AN important part of building for the future as a club is to ensure a stable coaching staff for a good length of time.
In the past, the likes of Tony Smith (Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves) and Kristian Woolf (St Helens) have been successful due to their longevity at their respective clubs, whilst more recently we have seen Matt Peet (Wigan Warriors) excel with a number of trophy-laden years.
Here, we take a look at every Super League club and the length of their respective coach’s contract.
Castleford Tigers – Danny McGuire – 2027
The newest coach on the block is Danny McGuire, who has been given the reins at Castleford Tigers following the sacking of Craig Lingard last month. McGuire won it all as a player with Leeds Rhinos but now he is being tasked with leading the Tigers out of the doldrums. And, he has been given a three-year contract to do just that.
Catalans Dragons – Steve McNamara – 2026
Steve McNamara had initially been out of contract at the end of the 2024 Super League season. However, the Catalans Dragons boss signed a new two-year deal that will take him through until 2026. Though he has won one Challenge Cup and reached two Super League Grand Finals, finishing outside the play-offs in 2024 was not good enough for chairman Bernard Guasch, who has threatened wholesale changes in the past.
Huddersfield Giants – Luke Robinson – 2027
Like Danny McGuire, Luke Robinson will take up his first permanent head coaching role for 2025 at the Huddersfield Giants. Following the sacking of Ian Watson midway through the 2024 season, Robinson was elevated to interim head coach before earning the permanent status at the end of the season. Robinson is clearly backed by the Giants’ hierarchy given his three-year deal.
Hull FC – John Cartwright – 2027
A brand-new face enters the competition in 2025 with former Brisbane Broncos assistant John Cartwright taking up the mantle at Hull FC. Following unsuccessful periods under Brett Hodgson, Tony Smith and Simon Grix, Cartwright will be tasked with steadying what was a sinking ship in 2024 as the Black and Whites finished second bottom. Cartwright, whose son Jed is also at the MKM Stadium, signed a three-year deal to help alleviate the strife at Hull.
Hull KR – Willie Peters – 2028
Wilie Peters’ stock has risen considerably since joining Hull KR ahead of the 2023 Super League season. That year he propelled Rovers to the Challenge Cup Final before steering the club to the Grand Final in 2024. The Robins’ hierarchy continues to back Peters with major new signings whilst Peters’ contract was extended until 2028 midway through the season.
Leeds Rhinos – Brad Arthur – 2025
Perhaps the club with the biggest question mark hanging over them going into 2025 and beyond, Leeds Rhinos currently have ex-Parramatta Eels boss Brad Arthur signed up until the end of next season. What happens beyond that is anybody’s guess but Arthur has made quite the impression at Headingley since joining midway through the 2024 season.
Leigh Leopards – Adrian Lam – 2027
It was an incredibly important deal to get done for the Leigh Leopards, but owner Derek Beaumont was successful in getting head coach Adrian Lam to commit to three years at the Leigh Sports Village during last season. Lam has overseen a remarkable revival of the Leopards, turning them from Championship dwellers to Super League silverware hunters. Lam signed a three-year deal to take him until 2027.
Salford Red Devils – Paul Rowley – 2025
In a potential first for a rugby league coach, everyone knows that Paul Rowley will not be number one at the Salford Red Devils in 2026. Rowley, who has been at Salford since 2019, will take up a director of rugby role with his current assistant, Kurt Haggerty, being appointed as head coach.
St Helens – Paul Wellens – 2025
It’s fair to say that Paul Wellens has to get it right in 2025 after a dismal 2024 Super League season. St Helens may have qualified for the play-offs, but their position of sixth was the lowest the club had finished in the modern era. With assistant coaches Lee Briers and Eamon O’Carroll in tow, Wellens will be helped considerably, but he must nail it in 2025 with just a one-year deal to his name.
Wakefield Trinity – Daryl Powell – 2027
Newly-promoted Wakefield Trinity are primed and ready to cause a few upsets in 2025 with head coach Daryl Powell building a superb side on paper. Of course, rugby league is played on grass, but new Trinity owner Matt Ellis certainly backs Powell to do the job, with the former Castleford Tigers boss accepting a deal until the end of 2027 upon joining Wakefield.
Warrington Wolves – Sam Burgess – 2026
Sam Burgess took to Super League like a duck to water in 2024, helping Warrington Wolves to a Challenge Cup Final and a top-four finish in Super League. Silverware must be aimed for in 2025 with Burgess signing a new deal last season to take him through until the end of 2026. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the England stalwart linked with a return to the NRL as he was during last season despite the new deal.
Wigan Warriors – Matt Peet – 2030
Wigan Warriors have got many things right throughout their illustrious time as a club in rugby league, but handing head coach Matt Peet and all his assistant coaches new seven-year deals to take them through until 2030 could well be the biggest piece of business in Wigan’s recent history. Peet guided the Warriors to every trophy available in 2024 and they look as though they could be even better in 2025.
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