Top 30 Players in Super League heading into 2025

[NRLandSL]

Here is a list I compiled of my top 30 players in SL for next season

1-Bevan French Wigan
2-Jack Welsby St Helens  
3-George Williams Warrington  
4-Mikey Lewis Hull KR  
5-Harry Smith Wigan  
6-Jake Wardle Wigan  
7-Matt Dufty Warrington  
8-Jai Field Wigan    
9-Marc Sneyd Salford  
10-Edwin Ipape Leigh  
11-Brodie Croft Leeds  
12-Matty Ashton Warrington    
13-Luke Thompson Wigan  
14-Daryl Clark St Helens  
15-Morgan Knowles St Helens  
16-Tom Johnstone Wakefield  
17-Elliot Minchella Hull KR  
18-Luke Keary Catalans  
19-Junior Nsemba Wigan  
20-Harry Newman Leeds  
21-Niall Evalds Hull KR    
22-Jonny Lomax St Helens  
23-Danny Walker Warrington  
24-Matty Lees St Helens  
25-Benjamin Garcia Catalans  
26-Alex Walmlsey St Helens
27-Lachlan Lam Leigh  
28-Ben Currie Warrington  
29-Liam Marshall Wigan  
30-Brad O’Neil Wigan

HM-   
Mike McMeeken Wakefield
Tom Burgess Huddersfield      
Nene MacDonald Salford
Tommy Makinson St Helens
 

Thoughts, what would you change and who have I missed ?

[AB90]

2 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

Here is a list I compiled of my top 30 players in SL for next season

1-Bevan French Wigan
2-Jack Welsby St Helens  
3-George Williams Warrington  
4-Mikey Lewis Hull KR  
5-Harry Smith Wigan  
6-Jake Wardle Wigan  
7-Matt Dufty Warrington  
8-Jai Field Wigan    
9-Marc Sneyd Salford  
10-Edwin Ipape Leigh  
11-Brodie Croft Leeds  
12-Matty Ashton Warrington    
13-Luke Thompson Wigan  
14-Daryl Clark St Helens  
15-Morgan Knowles St Helens  
16-Tom Johnstone Wakefield  
17-Elliot Minchella Hull KR  
18-Luke Keary Catalans  
19-Junior Nsemba Wigan  
20-Harry Newman Leeds  
21-Niall Evalds Hull KR    
22-Jonny Lomax St Helens  
23-Danny Walker Warrington  
24-Matty Lees St Helens  
25-Benjamin Garcia Catalans  
26-Alex Walmlsey St Helens
27-Lachlan Lam Leigh  
28-Ben Currie Warrington  
29-Liam Marshall Wigan  
30-Brad O’Neil Wigan

HM-   
Mike McMeeken Wakefield
Tom Burgess Huddersfield      
Nene MacDonald Salford
Tommy Makinson St Helens
 

Thoughts, what would you change and who have I missed ?

Looks pretty spot on. I have a bit of tier gap between those top 4 (French, Welsby, Williams, Lewis) and 5th.

I would probably have Elliot Whitehead in there at the backend replacing Currie, Garcia, Marshall, Walsmley etc. 

Wouldn’t surprise me if some of the new imports like Sailor, Sivo, Cotric break into the top 30 players pretty quickly.

[NRLandSL]

7 hours ago, AB90 said:

Looks pretty spot on. I have a bit of tier gap between those top 4 (French, Welsby, Williams, Lewis) and 5th.

I would probably have Elliot Whitehead in there at the backend replacing Currie, Garcia, Marshall, Walsmley etc. 

Wouldn’t surprise me if some of the new imports like Sailor, Sivo, Cotric break into the top 30 players pretty quickly.

Whitehead is getting pretty old now, he is 35. I don’t think he will a top 30 player in SL but he’ll be one of the top backrowers for sure. If Sivo gets back in top form yes. Sailor is probably too early to tell how he will perform week in and week out as we haven’t seen enough of him, though no doubt the talent is there. Playing next to Jack Welsby will certainly help him improve.

Wouldn’t be suprised if Cai Taylor-Wray and Harry Robertson are around the top 30 at the end of the season, they have endless potential.

[LeytherRob]

Lomax shouldn’t be on that list, and I think even a lot of Saints fans would agree. He looked a shadow of the player he was last year and it looks like age has caught him up.

From a Leigh perspective, I think if David Armstrong plays most of the season he’ll racking up MoS points in Leigh games. 

[AB90]

8 hours ago, NRLandSL said:

Whitehead is getting pretty old now, he is 35. I don’t think he will a top 30 player in SL but he’ll be one of the top backrowers for sure. If Sivo gets back in top form yes. Sailor is probably too early to tell how he will perform week in and week out as we haven’t seen enough of him, though no doubt the talent is there. Playing next to Jack Welsby will certainly help him improve.

Wouldn’t be suprised if Cai Taylor-Wray and Harry Robertson are around the top 30 at the end of the season, they have endless potential.

It will be interesting to see how Saints play Sailor as I view him as an out an out fullback (maybe FE). I assume they haven’t paid a pretty penny for him to be a bench utility. Maybe they will start to transition Welsby to FE which I think they will this year or next.

I personally don’t think Taylor Wray & Robertson will get enough meaningful game time to break into the top 30 this year. They are not supplanting Dufty & Welsby/Sailor anytime soon.

 

[bamfordsbeans]

Good list.Everybody will have their own views but don't think its miles away.

Two thirds of that list play for only 3 clubs leaving the remaining 9 an average of 1.

 

[NRLandSL]

53 minutes ago, AB90 said:

It will be interesting to see how Saints play Sailor as I view him as an out an out fullback (maybe FE). I assume they haven’t paid a pretty penny for him to be a bench utility. Maybe they will start to transition Welsby to FE which I think they will this year or next.

I personally don’t think Taylor Wray & Robertson will get enough meaningful game time to break into the top 30 this year. They are not supplanting Dufty & Welsby/Sailor anytime soon.

 

Me personally I would play Robertson at 1 or 6 and Sailor at Centre. Robertson is too good to leave out, and no doubt he is the future of the club. Robertson May end playing centre though over Hurrell.

I think Welsby performs better at Fullback than 6 in my opinion.

Surley Warrington would be interested in Loaning Taylor-Wray for the season. No use having such talent on the bench, he will be one the best fullbacks in the world one day. Salford and Huddersfield could certainly use him.

Edited December 10, 2024 by NRLandSL

[JohnM]

4 hours ago, AB90 said:

It will be interesting to see how Saints play Sailor as I view him as an out an out fullback (maybe FE). I assume they haven’t paid a pretty penny for him to be a bench utility. Maybe they will start to transition Welsby to FE which I think they will this year or next.

I personally don’t think Taylor Wray & Robertson will get enough meaningful game time to break into the top 30 this year. They are not supplanting Dufty & Welsby/Sailor anytime soon.

 

I don't think Saints or England are getting the best out of Welsby at fullback, or maybe its the way he's not supported by the other backs when bringing the ball away from the line.  So yes, even as a Wigan fan, I'd like to see him more involved , more often, so transition to stand-off might be good.

[Trojan Horse]

16 minutes ago, JohnM said:

I don't think Saints or England are getting the best out of Welsby at fullback, or maybe its the way he's not supported by the other backs when bringing the ball away from the line.  So yes, even as a Wigan fan, I'd like to see him more involved , more often, so transition to stand-off might be good.

Wellsby has a pretty good running game but I feel like he is lacking in the pass selection area and I think the fact he’s Englands full back says more about the shallow competition in the spot as much as his ability. 

[MZH]

On 09/12/2024 at 11:29, NRLandSL said:

Here is a list I compiled of my top 30 players in SL for next season

1-Bevan French Wigan
2-Jack Welsby St Helens  
3-George Williams Warrington  
4-Mikey Lewis Hull KR  
5-Harry Smith Wigan  
6-Jake Wardle Wigan  
7-Matt Dufty Warrington  
8-Jai Field Wigan    
9-Marc Sneyd Salford  
10-Edwin Ipape Leigh  
11-Brodie Croft Leeds  
12-Matty Ashton Warrington    
13-Luke Thompson Wigan  
14-Daryl Clark St Helens  
15-Morgan Knowles St Helens  
16-Tom Johnstone Wakefield  
17-Elliot Minchella Hull KR  
18-Luke Keary Catalans  
19-Junior Nsemba Wigan  
20-Harry Newman Leeds  
21-Niall Evalds Hull KR    
22-Jonny Lomax St Helens  
23-Danny Walker Warrington  
24-Matty Lees St Helens  
25-Benjamin Garcia Catalans  
26-Alex Walmlsey St Helens
27-Lachlan Lam Leigh  
28-Ben Currie Warrington  
29-Liam Marshall Wigan  
30-Brad O’Neil Wigan

HM-   
Mike McMeeken Wakefield
Tom Burgess Huddersfield      
Nene MacDonald Salford
Tommy Makinson St Helens
 

Thoughts, what would you change and who have I missed ?

I think it's fair enough. I'd say as the top meter maker amongst props and the top offloader in the league, Herman Ese'ese deserves an inclusion. But apart from that I don't think there are many glaring omissions.

[StandOffHalf]

Handley and MacDonald definitely in the Top 30 SL players.

I think Simbiken could prove himself a Top 30 player. James Bell is a really good loose forward.

Pangai Junior could be the most important player in SL 2025, or a complete flop. Sivo as well. Jake Connor a bit in the same boat.

Tariq Sims is getting on, but he's a forward leader. Dean Hadley is as well. Mulhern is a super prop for Leigh. James Harrison has blossomed into one of the best props in SL, as has Ethan Havard.

Rapana could be good for Hull. Esan Marsters is quality. Peta Hiku showed in the Pacific Champs that he is one of the best right centres in the game. Feldt is a top signing for SL. I think Lewis Murphy could go great in 2025. David Armstrong could be one of the excitement machines of 2025.

All of those have claims to being in the Top 30.

Edited December 11, 2024 by StandOffHalf

[StandOffHalf]

Croft, Knowles, Newman, Lees and Lomax have questions over them as Top 30 players heading into 2025, in my view.

I don't think Walmsley is the player he once was.

[NRLandSL]

2 hours ago, MZH said:

I think it's fair enough. I'd say as the top meter maker amongst props and the top offloader in the league, Herman Ese'ese deserves an inclusion. But apart from that I don't think there are many glaring omissions.

Good shout he’s had a great season. didn’t even think about him because he plays for Hull.

[NRLandSL]

23 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Handley and MacDonald definitely in the Top 30 SL players.

I think Simbiken could prove himself a Top 30 player. James Bell is a really good loose forward.

Pangai Junior could be the most important player in SL 2025, or a complete flop. Sivo as well. Jake Connor a bit in the same boat.

Tariq Sims is getting on, but he's a forward leader. Dean Hadley is as well. Mulhern is a super prop for Leigh. James Harrison has blossomed into one of the best props in SL, as has Ethan Havard.

Rapana could be good for Hull. Esan Marsters is quality. Peta Hiku showed in the Pacific Champs that he is one of the best right centres in the game. Feldt is a top signing for SL. I think Lewis Murphy could go great in 2025. David Armstrong could be one of the excitement machines of 2025.

All of those have claims to being in the Top 30.

Handley and MacDonald No. Simbiken wouldn’t even be the top 20 Back rowers in SL, so not sure about that.

Pangai Jr could be great if he gets in good form. Same with Connor.

Havard could certainly push on this season. Not sure about the rest.

[StandOffHalf]

4 minutes ago, NRLandSL said:

Handley and MacDonald No. Simbiken wouldn’t even be the top 20 Back rowers in SL, so not sure about that.

Pangai Jr could be great if he gets in good form. Same with Connor.

Havard could certainly push on this season. Not sure about the rest.

I thought Handley was the best wingman in SL early in 2024, before his season was affected by injury. That try where he went in and away on two defenders to score from 80 out was one of the iconic scores of the year. Surprised you don't have MacDonald up there. I thought he was a star for Salford last term, and he was high up the MoS reckoning.

[NRLandSL]

43 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

I thought Handley was the best wingman in SL early in 2024, before his season was affected by injury. That try where he went in and away on two defenders to score from 80 out was one of the iconic scores of the year. Surprised you don't have MacDonald up there. I thought he was a star for Salford last term, and he was high up the MoS reckoning.

Handley Is a great Winger, I wouldn’t him that high though, he is probably the 6 or so best Winger in the comp Behind Ashton, Johnstone, Marshall, Makinson and Maybe Maika Sivo. Thewlis, Davies, Feldt and others around aswell.

MacDonald just misses out, I’d have O’Neil over him. He is a phenomenal player, one of the best Defenders in the competition.

Edited December 12, 2024 by NRLandSL

[Welshleaguelover]

Ethan Havard and John Asiata should be in there.

[Agbrigg]

Its all just opinions really as everyone classes players differently. However a season is a long time and I am sure a few in the first list will drop out of form and lose their appeal. It  also happens every season that there will be a few players who were never considered that will suddenly become noticed as top 30 talent.