Challenge Cup Team of the Week: Salford Red Devils, Hull KR, Hull FC star with eight clubs represented
The Challenge Cup Team of the Week is dominated by Hull FC and Hull KR!
After lengthy discussions at Love Rugby League towers, we’ve managed to settle on our Challenge Cup Team of the Week from the Fourth Round which took place over the weekend.
There were a number of outstanding individual displays across the weekend’s last-16 ties, making our job in terms of selection a very difficult one.
Here are our picks, with eight clubs represented between Super League and the Championship…
1. Sam Tomkins (Catalans Dragons)
La 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒔𝒔 de @samtomkins1 👑 pic.twitter.com/nOW5JDKbV7
— Dragons Catalans (@DragonsOfficiel) March 16, 2025
Catalans were 46-18 winners against Championship side Featherstone Rovers in Perpignan on Saturday evening, and Tomkins led the way throughout. Marking his return from injury with two tries as well as five goals, he was chosen as man-of-the-match by Dragons supporters, and earns a spot in our Team of the Week.
2. Keanan Brand (Leigh Leopards)
Leigh were also big winners against Championship opposition, beating Batley Bulldogs 62-4 on Sunday afternoon. Brand earns his spot in this side having been imperious throughout. Jinking through the Bulldogs line with ease time and time again, he scored two tries, including a stunning 80-metre break for the first of those in which numerous defenders were seen off.
3. Tesi Niu (Leigh Leopards)
Off-season recruit Niu has been a revelation since his arrival in Leigh, and as they beat Batley at the Leopards’ Den on Sunday, he was at his bulldozing best oncemore. Showing nice hands to shift the ball on a couple of times, he got the try his performance deserved on the back of a break from David Armstrong. This is the Tongan’s second Monday on the spin in our Team of the Week.
4. Harry Robertson (St Helens)
Robertson has been in our Team of the Week more often than not so far this year, and takes his spot this Monday on the back of a sensational showing as Saints beat Leeds Rhinos 22-14 on Friday night. The young centre was instrumental in the second half at the Totally Wicked Stadium, scoring one try and having a huge role in his side’s other two.
5. Lewis Martin (Hull FC)
The shock result of the weekend came at The Brick Community Stadium on Saturday evening, where Hull FC came from 22-6 down to beat Challenge Cup holders Wigan Warriors 26-22 in their own backyard. Martin was the star of the comeback, scoring a second half hat-trick – and even dotting down having taken Bevan French on the outside. What a talent he is!
6. Aidan Sezer (Hull FC)
Skipper Sezer has been immense for Hull since arriving ahead of this season, and he led their revival in Wigan on Saturday evening. A commanding performance, particularly in that second half, saw the half-back absolutely kick the Warriors to death as well as driving forward with the ball in hand numerous times to gain precious metres. They don’t win that game without him.
7. Jayden Nikorima (Salford Red Devils)
Salford also came from behind to win, doing so against Championship side Bradford Bulls on Friday night and ending up 26-16 victors on home soil. Having only got the go-ahead to take to the field 48 hours prior, Nikorima was unflappable throughout and his quality eventually told. He deserved the try he got in the second half for the effort he’d put in.
8. Chris Hill (Salford Red Devils)
With Salford‘s off-field plight coming to the fore again, the Red Devils started Friday night’s game against Bradford with a squad of 16. That quickly got reduced to 15 through an injury to Chris Hankinson, and having also been docked an interchange opportunity, it was inevitable players were going to have to do big minutes.
Hill did the full 80 at 37 years of age. A mammoth effort that deserves huge praise, and he certainly deserves a spot in this Team of the Week.
9. Jez Litten (Hull KR)
Hull KR blew Championship side Oldham out of the water on Friday night at Craven Park. As the Robins won 40-0, hooker Litten was by far the standout. He only missed 15 minutes of action, and the 65 minutes he spent on the field across two stints were absolutely action-packed, having a hand in everything Willie Peters’ side did well. Devastating form.
10. Jack Ormondroyd (Salford Red Devils)
We could pretty much copy and paste what we’ve written about Chris Hill above here. Just like his front-row partner, Ormondroyd did the full 80 minutes on Friday night against Bradford. He’s no spring chicken either at 33, and what that effort must have taken out of the pair of them doesn’t bear thinking about. Heroic stuff. They were both quality for the full 80, too.
11. Isaiah Vagana (Wakefield Trinity)
Wakefield were 22-12 winners at Huddersfield Giants on Sunday, and Vagana takes a well-deserved spot in this Team of the Week, not for the first time this season. The 24-year-old was solid on the wrong side of the ball throughout, and helped Trinity to get on the front foot when the opportunities arose in the second half, helping to turn things around having trailed at the break.
12. Rhodri Lloyd (Widnes Vikings)
Lloyd is the only man in this 13 who didn’t end up winning this weekend, with Widnes ultimately bowing out after losing 26-16 at home against Warrington Wolves on Saturday. The Championship side led for large periods though, and Lloyd was denied a 40-metre intercept try by the finest of margins. He stood up well overall against the Wire pack, running and tackling hard.
13. Morgan Knowles (St Helens)
Knowles was the standout player as Saints beat Leeds on Friday night. We don’t have many stats from the Challenge Cup – but thanks to a social media post from his club, we can share that Knowles made 110 metres and 47 tackles on the other side of the ball in a 77-minute stint. Remarkable numbers. There’s a huge hole to fill come the end of the year when he departs for the NRL.
