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.
40 Junior Nsemba voted Young Player of the Year
Wigan’s 20-year-old backrower Junior Nsemba enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2024 culminating in his selection for England in the Test series against Samoa.
And his ability was recognised at the annual Betfred Super League awards night, which was held in the week leading up to this year’s Grand Final.
Nsemba, who has recently signed a new six-year contract with Wigan, is only the second forward to win the award in the last decade.
Nsemba had been shortlisted alongside Warrington’s Matty Nicholson and St Helens’ George Delaney, having cemented his place in the Wigan starting lineup after playing 14 of his 15 games off the bench in 2023. But in 2024 he was always in the starting lineup from Round 8 onwards and he would make his England debut, also in the starting lineup, against Samoa in the second Test at Headingley.
39 Marc Sneyd wins Albert Goldthorpe Medal
Marc Sneyd became the second Salford player in three years to win the Albert Goldthorpe Medal, after Brodie Croft won it in 2022 while a Salford player.
Sneyd, at the age of 33, played as well as every in 2024 and was the player primarily responsible for the Red Devils having finished in fourth position in Super League despite the majority of pundits predicting that the loss of Croft and Andy Ackers to Leeds in pre-season would ensure that Salford would struggle near to the foot of the table.
Sneyd was an ever-present for Salford, starting every game and scoring three tries, 98 goals and four field-goals for a total of 212 points.
He made 22 try-assists, the third best figure in Super League, and he was easily the leading player in the competition for making attacking kicks, with 224, 81 ahead of Mikey Lewis in second place. His four field-goals were also the best in the league, two ahead of second-placed Brodie Croft, while his three 40-20s were one behind Warrington’s Danny Walker, who kicked four.
38 Goole Vikings to join League One in 2025
On 18th September the RFL announced that it had approved Goole Vikings’ application to join Betfred League One in the 2025 season.
Their application was judged the strongest of three received during a process that had begun in the summer, with Anglian Vipers and Bedford Tigers also having hoped to get the nod.
The Vikings have a short history, having been founded as a community club in 2018, since when they have played in the Yorkshire Men’s League, with their junior teams playing in the City of Hull and District Competition.
Goole will be owned by local businessman Mark Richardson, who moved quickly to appoint former Hull FC star Scott Taylor as the club’s inaugural coach in its debut season in League One.
The club has already signed more than 20 players and it will make its League 1 debut with a home game against Midlands Hurricanes on Sunday 23 February, although by then they will already have played at least one game in the Betfred Challenge Cup.
A separate decision will be made at December’s Council meeting about whether Goole should be admitted to membership of the Rugby Football League.
37 Leeds extend Brad Arthur’s contract
On 22 August Leeds Rhinos confirmed that it would extend the contract of coach Brad Arthur to the end of the 2025 season.
Arthur had arrived at the Rhinos at the start of July following the departure of previous incumbent Rohan Smith and his own departure from the NRL’s Parramatta Eels in May.
Under his tenure Leeds won two of their six matches, but one of those was a 30-4 thrashing of world champions Wigan Warriors.
“In a short period, he has already made a big impact on our playing and coaching group and that will only continue over the coming months,” said Rhinos sporting director Ian Blease.
“His commitment to our club has been unquestionable, heading straight here as soon as the original deal was agreed to get started and leaving his family back home.
“Naturally, agreeing to stay longer is a big decision for any family. We are pleased that Brad is here for 2025 and I am sure, as he has already proven, we will continue to plan for the future beyond that when the time is right.”
Arthur is expected to be in the running for the new NRL club that is expected to be established in Perth for a possible entry into that competition in 2027 or 2028.
36 Warriors and Wolves to play in Las Vegas
In early July the NRL confirmed that Wigan and Warrington would travel to America next year to play their Round 3 Super League fixture at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on March 1st.
The clash will be part of a four-game extravaganza. England women will also play their Australian counterparts the Jillaroos, while there will be two NRL games involving Penrith against Cronulla and Canberra Raiders against the New Zealand Warriors.
Earlier this year Brisbane Broncos, Manly Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters played there as part of the NRL’s opening weekend, attracting a crowd of 40,746 to a venue that is the home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders.
The NRL is claiming that more than 30,000 tickets have already been sold for next year’s event, more than three months out from it taking place
“We’re looking forward to it, it’ll be a great week, and the team are certainly excited about that,” said Warrington coach Sam Burgess.
35 York Valkyrie win Women’s Super League
York Valkyrie cemented their reputation as the outstanding side in the Women’s Super League by winning their second successive title, defeating St Helens 18-8 in the Grand Final at the Totally Wicked Stadium on 6th October in front of 4,813 spectators.
It meant they became the first side in the competition’s history to defend their title – a feat all the more incredible after the team was blighted with injuries to key stars throughout the year and were without 2023 Woman of Steel Sinead Peach all season after she announced her pregnancy in April.
The Valkyrie, captained by Sade Rihari in Peach’s absence, recovered from an 8-6 deficit at half-time to keep the hosts scoreless in the second half and gradually assert their control.
Four minutes into the second half Eboni Partington scored in the corner and Rhiannon Marshall converted brilliantly from the touchline to give York an 8-12 advantage, from which they never looked back.
Kelsey Gentles’ 55th minute score gave York the breathing space they needed and they held on to their lead, with Georgie Hetherington excellent whilst playing an unusual dual role that saw her defend at fullback and then switch to hooker when York were attacking.
Their success has led to seven Valkyrie players being selected in the England Women’s squad to face the Jillaroos in Las Vegas in three months’ time.
34 Giants sign Tom Burgess
In February this year the Giants surprised the Rugby League world by announcing that they had signed England prop forward Tom Burgess on a three-year contract from 2025.
Burgess, 32, had been expected to link up with his brother Sam, but the Giants succeeded in bringing him back to his native Yorkshire after he has spent twelve seasons in the NRL with South Sydney.
Between 2013 and 2024 Burgess made 34 appearances with England as well as having played in all four games for Great Britain on their 2019 tour of the South Pacific.
Clearly a marquee signing, Burgess is expected to play a major role in a Giants’ revival in 2025, even though Ian Watson, who was the coach at the time of his signing, was replaced during the season by the current incumbent Luke Robinson.
Burgess’ arrival encouraged other NRL players to follow him to the John Smith’s Stadium,, with Jacob Gagai and Taane Milne both also joining the Giants from South Sydney and Zac Woolford from Canberra, while the Giants were also able to snap up Liam Sutcliffe from Hull FC and George King from Hull KR.
33 Cougars make transgender history
Keighley Cougars Chairman and CEO, Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia, are both strong supporters of the LGBT community and they made history in April by appointing India Willoughby as the club patron.
She is believed to be the first transgender person to serve as patron of a professional sports club anywhere in the world.
India Willoughby became Britain’s first transgender newsreader and TV journalist and she has long been an advocate for transgender rights.
“I’m thrilled to represent this incredible club that is challenging societal norms,” she said.
“My community has faced unjust scrutiny for too long, and all I aim to do is represent this club to the best of my ability while advocating for understanding and acceptance.”
In addition to the appointment, the Cougars unveiled a special trans-inspired kit that was worn by the club’s players during their Annual Pride Fixture on 7 July against Rochdale Hornets.
All profits from the sale of the kit were donated to the Mermaids Charity, a leading trans-focused charity providing services directly to trans children and young people, and families.
32 Hull FC sack Tony Smith
On April 11th Hull FC decided to part company with their coach Tony Smith.
The decision followed a hugely disappointing start to the season, with the Airlie Birds losing seven of their first eight games in Super League and the Challenge Cup, with only one victory against London Broncos at home, which was a game that Hull only managed to win 28-24 with a late score.
It was possibly the final act in Smith’s lengthy Rugby League coaching career.
He departed the club with his assistant Stanley Gene, with Simon Grix taking over on an interim basis.
“They have worked tirelessly and it is disappointing to have had to come to this decision, but it is one I feel is right at this time,” said club owner Adam Pearson.
By the time of his sacking Smith had been coaching for 23 years in Super League with considerable success and he was taken aback by his dismissal.
“It is disappointing not to see the job through which was always going to be a challenging project and I was relishing the opportunity to see it through,” he said.
In an interview two months later, with Hull not having improved since his departure, Smith appeared to suggest that he had failed to see eye to eye with the club’s new director or rugby Richie Myler.
“Rich was a player I coached and had some time for many years ago. However, I’m not sure we would have been the right sort of partnership to get these guys to where they need to be, and this club to where it needs to be.”
31 Bulls appoint Brian Noble
At the end of October Bradford Bulls announced that they had appointed Brian Noble as their head coach for the 2025 season.
Noble will take the reins at the ambitious Bulls for the second time following a highly successful period in the early 2000s, when they won numerous Super League titles, Challenge Cups and World Club Challenge trophies. Noble will be assisted by Lee Greenwood, who has signed a contract extension for 2025 to remain at the club.
Noble was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame in 2021 following a long career representing the club in a playing and coaching capacity and he will spearhead the club’s drive to reclaim its Super League place next year.
He initially returned to the Bulls as a consultant in 2023 before temporarily stepping up to work alongside Lee Greenwood for an interim period and will now look to build on successive third place finishes heading into the new season.
“I am really excited; I’ve been a part of what’s been going on behind the scenes for 18 months and you have to say we’re on an upward trajectory,” said Noble.
“Lots have been done but there’s lots still to do and we need to be careful because there’s lots to lose as well, that’s the reality of it all. ”
