Who are the faces of 2025 Super League including Hull KR and Hull FC?

Hull Kingston Rovers’ Mikey Lewis switched on the Christmas Lights in Hull city centre this week – and his head coach Willie Peters commented on how the player is increasingly being recognised by those outside of rugby league now. The sport needs stand-out stars who can become widely known, to promote it, across the competition – and ones who should be looked out for. As teams head back to pre-season and excitement builds ahead of 2025, here is a look at every Super League club – debate can go on about who should be picked from each club, but here is a list of arguable stand-outs from each club:

Castleford Tigers – Liam Horne

Impressive performances led to a contract extension during mid-2024 – and director of rugby of rugby Danny Wilson commented on Horne being “a fan favourite due to his personality”.

Catalans Dragons – Sam Tomkins

Sky Sports pundit Tomkins dramatically came out of retirement last year – and the two-times Man of Steel winner will play again for Catalans Dragons in 2025.

Huddersfield Giants – Tom Burgess

Arriving from the NRL, Burgess has attracted attention by returning to Super League, which will increase in round one when he faces brother Sam’s Warrington Wolves.

Hull FC – Herman Ese’ese

Big-hitting forward has been a stand-out for Hull FC and was popular among supporters, making the transition to England successfully after a long period in Australia.

Hull KR – Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

Hull KR raised eyebrows with the signing of long-serving Sydney Roosters star and he will be the leader of an already tough pack – and in the spotlight due to his hard-hitting reputation.

Leeds Rhinos – Brodie Croft

Australian half-back’s future has been in focus in recent times, with NRL-based interest reported, and that is understandable as the former Man of Steel is a big influence on Leeds.

Leigh Leopards – Edwin Ipape

Repaid Leigh coach Adrian Lam for signing him by playing a pivotal role for the club with his all-round game, which adds to the stellar reputation he has in Papua New Guinea.

Salford Red Devils – Marc Sneyd

Influential playmaker has an outstanding kicking game and – like his time in this city with Hull FC – he has often been the difference between victory and defeat for Salford.

St Helens – Matty Lees

The prop was hard to handle for Saints this year and had a reputation for stepping up to play big minutes during the club’s challenging and absence-affected campaign.

Wakefield Trinity – Max Jowitt

The points machine impressed in the Championship with his kicking but he was also a dangerous creator for others, so it will be exciting to see his progress back in Super League.

Warrington Wolves – George Williams

England captain showed his class again against Samoa recently and had some stunning 2024 Super League moments including last-gasp drop goal against St Helens in play-off classic.

Wigan Warriors – Bevan French

Produced the magic moment in the Grand Final against Hull KR to help seal Wigan’s quadruple and was described by Rovers coach Willie Peters as a “freak” regarding his rare ability.