (e.g., from A to C) in the event of insolvency, clubs will now face a 50% deduction of their points within the Finance pillar (a maximum of 2.25 points).
And there will also be an opt-out option for clubs outside Super League. Those that have no desire to climb to the top flight are now able to opt out of the gradings process entirely.