Power Rankings: Wembley-bound Wakefield Trinity top as Warrington Wolves, St Helens rise
From left to right: Derrell Olpherts (Wakefield), Matty Ashton (Warrington) and Jack Welsby (St Helens) in action
Each week this season, Love Rugby League will be bringing you our Power Rankings, ranking the top 10 clubs in the British game we believe have the most momentum behind them.
The 35 clubs across Super League, the Championship and League 1 are all in the running to be involved, with solely on-field performance affecting the rankings (we’re not IMG!).
Our latest top 10 of the campaign is below, with all competitive games to this point taken into account.
For Super League clubs, that’s their performances across the opening 11 rounds and the Challenge Cup.
Meanwhile, the Championship and League 1 seasons got underway in March, and clubs in those divisions had already played games in the 1895 Cup and Challenge Cup this year prior to that as well.
For reference, last week’s Power Rankings are here.
Without further ado, the Love Rugby League Power Rankings (13/05/2024)..
10. Catalans Dragons (NEW)
Les Dracs are a new entry as they returned to winning ways with a comfortable 26-0 win over lacklustre Leeds on Saturday evening in Perpignan.
Catalans are no longer in this year’s Challenge Cup competition, but they’ve made a strong start in Super League. They have won eight from 11 league games so far and are fourth in the Super League ladder.
9. Hull KR (DOWN 6)
The Robins drop down six places in our Power Rankings following their 20-8 defeat at Warrington. Willie Peters’ side have made Craven Park somewhat of a fortress in recent times – but they seem to struggle with the same form away from home, with their last win on the other side of the Pennines coming in February 2023.
Let’s not take too much away from Hull KR though, it’s still been a strong start to the season, sitting fifth in the Super League table whilst facing Wigan in the Challenge Cup semi-finals this weekend.
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8. St Helens (UP 2)
Paul Wellens’ side climb two places in our Power Rankings thanks to their 60-4 demolition of Castleford at Wheldon Road on Friday night.
St Helens are sat second in the Super League table having won eight from 11 games so far in the league, but they are no longer in the Challenge Cup after being knocked out by neighbours Warrington a couple of weeks ago.
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7. Keighley Cougars (-)
Matt Foster’s side keep their spot in seventh in our Power Rankings, with the Cougars not having a game this week due to the 1895 Cup semi-finals.
Keighley have made a good start to their 2024 League 1 campaign after suffering relegation from the Championship last season, sitting second in the table, winning six from seven games.
6. Warrington Wolves (UP 3)
It has been a good start to the Sam Burgess era, with the Wolves sat third in the Super League table having won eight from 11 in the league whilst they have a Challenge Cup semi-final against Huddersfield on the horizon this week.
Warrington enjoyed a 20-8 win over play-off rivals Hull KR at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Thursday night, so they climb three places in our Power Rankings.
5. Widnes Vikings (-)
Widnes keep their place in fifth in our Power Rankings, the Vikings having a week off due to the 1895 Cup action. It would probably be fair to say not many people would have predicted that Widnes would be sitting third in the Championship table seven games in before a ball was kicked – but it has been a remarkable start to the Allan Coleman era.
The Vikings edged past newly-promoted Doncaster 16-14 last time out, which was their sixth win in seven games in the league.
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4. Sheffield Eagles (UP 1)
The Eagles have been involved in our Power Rankings all year which shows just how good Mark Aston’s side have been so far, and they move back up a place after reaching the 1895 Cup final after beating York Knights 28-18 on Sunday afternoon.
It has been an outstanding start to the year from Mark Aston’s side, winning six from seven in the Championship and sitting only behind Wakefield in the league table.
3. Wigan Warriors (UP 1)
Matt Peet’s side move up one place in our Power Rankings after they thrashed Huddersfield 48-6 in hot conditions at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Wigan, who were crowned World Club champions in February, have lost just two games since last July and produced a very strong second half display against the Giants, scoring six unanswered tries. You feel it will take a special team to stop the Warriors from retaining their Super League crown in 2024.
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2. Oldham (-)
Oldham hold their position in our Power Rankings this week, with the Roughyeds not having a game due to the 1895 Cup semi-finals taking place. Oldham have made a mighty start to 2024 with Great Britain legend Sean Long at the helm, thumping winless Newcastle Thunder 74-0 at Boundary Park in their last outing.
The ambitious Roughyeds, who spent big over the off-season as they target a return to the Championship, are flying high at the top of the League 1 table having won all six of their league games thus far.
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1. Wakefield Trinity (-)
Wakefield remain at the top of Love Rugby League‘s Power Rankings following their emphatic 40-14 win over Bradford in the 1895 Cup semi-finals at Odsal on Sunday afternoon. Trinity are marching onto Wembley to face Sheffield in the final, and deservedly so after a dream start to 2024.
Daryl Powell’s Trinity were expected to blitz the Championship having assembled an impressive squad over the off-season – and they have done so far. Wakefield have won all seven of their league games, and sit top of the Championship table with a 180-strong points difference.
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