Six bold predictions for 2025 including Hull FC, Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos

We are now in 2025, and with that comes a lot of hope, anticipation and excitement at a new rugby league season on the horizon. 

Teams across the game will be eyeing up success this year, either as a way to cure the woes of 2024 or as a result of progress made in the last calendar year.

But, how will 2025 play out in the world of rugby league?

Well, here are our six BOLD predictions for the coming year…

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Hull FC to finish bottom of Super League

While Hull FC have drafted in almost a whole new squad, and are under new leadership, the Airlie Birds could still very easily find themselves at the bottom of the pile this year.

Super League is becoming stronger by the year, and given their simply abject performances in both 2023 and 2024, it’s seemingly going to take a MASSIVE overhaul to turn things around at Hull.

On paper, recruits like John Asiata and Jordan Rapana are good ones, but the game isn’t played on paper – as FC know all too well. 2025 could be yet another tough year at the MKM Stadium.

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Hull KR to end their trophy drought

Across the city at Hull KR, things seem to be going from strength to strength, and we think this will finally be the year that they end their long wait for a major honour.

Willie Peters has turned the Robins into genuine contenders for all three of the trophies on offer – the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and Super League title, as proven over the last two seasons.

Wigan might have something to say about it, in fact we’re sure they will, but KR need to be ready to pounce upon any slip up from the Warriors – especially in the cup.

If it doesn’t happen in 2025, this KR team could well become one of the sporting tales of ‘the best to never do it’.

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Wakefield Trinity to make the play-offs

We told you we’d come back to them. Wakefield are a much different prospect now than they were back in 2023 when they were relegated, with the outlook on Trinity night and day compared to then.

Daryl Powell and his backroom team have recruited well again and we think they’ll score points for fun. Just like Leigh did when they came up in 2023, we’re backing Wakefield to reach the Super League play-offs.

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Leeds Rhinos to finish in the top four

Another side we’re backing to take part in the Super League play-offs are Leeds, and we’re actually going a step further in backing them to finish in the top four.

Brad Arthur is preparing for his first full season in charge at Headingley, and everything is gearing up for this to be a big year for he Rhinos.

Arthur arrived midway through last year and managed to get a tune out of a squad Rohan Smith had struggled to motivate. Now he’s had a full pre-season, and added a sprinkling of his own recruits into the mix, we can see them really pushing on.

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York to win the Championship

The Championship is going to be a really intriguing competition to watch this year, because – for what feels like the first time in forever – we’re entering a campaign without an outright clear favourite.

There’s no Leigh or Wakefield, relegated London are essentially rebuilding and Featherstone are far from the side they were a few years ago.

Our money’s going to go on York – who we’re tipping to win the second tier this season. The Knights struggled for a large chunk of 2024, but enjoyed a tremendous upturn in form following the arrival of head coach Mark Applegarth and went as far as pushing Wakefield very close in the play-off semi-finals.

Ahead of 2025, they’ve recruited very well and will undoubtedly be in the mix at the top.

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England to beat Australia in the Ashes Series

We’ve left the biggest call on this list until last, and plenty will disagree with this, but we think England will (just about) beat Australia this autumn!

Shaun Wane’s side are bang in form, winning all seven of their games since the last World Cup in 2022. People will point towards the standard of opposition, but Tonga and Samoa are 4th and 5th respectively in the World rankings.

Head coach Wane is now able to pick from some of the best players in the game, with a strong NRL contingent flying the English flag, and he’s got players actually wanting to represent England again.

We know it’s a BOLD call, but we can dare to dream, right?!

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