THE 2026 regular Super League season is over – and what a weird and wonderful ride it was.
Wigan Warriors finished top to win the League Leaders’ Shield – as well as scooping up the Challenge Cup – whilst newly-promoted Bradford Bulls finished bottom.
Prior to the season starting, optimism was great around the 14 clubs with new signings ready to take the league by storm.
Here are the five best Super League signings of 2026.
David Nofoaluma – York Knights
Eyebrows were raised when York Knights brought in David Nofoaluma from Championship side Halifax Panthers. After an unsuccessful stint with former Super League club Salford, Nofoaluma dropped down a league before returning to the top flight with York (technically on loan from parent club Newcastle Thunder) in February. It’s fair to say that the move was a match made in heaven. With 15 tries to his name and 140 tackle busts throughout the season, the 32-year-old became fans’ favourite at the LNER Community Stadium.
Innes Senior – Leigh Leopards
Very few people batted an eyelid when Innes Senior made the move from Castleford Tigers to Leigh Leopards ahead of the 2026 campaign. While an established Super League winger, Senior was perhaps expected to make up the numbers with his new club. However, that proved to be far from the case as the Ireland international became a mainstay on Leigh’s left-wing, scoring 15 tries and registering just over 3,800 metres – the third highest in the league. At 26, Senior appears to have found a home.
Paul Vaughan – York Knights
Another from the Knights, Paul Vaughan retired at the end of the 2026 campaign full of smiles and a sense of achievement. As a 35-year-old veteran, the former Australia international made 25 appearances – the most in a Super League season for Vaughan – as he wound back the clock, proving that age is just a number. In fact, a whole host of people were surprised when Vaughan decided to hang up his boots given his exploits in 2026. A remarkable leader, the Knights and Super League will feel his loss.
Tyson Smoothy – Wakefield Trinity
Bringing in a proven NRL Grand Final winner was not a mean feat for Wakefield Trinity – but they did just that with Brisbane Broncos hooker Tyson Smoothy. The 27-year-old took to Super League like a duck to water, bringing energy and dynamism around the ruck – something which Wakefield had craved for a number of years. Although Smoothy’s stay in the northern hemisphere has been limited to one season, his impact has been greatly felt at the DIY Kitchens Stadium.
Oliver Partington – Wigan Warriors
He made almost 100 appearances for the Wigan Warriors after coming through the ranks at the Super League club, but Oliver Partington left for Salford in 2023, moved to Catalans Dragons in 2025 and returned to his boyhood side for 2026. The signing was welcomed by Warriors fans and it didn’t take long for Partington to pick up where he left off. A key cog in the Wigan wheel, the 28-year-old has become an even bigger hit with fans than in his first spell, becoming the link man between forwards and backs, enabling the likes of Bevan French and Jai Field to utilise their devastating running games.