THE 2023 Super League season is set to be one of the most highly-anticipated in recent history.
With St Helens aiming for an unprecedented five Super League titles in a row and with Leigh Leopards attracting attention with some huge signings and a rebrand, rugby league is set to be incredibly interesting in 2023.
Going into 2023, the 12 Super League clubs have been getting on with their transfer business with the majority of recruitment completed.
So, how does each club rate in terms of doing good business?
Castleford Tigers
In: Jacob Miller (Wakefield Trinity), Muizz Mustapha (Leeds Rhinos), Albert Vete (Hull Kingston Rovers), Gareth Widdop (Warrington Wolves)
Out: Jake Trueman (Hull FC), Derrell Olpherts (Leeds Rhinos), Gareth O’Brien (Leigh Leopards), James Clare, Cheyse Blair, Ryan Hampshire, Sosaia Feki (all released)
Rating: B – lost Trueman and O’Brien who have been important for the Tigers in recent years, but have replaced them with Jacob Miller and Gareth Widdop. Still look light in the forwards, though Vete and Mustapha will help in this respect.
Catalans Dragons
In: Tom Johnstone (Wakefield Trinity), Adam Keighran (Catalans Dragons), Manu Ma’u (Hull FC), Romain Navarette (Toulouse Olympique), Siosiua Taukeiaho (Sydney Roosters)
Out: Sam Kasiano, Gil Dudson (both Warrington Wolves), Joe Chan (Melbourne Storm), Mathieu Cozza (Featherstone Rovers), Benjamin Jullien, Dean Whare (both Pia), Romain Franco, Samisoni Langi, Corentin Le Cam (all released)
Rating: B – have let go a lot of their key players such as Samisoni Langi and Sam Kasiano, but Steve McNamara has plugged most of those gaps. Still need a centre.
Huddersfield Giants
In: Jack Bibby, Jake Bibby, Sam Halsall (all Wigan Warriors), Jake Connor (Hull FC), Harvey Livett (Salford Red Devils), Esan Marsters (Gold Coast Titans), Kevin Naiqama (Sydney Roosters), Nathan Peats (Toulouse Olympique), Harry Rushton (Canberra Raiders)
Out: Louis Senior (Hull Kingston Rovers), Jake Wardle (Wigan Warriors), Ricky Leutele (Leigh Leopards), Michael Lawrence, Chester Butler (both Bradford Bulls), Jon Luke Kirby (York), Fenton Rogers, George Roby (both Bradford Bulls, loan), Danny Levi (released)
Rating: A* – Ricky Leutele may have left the club, but Ian Watson has brought in the likes of Connor, Bibby x2, Naiqama and Marsters whilst Rushton will prove a superb signing.
Hull FC
In: Jake Clifford, Tex Hoy (both Newcastle Knights), Brad Dwyer, Liam Sutcliffe (both Leeds Rhinos), Jake Trueman (Castleford Tigers)
Out: Jake Connor (Huddersfield Giants), Manu Ma’u (Catalans Dragons), Will Smith (Wests Tigers), Jordan Johnstone (Wests Tigers), Luke Gale, Marcus Walker, Aidan Burrell (all released)
Rating: A* – though losing Connor and Ma’u, the recruitment of Dwyer and Sutcliffe from Leeds is perhaps the shrewdest bit of business done by Hull in recent years. Clifford, Hoy and Trueman will also form an incredible exciting spine.
Hull KR
In: Yusuf Aydin, James Batchelor (both Wakefield Trinity), Rhys Kennedy (Brisbane Broncos), Sam Luckley (Salford Red Devils), Tom Opacic (Parramatta Eels), Louis Senior (Huddersfield Giants), Sauaso Sue (Newcastle Knights)
Out: Albert Vete (Castleford Tigers), Ben Crooks (Keighley Cougars), Tom Wilkinson (Dewsbury Rams), Adam Rusling, Nathan Cullen (both Cornwall), Korbin Sims (retired), Will Maher, Brad Takairangi, Tom Garratt, Charlie Cavanaugh, Bailey Dawson, Tom Wilkinson (released)
Rating: A – new KR boss Willie Peters has brought over NRL trio Kennedy, Opacic and Sue with all three set to play an influential role at Craven Park. Batchelor and Aydin are two superb signings from Wakefield, too.
Leeds Rhinos
In: Luke Hooley (Batley Bulldogs), Sam Lisone (Gold Coast Titans), James McDonnell (Wigan Warriors), Derrell Olpherts (Castleford Tigers), Luis Roberts (Leigh Leopards), Leon Ruan (Doncaster), Justin Sangare (Toulouse Olympique), Toby Warren (York)
Out: Liam Sutcliffe, Brad Dwyer (both Hull FC), Zak Hardaker, Tom Briscoe (both Leigh Leopards), Jack Walker, Bodene Thompson (both Bradford Bulls), Matt Prior (retired), Jack Broadbent
Rating: C – it may seem a harsh grading, but Rohan Smith has gone for youth and the future ahead of 2023. Losing Sutcliffe, Dwyer, Hardaker and Prior will be difficult and it will be interesting to see if the Rhinos’ transfer policy will work.
Leigh Leopards
In: Tom Briscoe, Zak Hardaker (both Leeds Rhinos), Matt Davis, Jacob Gannon, Oliver Holmes, Jack Hughes, Rob Mulhern (all Warrington Wolves), Ricky Leutele (Huddersfield Giants), Gareth O’Brien (Castleford Tigers), Aaron Smith (St Helens), Nathan Wilde (Newcastle Thunder)
Out: Luis Roberts (Leeds Rhinos), Adam Sidlow, Sam Stone (both Salford Red Devils), Mark Ioane (Keighley Cougars), Ata Hingano (York), Kieran Dixon (Widnes Vikings), Jy Hitchcox (Rochdale Hornets), Krisnan Inu (retired), Caleb Aekins (Featherstone Rovers)
Rating: A – it was always going to be difficult for Leigh to recruit without being absolutely certain of promotion, but they have done so with aplomb. The likes of Briscoe, Hardaker, Leutele and O’Brien are entrenched Super League players though losing Sam Stone and Adam Sidlow may hurt.
Salford Red Devils
In: Andrew Dixon (Toulouse Olympique), Ben Hellewell (Featherstone Rovers), Ellis Longstaff (Warrington Wolves, loan), Oliver Partington (Wigan Warriors), Adam Sidlow, Sam Stone (both Leigh Leopards)
Out: Sam Luckley (Hull Kingston Rovers), Harvey Livett (Huddersfield Giants), Greg Burke, Jack Wells (both Barrow Raiders), Elijah Taylor (Featherstone Rovers), Morgan Escare (Carcassonne)
Rating: C – bringing in Sam Stone will help Salford going forward in 2023, but, after such a good 2022, Paul Rowley’s side perhaps needed more. That being said, the Red Devils surprised everyone last season so don’t be surprised if they do the same again.
St Helens
In: Wesley Bruines (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Tee Ritson (Barrow Raiders, loan)
Out: Aaron Smith (Leigh Leopards), Regan Grace (Racing 92 RU), Kyle Amor (Widnes Vikings), Josh Simm (Wynnum Manly Seagulls), Rio Corkill, Tom Nisbett (both released)
Rating: C – Saints didn’t really need to do much business off the back of another successful season given that Paul Wellens has managed to keep the majority of the squad together. Bringing in Tee Ritson could prove an excellent addition.
Wakefield Trinity
In: Kevin Proctor (free agent), Morgan Smith (Featherstone Rovers)
Out: Yusuf Aydin, James Batchelor (both Hull Kingston Rovers), Tom Johnstone (Catalans Dragons), Jacob Miller (Castleford Tigers), Sadiq Adebiyi, Brad Walker (both Keighley Cougars), Tinirau Arona, David Fifita, Thomas Minns (all released)
Rating: C – still a lot of business to be done at Belle Vue you would think. Having lost talismen such as Fifita, Arona and Miller, new head coach Mark Applegarth needs experience. Kevin Proctor will help, but Wakefield need more.
Warrington Wolves
In: Josh Drinkwater, Gil Dudson, Sam Kasiano (all Catalans Dragons), Josh McGuire (St George Illawarra Dragons), Matty Russell (Toulouse Olympique), Paul Vaughan (Canterbury Bulldogs).
Out: Oliver Holmes, Jack Hughes, Rob Mulhern, Matt Davis, Jacob Gannon (all Leigh Leopards), Gareth Widdop (Castleford Tigers), Jason Clark (Limoux Grizzlies), Toby King (Wigan Warriors, loan), Ellis Longstaff (Salford Red Devils, loan)
Rating: A – Warrington boss Daryl Powell wanted to overhaul his squad for 2023 and he has done just that, bringing in undoubted quality in the shape of NRL and Super League experience. Expect a different Warrington next season.
Wigan Warriors
In: Toby King (Warrington Wolves, loan), Jake Wardle (Huddersfield Giants)
Out: Oliver Partington (Salford Red Devils), Jack Bibby, Jake Bibby, Sam Halsall (all Huddersfield Giants), Tommy Leuluai (retired)
Rating: B – Wigan have strengthened where they needed to: in the centres. Having lost Jack and Jake Bibby as well as Halsall to Huddersfield, bringing in King and Wardle together is brilliant business. The Warriors also managed to keep hold of Bevan French.
