\u2013 Click here to watch the Serious About Rugby League Grand Final Review Show<\/a><\/p>\nA look-back at every Super League club\u2019s pre-season expectations<\/p>\n
Bradford Bulls: Pre-season expectation: Avoid the wooden spoon \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
Most Read on Serious About Rugby League<\/p>\n
Someone had to finish the season bottom, and unfortunately for Kurt Haggerty\u2019s side, it was them. For the majority of the year, it looked like Huddersfield would end the year bottom, but\u00a0 Bradford\u2019s injuries and the Giants\u2019 resurgence meant that the Bulls ended the season in 14th spot.<\/p>\n
Their early season form showed that when they had a full squad they could compete, but an unprecedented injury crisis meant that they were forced to use players not yet ready for week-to-week Super League, and that is what cost them most.<\/p>\n
With a trip to Las Vegas on the cards and an improved squad on the way, things are looking up for the Odsal outfit, but it\u2019s fair to say it wasn\u2019t the on-field campaign the club hoped for upon their top flight return.<\/p>\n
Castleford Tigers:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: 8th-10th \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
There was so much optimism around Castleford in pre-season. On paper, new boss Ryan Carr had some exciting signings that elevated the squad, but after just one game that all came crashing down as star full-back Blake Taaffe suffered an ACL injury against Wigan Warriors.<\/p>\n
A pre-season goal of 8th to 10th didn\u2019t seem too far-fetched. Carr outlined his goals of a play-off spot, but this was one year into a big rebuild, so expectations were managed accordingly. Of course, Carr is now no longer at the club, and the Tigers are still searching for a new head coach. A 48-16 defeat to Huddersfield in Round 27 summed up their season, with the Giants taking a strong win despite playing with 12 men for over half the game.<\/p>\n
Catalans Dragons:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Top six \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
Having missed out on the play-offs in 2025, it was Joel Tomkins who had the job of guiding the Perpignan outfit back into a finals spot, but after a slow start the club opted to go in a different direction.<\/p>\n
Ryan Sheridan took over as boss on an interim basis, before John Cartwright became the next permanent head coach. Finishing ninth, a 60-18 defeat to Toulouse at \u2018French Magic\u2019 stands out as the most disappointing result of their year.<\/p>\n
Huddersfield Giants:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: 8th-10th \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
If Jim Lenihan had been in charge for the entire season, maybe we would have had our first pass, but such a poor start left Luke Robinson without a job and the Giants rock bottom of the table.<\/p>\n
Lenihan\u2019s arrival has seen the club improve both on and off the field, with training standards, discipline and effort with games all increasing hugely. The new boss admitted that he didn\u2019t care where the side ended up come round 27, but for a club like Huddersfield, 12th is simply not good enough.<\/p>\n
Hull FC:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Top six \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
Speaking of clubs not being good enough, we have perhaps the most disappointing side of 2026 in Hull FC. With the goal of play-offs set before a ball was kicked, there was a lot of hope that the Black and Whites could finally get out of this slum they have been in since the turn of the decade.<\/p>\n
Steve McNamara\u2019s appointment brings hope, and Will Pryce\u2019s return from injury will be a boost. Let\u2019s also not forget that NRL Grand Final winner Daly Cherry-Evans is arriving in West Hull next season, too.<\/p>\n
Hull KR:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Grand Final winners \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
Following on from what was a treble-winning 2025 campaign, there wasn\u2019t a lot else that KR could do to improve, and despite finishing sixth on the ladder, they still won the World Club Challenge and made it to the Challenge Cup Final.<\/p>\n
Leeds Rhinos:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Grand Final winners \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
Like the Robins, Leeds were one of a few teams expected to lift the trophy this season, but after topping the table for more than half the season, the Rhinos fell at the semi-final stage as their run of zero wins in knockout games against Super League opposition continues.<\/p>\n
Leigh Leopards:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Reach the Grand Final \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
Another club that underperformed by their own standards, the last two-thirds of the season saw Leigh shine, but after just two wins from their opening seven games, it gave them too much to do going forward. Finishing fifth, they travelled to Wakefield in the finals as Trinity got their revenge from the play-off game 12 months prior.<\/p>\n
St Helens:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Top four \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
With Paul Rowley and Jackson Hastings both joining the club, Saints looked all but certain to have improved on 2025, but after sitting top of the ladder in April, it would all come crashing down as injuries struck.<\/p>\n
Rowley would leave the club in July, despite signing an initial three-year deal. From then, Eamon O\u2019Carroll took the reins, but was unable to keep the club\u2019s Super League play-off streak alive, as they finished 7th.<\/p>\n
Toulouse Olympique:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Avoid the wooden spoon \u2013 PASS<\/p>\n
Bradford, Toulouse and York all had the same goal: be the best out of their fellow promoted sides. Not only did Toulouse do that convincingly, but they would end up finishing eighth, and whilst they were nowhere near the top six, they did manage to end the year higher than French rivals Catalans, in what felt like a true changing of the guard. Their success has been rewarded, with Toulouse having more players in the French RLWC squad than Les Dracs.<\/p>\n
Wakefield Trinity:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Top six \u2013 PASS<\/p>\n
Wakefield didn\u2019t just achieve their pre-season goal; they smashed it with flying colours, having gone on to win their first-ever Grand Final. Being the first side to win the competition from fourth, even if they didn\u2019t win at Old Trafford last week their year was still a huge success, but the Grand Final trophy caps off what has been an incredible year for the club. What\u2019s frightening is that this is only the start, with owner Matt Ellis having some ambitious plans as he looks to grow the club even more.<\/p>\n
Warrington Wolves:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Top six \u2013 PASS<\/p>\n
Having missed the six in 2025, Sam Burgess came into this year heavily under pressure, but alongside assistant boss Steve McNamara, he has looked to go a different route and promote youth \u2013 something that worked incredibly well for him as the likes of Ewan Irwin and Leon Hayes stepped up this season.<\/p>\n
Finishing third, the side may not have won the Grand Final, but there is a considerable improvement not compared to 12 months ago.<\/p>\n
Wigan Warriors:\u00a0\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Win the Grand Final \u2013 FAIL<\/p>\n
Of course, only one team can win the Grand Final, so there were always going to be some teams that went home empty-handed, but for Wigan to not reach Old Trafford was a major shock.<\/p>\n
However, they picked up the Challenge Cup and the League Leaders\u2019 Shield instead, so it\u2019s still an impressive year by all accounts.<\/p>\n
York Knights:\u00a0Pre-season expectation: Avoid the wooden spoon \u2013 PASS<\/p>\n
The Knights shocked everyone with their opening night win over Hull KR, and after a round three win over Hull FC, many were taking notice of what they could achieve.<\/p>\n
Finishing 10th, the Knights\u2019 first season in Super League was an incredible one, and with new additions such as Max Jowitt, Blake Lawrie and Zak Hardaker to come, it looks all positive for the North Yorkshire outfit going forward.<\/p>\n
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