2025 is officially drawing to a close – so it’s time for us to look back at the rugby league year that was.

Here’s everything that stood out for us: the good, the bad, the ugly and the downright pure rugby league. It’s the Love Rugby League end of year awards!

Best player

Jake Connor. He won the Man of Steel so he’s an obvious pick but he was, at times, single-handedly dragging Leeds out of the mire. His renaissance under Brad Arthur was one of the stories of 2025.

Best young player

Lewis Martin. It was a toss-up between him or Harry Robertson but the Hull FC winger was absolutely sensational all season long, showing consistency and maturity within his game way beyond his years. A star in the making for sure, and an England international of the future.

Signing of the year

We’re going with a tie: Leigh Leopards’ capture of Tesi Niu was a masterstroke piece of business and he already looks like one of the best players in Super League. But Leeds’ decision to bring Kallum Watkins back to Headingley was also a sensational piece of business in hindsight.

Best coach

A few contenders here. Daryl Powell is worthy of a mention for taking Wakefield to the top six. Willie Peters obviously is in the conversation: somewhere near the top.

But we’ll go for a left-field one; Leigh Leopards boss Adrian Lam. Yes, they didn’t win anything, we know. But goodness, they were a great watch in 2025 and Lam has been instrumental in making them a Super League force.

Best game

There are a fair few to go at. Wigan Warriors 0-1 Leigh Leopards springs immediately to mind back in February for the sheer ludicrous nature of it, and the nail-biting drama that engulfed it throughout. There won’t be many better season launches.

Wakefield’s thrilling win over Leeds Rhinos under the lights thanks to Mason Lino’s drop goal is also up there – but we’ve just gone for St Helens’ win at Leeds in the play-offs. That ending alone makes it the best.

Biggest disappointment

Take your pick.. but on the field, we’re going to go for the Ashes. It promised so much, but England’s performances really didn’t live up to the billing at all. It’s hard not to think the Australians were there for the taking to an extent, too. A real missed opportunity – and a sign of how low the national team is valued by those at the top of the sport that the build-up was so minimal.

It shouldn’t be repeated in 2026.. but we all know it will be.

Biggest moan

The handling of the Salford Red Devils situation: from everyone. From the RFL for waving through the owners to start with, their own deplorable treatment of Red Devils players, staff and supporters and the fact it was allowed to drag on until a miserable end just so they fulfilled their fixtures.

You could argue it was necessary for Super League’s integrity: but was it worth it?

Owner of the year

There’s a few to go at – we’re blessed in the game really outside of the odd handful – but Wakefield’s Matt Ellis. His investment into the club has seen Trinity become a real force in the sport, something that has felt long overdue. Passionate as they come, Ellis has set Wakefield up for a bright future for sure.

The ‘you shouldn’t have said that’ award

“I don’t even know who picked the Man of Steel, I don’t know what goes into it. The Dream Team, I don’t even know who’s in the Dream Team, so that never comes into my reckoning.”

Shaun Wane’s comments on Jake Connor ahead of the Ashes. It just didn’t feel great the England coach shutting down the most prestigious individual honour in the game to justify a selection that he was well within his rights to make. It stood out for all the wrong reasons.

The ‘Only in Rugby League’ award

Phwoar: take your pick here. It’s almost a daily occurrence that something happens in this sport that couldn’t be repeated anywhere else.

We have a three-way tie: the Rugby League World Cup team publishing the fixtures on their own hospitality website before they were officially announced, Jake Connor’s Man of Steel win going online in a scheduled post before it was announced in the room or the true chaos that engulfed the move to 14 teams and its handling. Choose whichever one you like.

Main hope for 2026

No talk of restructures or boardroom coups. It’s that simple. Let’s let the players dominate the headlines.