Ranking Super League’s longest-serving coaches: Matt Peet 2nd..

Just like the chiefs in most many sports, the life of a rugby league coach isn’t exactly a secure one – with change at the top happening more often than most would like.

Super League clubs aren’t exactly known for changing their coaches as frequently as is the ‘norm’ in football and the Premier League, as an example, but teams at the top are still under pressure to deliver success and the book lies with their bosses.

With that in mind, we rank every head coach in Super League by their length of service…

* In most cases, we’ve used the date at which each head coach was appointed on a permanent basis, but in a couple of cases, we’ve used the date at which they officially took charge. We’ll get onto that…

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Correct at the time of writing on January 6, 2025

12. John Cartwright – Hull FC

59-year-old Cartwright is among the couple where we’ve used the date they took charge, and that’s so that this ranking isn’t horrendously inaccurate.

The Australian was appointed as Hull FC’s new boss on May 24, 2024 – but only took charge a few months later on or around October 29, 2024 once he’d completed his duties Down Under.

That was the date at which the Airlie Birds first posted images of him at the MKM Stadium, anyway. So, at least for the time being, he’s Super League’s newest head coach. His contract length is unknown.

11. Danny McGuire – Castleford Tigers

Super League icon McGuire was appointed as Castleford head coach on October 25, 2024 – signing a three-year contract at The Jungle.

The 42-year-old has already spent a season with the Tigers, acting as predecessor Craig Lingard’s assistant in 2024.

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10. Luke Robinson – Huddersfield Giants

Robinson – who has been associated with Huddersfield in various roles for nigh on a decade – took charge of the Giants on an interim basis in early July 2024 following the departure of Ian Watson.

Another to have stepped up from a role as an assistant, the 40-year-old was handed the job on a permanent basis on September 4, 2024 – inking a three-year deal.

9. Brad Arthur – Leeds Rhinos

Veteran coach Arthur, 50, took up his first role in the British game when he was appointed as Leeds’ head coach on July 10, 2024.

The Australian only signed a deal until the end of the 2024 season at first, but having settled into the role, agreed a one-year extension to remain the Rhinos’ boss for the 2025 campaign.

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8. Daryl Powell – Wakefield Trinity

Another experienced coach in 59-year-old Powell took charge at Wakefield on October 24, 2023, just weeks after their relegation from the top-flight.

Helping to oversee a return to Super League, which was officially rubber-stamped by IMG’s gradings, at the first time of asking, Trinity lifted the 1895 Cup and Championship League Leaders’ Shield in their first campaign under his tutelage as well as winning the second tier Grand Final.

7. Sam Burgess – Warrington Wolves

NRL and England legend Burgess is another man on this list where we’ve used the date he started work at Warrington rather than the date he was appointed.

Handed his first head coach gig in the professional game, the 36-year-old was appointed on August 7, 2023. He arrived in the UK on October 20, 2023 though and that’s the date we’re using.

Burgess got the Wolves to the Challenge Cup final and a Super League play-off semi-final in his first year in the job.

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6. Paul Wellens – St Helens

Wellens, 44, had been part of Saints’ coaching team since his retirement in 2015 – occupying roles as a Player Performance Managed, in the Academy, the Reserves and as an assistant.

He was handed the head coach reins at the Totally Wicked Stadium on October 5, 2022 – proceeding Kristian Woolf and leading Saints to World Club Challenge glory Down Under in February 2023.

5. Willie Peters – Hull KR

Sydney-born Peters is the only other man on this list who we’ve had to use the date when he took charge of his side as opposed to the date he was appointed.

The 45-year-old was handed the Hull KR job on May 9, 2022, but landed in the UK – and commenced his duties – on September 16, 2022.

His two seasons at the helm to date have brought defeats in both the Challenge Cup final and Grand Final, with the Robins bidding to end their long wait for a major honour next season.

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4. Adrian Lam – Leigh Leopards

Papua New Guinean Lam took charge of his final game as Wigan boss on September 23, 2021 and just a few weeks later was handed the Leigh job.

With the club then still under the ‘Centurions’ tagline and reeling from a relegation, the 54-year-old officially took the reins on November 17, 2021. Forced to build virtually a full squad, he then led Leigh in a Championship campaign which saw them lose just once, winning the treble – just as Wakefield went on to do in 2023.

Undergoing a rebrand to the ‘Leopards’ upon promotion, Lam then led the club to Challenge Cup glory in 2023 and has also masterminded two consecutive runs into the Super League play-offs.

3. Paul Rowley – Salford Red Devils

12 days prior, on November 5, 2021, former Leigh boss Rowley – 49 – had been appointed as Salford’s new head coach following a couple of years out of the game.

The former England international has gone on to lead the Red Devils into the Super League play-offs twice in the space of three seasons, embracing the ‘underdog’ tagline at every possible opportunity.

At the end of the 2025 season, he will move upstairs into a role as the club’s Director of Rugby with assistant Kurt Haggerty to take on the head coach reins.

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2. Matt Peet – Wigan Warriors

40-year-old Peet had never taken on a head coach role in the professional game before, but was handed the Wigan job on October 5, 2021 having held numerous roles with his boyhood club in the decade plus which preceded that.

It’s fair to say that Peet‘s appointment was seen as a gamble by many at the time, but that gamble really couldn’t have paid off more.

In the space of three seasons, the local lad has scooped seven major honours for his hometown team – two Super League titles, two League Leaders’ Shields, two Challenge Cups and a World Club Challenge success. Glory beyond their wildest dreams.

1. Steve McNamara – Catalans Dragons

By far and away Super League’s longest-serving head coach is McNamara, who was appointed as Catalans’ boss almost eight years ago on June 19, 2017.

The Dragons were embroiled in a relegation battle then, and had to fight their way through a Million Pound Game away against Leigh just to survive.

Now 53, ex-England chief McNamara has led the French outfit to a Challenge Cup triumph as well as two Grand Finals in the last three seasons.

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