Ranking every Super League club by wait for a Round 1 win with duo yet to break duck
From left to right: Castleford Tigers (2021), Bradford Bulls (2013) and Leigh Leopards (2025) celebrate victories
The 2026 Super League season is almost upon us, and every single club in the competition will want to get off to a winning start this weekend.
Every head coach hopes to see their side put competition points on the board at the soonest possible opportunity, however they come.
14 clubs make up Super League this year, with the British game’s top tier having expanded ahead of 2026.
But just how long has it been since each club last won their opening game in the competition?
Well, here’s a run through…
2025 – Hull FC, Hull KR, Leigh Leopards, St Helens, Wakefield Trinity, Warrington Wolves
Last year, Super League comprised of 12 clubs and there wasn’t a draw in Round 1, so six clubs chalked up victories in their opener.
Hull FC beat Catalans 24-4 away from home in their first game under John Cartwright in what was, at the time, a shock.
Mikey Lewis spared Hull KR‘s blushes at Craven Park as the Robins edged past Castleford, winning 19-18 thanks to a drop Goa in Golden Point extra time. The Robins, of course, went on to win every major honour available to them!
Leigh unforgettably beat rivals Wigan 1-0 at The Brick Community Stadium thanks to Gareth O’Brien’s drop goal in Golden Point, with that game breaking plenty of records.
Saints meanwhile beat a youthful Salford Red Devils side 82-0 on home soil this time last year, and that game still holds the record of Super League’s biggest-ever winning margin.
Wakefield began life back in Super League with a shock 14-12 victory at Headingley against Leeds.
Warrington were the final winners of 2025’s opening weekend, beating Huddersfield 20-12 away from home at the Accu Stadium, then known as the John Smith’s Stadium.
2024 – Catalans Dragons, Huddersfield Giants, Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors
You only have to go back another year for the most recent Round 1 victories of four Super League clubs.
Back in February 2024, Catalans beat Warrington 16-10 at the Stade Gilbert Brutus while Huddersfield pulled off a shock 16-8 victory away against Leigh at the Leopards’ Den.
Leeds beat Salford Red Devils 22-16 at Headingley, then still headed up by Rohan Smith, and Wigan thumped Castleford 32-4 at The Jungle in the first game of their historic quadruple-winning campaign.
There’s a repeat of that game between the Warriors and the Tigers in West Yorkshire on Sunday in this year’s opening round.
2021 – Castleford Tigers
We’ve mentioned a couple of Castleford‘s recent opening round defeats, and you have to go back to March 2021 for the last time the Tigers won their first league game of a campaign.
With games still being played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Daryl Powell’s Fords won a Round 1 clash against Warrington 21-12. That was played at Headingley alongside the other five opening round fixtures that season.
2013 – Bradford Bulls
This year brings Bradford‘s first season in Super League since 2014, when they lost their opener at home against Castleford en-route to relegation.
For the last time the Bulls won a Round 1 fixture in the top tier, you have to go back to 2013, when they thumped Wakefield 40-6 at Odsal.
Never – Toulouse Olympique and York
Notably, there are two of the 14 clubs involved in Super League this year that have never won a Round 1 game in the competition before.
Toulouse‘s only Super League campaign to date, in 2022, began with a 42-14 loss on home soil against Huddersfield. Olympique travel to Wakefield on Saturday evening in their first game of the 2026 season.
Elsewhere, York have never been in Super League before, so their first attempt at winning a Round 1 game comes in the shape of a home clash against treble winners Hull KR on Thursday night!