Ranking every Super League club’s transfer business from worst to best: Castleford TOP

Pre-season training for the 2026 Super League season is now well underway, and the dozens of new signings across the competition are settling into life with their new clubs.

All 14 teams have done varying levels of transfer business thus far, with some clubs having full-scale rebuilds and others just tweaking around the edges.

But how do all the teams fare against one another in terms of their new signings? We’ve taken the plunge and ranked them..

14. Wigan Warriors

The team who made last season’s Grand Final bottom of this list may seem ridiculous.. but Wigan do sit there for a couple of reasons.

First, and most importantly, this is a list ranking recruitment for 2026. Wigan have signed three players and two of them very much in project player territory, meaning there’s not much happening at the top end of their squad. Oliver Wilson is the exception.

But that’s no bad thing. Wigan’s squad is well placed to go again in 2026 – meaning that their recruitment doesn’t need to be wholesale. So for that reason, they sit last!

Deals done: Dayon Sambou (St Helens), Jonny Vaughan (St Helens), Oliver Wilson (Huddersfield).

13. Huddersfield Giants

There’s been some okay moves from Huddersfield but in relation to what they actually need, it already looks like an off-season that isn’t going to be quite enough.

There’s a couple of handy additions to the spine with Niall Evalds and Olly Russell returning, having both been there on loan last season. But the early signs point towards Huddersfield being towards the bottom end of the competition once again.

Deals done: Niall Evalds (Hull KR), Mathieu Cozza (Wakefield), Chris Patolo (Manly Sea Eagles), Asher O’Donnell (Brisbane Tigers), Olly Russell (Wakefield).

12. Toulouse Olympique

Of all three promoted clubs, it’s Toulouse who have done the least work to their squad – but Tyler Dupree arrives in the south of France with a real point to prove. He could be a shrewd addition.

Deals done: Ajahni ‘AJ’ Wallace (Hull KR), Brendan Hands (Parramatta Eels), Luke Polselli (London Broncos), Mathieu Pons (Oldham), Tyler Dupree (Wigan – season-long loan)

11. Bradford Bulls

Bradford have had to do a heck of a lot of business owing to the fact they’ve transitioned from part-time to full-time – and Kurt Haggerty has built almost an entirely new squad.

Their headline arrivals look good on paper, with the likes of Andy Ackers and Ryan Sutton the real standouts.

Deals done: Andy Ackers (Leeds), Rowan Milnes (Hull KR), Ethan Ryan (Oldham), Jayden Nikorima (Salford Red Devils), Eribe Doro (Hull KR), Loghan Lewis (Salford Red Devils), Will Gardiner (Hull FC), Brandon Douglas (Halifax Panthers), Connor Wynne (Featherstone Rovers), Caleb Aekins (Featherstone Rovers), Ed Chamberlain (Hull FC – season-long loan), Dan Russell (Warrington), Ryan Sutton (Gold Coast Titans), Joe Mellor (Salford Red Devils).

10. York Knights

Of the three promoted clubs, we think the best business transfer-wise has been done in North Yorkshire. There’s lots of names with Super League experience coming in, but also players that have plenty to offer still. Paul Vaughan will be a terrific addition for the Knights, as will the likes of Josh Griffin and Sam Wood.

Deals done: Paul Vaughan (Warrington), Josh Griffin (Wakefield), Jordan Lipp (Norths Devils), Sam Wood (Castleford), Justin Sangare (Salford Red Devils), Jon Bennison (St Helens), Jack Smith (Leeds), Danny Richardson (Hull KR), Matty Foster (Oldham), Ryan Jackson (Central Queensland Capras), Denive Balmforth (Hull FC – loan), John Sagaga (Penrith Panthers).

9. Hull KR

Rovers’ 2026 recruitment is very much geared towards the future in the main, which is why it doesn’t score massively highly. But the Super League champions didn’t exactly need to rip up the playbook after going out and winning the treble last year!

Deals done: Jumah Sambou (Oldham), Tom Amone (Canterbury Bulldogs), Declan Murphy (Salford Red Devils), Cobie Wainhouse (Hull FC), Jack Charles (Hull FC), Jordan Dezaria (Catalans), Tom Whitehead (Warrington).

8. Leeds Rhinos

Like the Robins, Leeds haven’t needed to do too much – but what they have done has caught the eye. Ethan O’Neill replaces James Bentley in a move that feels like it could be an upgrade, while Danny Levi replaces Andy Ackers in Brad Arthur’s squad. There may be more yet to come, too.

Deals done: Jeremiah Mata’utia (North Queensland Cowboys), Ethan O’Neill (Leigh), Chris Hankinson (Salford Red Devils), Danny Levi (Canberra Raiders).

7. Leigh Leopards

There’s not been a huge amount of business done on the top end of Leigh’s squad; but then again, there didn’t really need to be too much tinkering. The likes of Jacob Alick-Wiencke and Adam Cook will go straight into Adrian Lam’s plans, with the rest of their arrivals likely in and around the fringes of the squad.

Deals done: Jacob Alick-Wiencke (Gold Coast Titans), Oliver Polec (St Helens), Innes Senior (Castleford), Adam Cook (Canberra Raiders), Liam Horne (Castleford).

6. Warrington Wolves

The Wire have been active after a disappointing campaign in 2025, with seven first-team arrivals – the most recent of which came just last week after Kelepi Tanginoa made the move across from Hull KR. And on the whole, their business looks to be really good – with plenty of experience coming in to bolster Sam Burgess’ ranks.

Deals done: Toafofoa Sipley (Manly Sea Eagles), Liam Byrne (Wigan), Albert Hopoate (Canberra Raiders), James Bentley (Leeds), Josh Smith (Brisbane Tigers), Sam Stone (Salford Red Devils), Kelepi Tanginoa (Hull KR).

5. St Helens

Paul Rowley’s first off-season as Saints coach has seen a number of players arrive – but the biggest and most interesting came just last week.

Jackson Hastings’ return to Super League looks like a shrewd piece of business, as does David Klemmer’s arrival.

Deals done: Shane Wright (Salford Red Devils), Jacob Host (South Sydney Rabbitohs), David Klemmer (St George Illawarra Dragons), Jacob Douglas (Wigan), Joe Shorrocks (Salford Red Devils), Jackson Hastings (Newcastle Knights)

4. Hull FC

Off the back of a year of huge progression in 2025 under John Cartwright, Hull look well placed to improve once again going into next season.

They’ve made a concerted effort to strengthen the areas where there were question marks, with experience aplenty coming into the pack and Jake Arthur’s arrival from Newcastle at half-back really standing out. It looks to have been another good winter for Hull.

Deals done: Sam Lisone (Leeds), Jake Arthur (Newcastle Knights), Connor Bailey (York), Joe Batchelor (St Helens), James Bell (St Helens), Harvie Hill (Wigan), Arthur Romano (Catalans), Joe Phillips (Goole)

3. Catalans Dragons

It’s now an annual tradition to be drawn to Catalans’ recruitment, and they have once again signed a string of players who have the potential to take Super League by storm.

Toby Sexton arrives in Super League as perhaps the most impressive capture of the whole winter given how he excelled for the bulldogs in 2025. Lewis Dodd returns with a point to prove, while there are other huge names heading for the south of France.

Of course, 2025 proved that it doesn’t always work out how many hoped. But on the face of it, Catalans look like they’ve done some brilliant bits of business.

Deals done: Toby Sexton (Canterbury Bulldogs), Solomona Faataape (Wests Tigers), Harvey Wilson (Salford), Josh Allen (Dolphins), Zac Lipowicz (Penrith Panthers), Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans), Charlie Staines (Wests Tigers), Josh Simm (Castleford), Lewis Dodd (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Ben Condon (Widnes Vikings), Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e (Hull KR)

2. Wakefield Trinity

We like Wakefield’s transfer business. A lot. Clearly not intent on resting on their laurels after their superb top six finish in 2025, Trinity are going big again in an attempt to crack the monopoly at the upper end of Super League.

Tyson Smoothy and Jazz Tevaga’s arrivals stand out as headline-grabbing pieces of transfer business that will really elevate Wakefield to the next level. In and amongst them are project players too, and others like Jack Sinfield who have a real point to prove.

It’s been a very good winter.

Deals done: Neil Tchamambe (Hull KR), Tyson Smoothy (Brisbane Broncos), Jazz Tevaga (Manly Sea Eagles), Tray Lolesio (Dolphins), Jordan Williams (Featherstone), Kian McGann (St Helens), Will Tate (Castleford), Jack Sinfield (Leeds).

1. Castleford Tigers

Controversial? Perhaps. There isn’t much to choose between the top two or three on this list, in all fairness.

At this stage, we can only judge recruitment on paper and it’s entirely possible Castleford’s may backfire. But on paper, what they’ve done looks to be very good, with a near-complete overhaul of their squad led by a new-look spine.

Blake Taaffe, Mikaele Ravalawa and Tom Weaver to name but three should all be blockbuster Super League signings. They’ve also complimented that with players including Liam Hood, who impressed for Wakefield. 

Right now, we think the Tigers’ transfer business is the pick of Super League – but feel free to disagree with us..

Deals done: Brock Greacen (Newcastle Knights), Blake Taaffe (Canterbury Bulldogs), Mikaele Rivalawa (St George Illawarra Dragons), Semi Valemei (North Queensland Cowboys), Jordan Lane (Hull FC), Jack Ashworth (Hull FC), Renouf Atoni (Wakefield), Liam Hood (Wakefield), Darnell McIntosh (Leigh), Tom Weaver (Gold Coast Titans), Aiden Doolan (Barrow Raiders).