BEING a top try-scorer for a Super League season takes some doing.
Not only does the phrase ‘right place, right time’ often ring true, but star players sometimes have to finish spectacularly to get their name on the scoresheet.
From the creation of the summer game back in 1996, there have been some truly outstanding efforts to make it to the top of the try-scoring charts.
One man set a record in 2004 that wasn’t beaten until 2016, with 40 tries in a regular season now the record – a target that almost looks impossible to break despite the efforts of Wigan Warriors’ Bevan French in 2022.
In the first year of Super League, 26 tries was the record whilst 14 is the lowest which was set in 2020. However, that year of course was plagued by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Here are all 27 of the Super League top try-scorers.
1996 – Paul Newlove – St Helens – 28 tries
1997 – Nigel Vagana – Warrington Wolves – 17 tries
1998 – Anthony Sullivan – St Helens – 20 tries
1999 – Toa Kohe-Love – Warrington Wolves – 25 tries
2000 – Sean Long and Tommy Martyn – St Helens – 22 tries
2001 – Kris Radlinski – Wigan Warriors – 27 tries
2002 – Dennis Moran – London Broncos – 22 tries
2003 – Dennis Moran – London Broncos – 24 tries
2004 – Lesley Vainikolo – Bradford Bulls – 36 tries
2005 – Mark Calderwood – Leeds Rhinos – 27 tries
2006 – Justin Murphy – Catalans Dragons – 25 tries
2007 – Henry Fa’afili – Warrington Wolves – 21 tries
2008 – Ade Gardner – St Helens – 26 tries
2009 – Ryan Hall – Leeds Rhinos – 29 tries
2010 – Pat Richards – Wigan Warriors – 29 tries
2011 – Ryan Hall and Sam Tomkins – Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors – 28 tries
2012 – Josh Charnley – Wigan Warriors – 31 tries
2013 – Josh Charnley – Wigan Warriors – 33 tries
2014 – Joel Monaghan – Warrington Wolves – 28 tries
2015 – Jermaine McGillvary – Huddersfield Giants – 27 tries
2016 – Denny Solomona – Castleford Tigers – 40 tries
2017 – Greg Eden – Castleford Tigers – 38 tries
2018 – Ben Barba – St Helens – 28 tries
2019 – Tommy Makinson – St Helens – 23 tries
2020 – Ash Handley – Leeds Rhinos – 14 tries
2021 – Ken Sio – Salford Red Devils – 18 tries
2022 – Bevan French – Wigan Warriors – 31 tries
Who will be the top try-scorer in 2023? Bevan French is again tipped for the honour, having been given odds of 10/1 to repeat that feat by Super League sponsor Betfred.
