Supercomputer predicts 2026 season with Hull KR champions and Bradford LAST

Aaron Bower 04 Dec 2025 3:15 PM

Hull KR captain Elliot Minchella and head coach Willie Peters holding the Super League trophy following their victory in the 2025 Grand Final

A supercomputer has predicted how the 2026 Super League season will unfold – with Hull KR tipped as the likeliest champions and Bradford Bulls projected to finish bottom.\

AceOdds have devised a model that factors in data on team strength, ELO ratings for all the Super League clubs and as many as 10,000 simulations to determine results that are not influenced by human predictions or bias.

And the results are fascinating. It shows that the Robins will likely go on and defend the title they won last season at Old Trafford, with the supercomputer predicted they have a 75.5% chance of getting to another Grand Final and a 54.3% chance of winning Super League once again.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Wigan Warriors are tipped as second-favourites, with the computer giving them a 25.5% chance of reclaiming the Grand Final title come October next year.

Leigh Leopards and St Helens are then touted as the next two favourites to lift the title. The Leopards have a 10.8% chance according to the data of ending their wait for a maiden Super League title.

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The computer projects that the play-offs will most likely be comprised by the same six teams as in 2025, with Leeds Rhinos and Wakefield Trinity coming up next.

The bigger surprises, though, are perhaps at the bottom. Newly-promoted Bradford are given a 64.8% chance of finishing last in their first season back in the top-flight in 2026 – and Castleford Tigers are tipped as the likeliest team to finish second-bottom.

Despite a major recruitment drive going into next year ahead of Ryan Carr’s arrival as head coach, the supercomputer thinks it is the Tigers who are the second favourites for the wooden spoon.

They are the only two teams given no chance on the odds of making the play-offs – as you can see from the chart below..