Ranking the 5 teams worst-hit by injuries in 2026: Hull FC TOP
Hull FC star Will Pryce is out for the season.
Super League is facing an unprecedented injury crisis like never before – and not just in the key position of fullback, it seems.
Across the competition, dozens of players have already missed the early rounds of the 2026 season – and the situation does not look like it is going to get better any time soon.
With that in mind, we’ve looked through the data and found the five teams who have been hit heaviest so far. For clarity, we have only included players that have missed entire games due to injury in this list – so not mid-game injuries or suspensions. The cumulative figure of the amount of fixtures missed by their first-team squad is the team total. Without further ado..
This list has been put together with the help of the excellent Super League Injuries account on X. Do give them a follow!
5. Castleford Tigers: 24
No surprises to see Ryan Carr’s side in the top five – though they’re some way off the top two in this list!
New signings Brock Greacen and Semi Valemei are yet to feature at all in Super League, along with winger Louis Senior and hooker Cain Robb. Zac Cini missed the start of the year, Blake Taaffe played just once, and Fletcher Rooney is now a long-term absentee along with captain Alex Mellor, too.
Cas are doing it tough now.
Player games missed: Blake Taaffe (3), Semi Valemei (4), Zac Cini (2), Alex Mellor (2), Brock Greacen (4), Fletcher Rooney (1), Louis Senior (4), Cain Robb (4).
=3. Leigh Leopards: 25
It’s been a tough start for Leigh and when you look at their squad, it’s not hard to see why.
Three players – David Armstrong, Umyla Hanley and Aaron Pene – are yet to play a single game in Super League this season. Joe Ofahengaue and Edwin Ipape are now out for the foreseeable future too. Throw in one-game absences for the likes of Matt Davis too, and the numbers really rack up for the Leopards.
Player games missed: David Armstrong (4), Umyla Hanley (4), Joe Ofahengaue (1), Edwin Ipape (2), Frankie Halton (1), Isaac Liu (1), Aaron Pene (4), Matt Davis (1), Bailey Hodgson (1), AJ Towse (1), Louis Brogan (3), Nathan Wilde (2).
=3. York Knights: 25
York’s numbers are slightly trickier to keep hold of given the relationship they have with Newcastle Thunder. But based on what we and others have deduced, they too have a combined 25 games worth of absences already.
Ata Hingano has only played on the opening night, Kieran Hudson has missed all four games – as has Jon Bennison – while Will Dagger and Mitch Clark are also notable players on the list.
Player games missed: Scott Galeano (2), Ata Hingano (3), Jesse Dee (1), Kieran Hudson (4), Kieran Buchanan (3), John Segaga (1), Jon Bennison (4), Will Dagger (3), Mitch Clark (4)
2. Huddersfield Giants – 31
There will be no real shocks to see that Luke Robinson’s Giants are somewhere near the top – but they are not first! But given what has happened in the last few days, if we were to re-do this list next week, Huddersfield would be first.
But right now, they are second with a cumulative 30 games missed by their first-team squad after just four rounds. Liam Sutcliffe, Adam Clune, Adam Swift and Niall Evalds haven’t played a single minute yet – and those four alone take up a significant chunk of the Giants’ cap.
Harry Rushton only played once in Super League, and the problems are now set to deepen with Sam Halsall, Sam Hewitt, George Flanagan and Matty English out for extended periods.
It never rains.. but somehow, there is a team worse off.
Player games missed: Niall Evalds (4), Adam Swift (4), Sam Halsall (1), Adam Clune (1), Zac Woolford (1), Sam Hewitt (1), Harry Rushton (3), Joe Greenwood (3), Liam Sutcliffe (4), Arthur Sykes (2), Marshall Land (2), Logan Blacker (1)
1. Hull FC – 34
Without doubt the worst-hit sit so far, surprisingly, is not Huddersfield. It is John Cartwright’s Hull FC.
Their problems started before they kicked a ball this year with the likes of James Bell, Jake Arthur and Herman Ese’ese out from the very start. Since the start, Will Pryce has suffered a season-ending injury, Jed Cartwright has been ruled out for months and Joe Batchelor is also gone long-term.
Throw in some injured players like Ryan Westerman and Roman Dawson and it means that so far, Hull’s squad has missed a combined 30 full matches between them already.
Player games missed: Will Pryce (2), Harvey Barron (1), Zak Hardaker (1), Jake Arthur (2), Herman Ese’ese (4), Joe Batchelor (2), Jed Cartwright (2), John Asiata (2), James Bell (3), Logan Moy (1), Joe Phillips (2), Ryan Westerman (4), Roman Dawson (4), Joe Ward (4).
