Under new head coach John Cartwright, Hull FC have also made some notable acquisitions as they look to erase the memory of a traumatic 2024 campaign, while Leigh – who have lost Zak Hardaker and the talismanic John Asiata to the Black and Whites – have also done well to plug their quite considerable gaps.
The spectre of the IMG points system – and the very real possibility of the likes of Toulouse and Bradford Bulls making the Super League grade for 2026 – adds off-field uncertainty to a campaign which promises plenty of strength in depth – and possibly new hands lifting the Grand Final trophy in October.
While it would be wrong to accuse Peet’s men of complacency – indeed, for the majority of the 2024 campaign it was impossible to identify any position in which they came up short – their potential problem is that their closest rivals, specifically Saints and Hull KR, have shown every sign of answering the challenge.
Such was the conviction of Matt Peet’s side as they successfully defended a Super League title they had finally wrenched from the grasp of their historic rivals St Helens the previous year, it was hard to envisage any different set of hands clutching the prestigious trophy.
Rovers, too, were not far away, and have built on their first Grand Final appearance with the high-profile addition of decorated former Sydney Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (Sydney Roosters), as well as the likes of Michael McIlorum and Tom Davies from Catalans, and Leeds centre Rhyse Martin.
