THE 2024 Super League season is a month and a half away as the 12 top-flight clubs gear up for another gruelling pre-season.
Some clubs will be wanting to vastly improve on their 2023 seasons whilst others will aim to maintain the level of success.
Whilst everyone is currently on a level-playing field, there are some head coaches under the most pressure to perform in the 2024 Super League season.
Rohan Smith – Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos had a poor year in 2023 by the West Yorkshire club’s standards – particularly when considering that the Rhinos made it to the Grand Final in 2022. Finishing outside the play-offs in 2024 won’t be tolerated by the Leeds board considering the great expense put into the playing squad. Salford Red Devils duo Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers cost £300,000 whilst the Rhinos have also brought in Paul Momirovski and Matt Frawley from the NRL. Smith knows he has to perform next season with such an exciting squad – he needs to reignite the magic of late 2022.
Tony Smith – Hull FC
Talk about keep it in the family. With Rohan under pressure at Leeds, Tony Smith will also be eager to impress at Hull FC after a dismal year in 2023. The squad at Tony’s disposal is now mainly his with a large turnover of players at the end of both 2022 and 2023 and owner Adam Pearson continuing to finance a big squad with new recruits. The likes of Jake Clifford and Brad Dwyer have exited, but fearsome recruits Franklin Pele, Jayden Okunbor, Herman Ese’ese and Jack Ashworth will give Smith the dominant pack he wants. FC just have to improve in 2024.
Paul Wellens – St Helens
Last year was the first since 2018 that St Helens didn’t win a domestic trophy. It was Paul Wellens’ first season in charge of the Merseyside club following Kristian Woolf’s departure to the NRL and the former fullback were a whisker away from winning the League Leaders’ Shield and making the Super League Grand Final. Their World Club Challenge success is not to be sniffed at, but Saints are used to winning and another trophy will be seen as a must in 2024. There has been little turnover at the Totally Wicked Stadium in terms of personnel – albeit one significant loss in the retired James Roby – which will help with a settled squad.
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