GARRY SCHOFIELD makes a one-off return to League Express to set out his predictions for the new season.

YOU read it here first – 2026 is going to be the year of the Rhino.

We’ve got a really big nine months of Rugby League coming up, culminating in the World Cup Final in Brisbane on Sunday, November 15.

Having seen the Aussies at close quarters in the Autumn, when I came out of retirement to contribute six columns to League Express around the Ashes and the aftermath of a series whitewash which left us all more concerned than ever about the state of the game in this country, it would take a brave person to put significant money on any other team lifting the Paul Barrière Trophy at the Suncorp Stadium – not least England.

We will, of course, have a new coach following the departure of Shaun Wane, and it won’t be a surprise to any regular reader of this great publication that in my view, it’s certainly correct that someone else will get a shot at the job, although whoever gets the gig will be limited by the lack of truly top-quality personnel.

For prospective England players, at least the ones based in this country, the competition to catch the eye and earn a place on the plane Down Under is about to start.

And with Super League kicking off on Thursday, when Willie Peters, who I see is being widely touted as the next man at the England helm, takes his reigning champions Hull KR to newcomers York, I thought why not write a one-off column giving my predictions on who will finish where?

I have an awful lot of respect for Rovers, I admire the way Willie and his staff, and the club as a whole, go about things, and it was so refreshing to see them break into that select, and now five-strong, group of clubs who have been champions since the summer era began in 1996.

I certainly don’t think they’ll have a poor season, but nor do I think they’ll reach the dizzy heights of their trio of triumphs, Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and Grand Final, of 2025.

Wigan won all four available trophies in 2024, but finished last year without a pot to put in the cabinet, showing how difficult it is to maintain such high standards.

Rovers have an intriguing early test against Brisbane Broncos in the World Club Challenge a week on Thursday, a contest I am really looking forward to, and they are clearly capable of retaining the Challenge Cup.

But when it comes to Super League, I just think being the team all the others are desperate to knock off that perch, and the week in, week out grind of it all, will have an impact.

As I said at the top, I think Leeds will be the side to beat this time around.

I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I’m a Loiner through and through. But equally I’ve dished out plenty of criticism of the blue and amber down the years, and my prediction isn’t down to any bias.

I just think the club is finally on an upward trajectory, with Ian Blease doing a great job off the field and Brad Arthur making his mark as coach.

While Leeds fell short in the play-offs last year, some solid foundations were laid, and Brad has had a full pre-season to hone things.

He has two really influential players in Jake Connor and Brodie Croft, and with the latter in the final year of his contract and looking to put himself firmly in the shop window for a possible return to Australia, he will have every incentive to turn up the dial, and I believe he could match his stellar feats with Salford back in 2022 and become Man of Steel once again.

Leeds have experience and talent throughout their squad, with Danny Levi adding a bit of steel and nous at hooker, and having learnt from last year, if they can find that all-important consistency, a first title since 2017 could be on the cards.

Of course you can never write off Wigan, and they will want to bounce back after the hurt of losing to Hull KR at Old Trafford, and I think St Helens will make a better fist of it under Paul Rowley. They will surely be more entertaining.

Leigh have two of the best players in the competition in Lachlan Lam and Edwin Ipape – two reasons why Papua New Guinea could have a good World Cup – and also the all-round wherewithal to mount a challenge, and I foresee a brighter season for Hull FC, who have made some decent signings and have a reasonable chance of reaching the play-offs.

Wakefield managed that last time, but were found out at Leigh when it came to the crunch, and I’m not sure they have enough in the squad to significantly improve on that.

As for Warrington, I just can’t see much changing. Sam Burgess seems unwilling to commit to a longer-term future there, and I’m not sure they have the players to move up to the level they would need to reach to have a significant shout.

The same goes for Catalans, and while I see some improvement in Castleford under Ryan Carr, making the top six is a big ask.

Huddersfield will have to get far better to seal a play-off spot, and while Luke Robinson has mentioned the number of injuries they had last season, I’m doubtful even a fully-fit set of players have what would be required.

As for the new trio of clubs, it could be a long, hard season for each.

Bradford have been making some big noises, and made the headlines with their signing of Ryan Sutton, but after so many injury issues, he has an awful lot to prove.

Andy Ackers is a good pick-up, but not many of the additions have had a major impact in Super League in the past, and I don’t see that changing.

Home form will be crucial for Toulouse, who have fairly recent experience of the top flight but couldn’t stave off relegation in 2022, while York have it all on to avoid the wooden spoon.

I’ll be watching on with interest to see how things pan out!

SCHOEY’S SELECTIONS

My 2026 finishing order…

1 Leeds Rhinos
2 Wigan Warriors
3 St Helens
4 Leigh Leopards
5 Hull KR
6 Hull FC
7 Wakefield Trinity
8 Warrington Wolves
9 Catalans Dragons
10 Castleford Tigers
11 Huddersfield Giants
12 Bradford Bulls
13 Toulouse Olympique
14 York Knights