Power Rankings: Oldham remain top as Warrington Wolves and Hull KR rise

Each week this season, Love Rugby League will be bringing you our Power Rankings, ranking the top 10 clubs in the British game we believe have the most momentum behind them.

The 35 clubs across Super League, the Championship and League 1 are all in the running to be involved, with solely on-field performance affecting the rankings (we’re not IMG!).

Our latest top 10 of the campaign is below, with all competitive games to this point taken into account.

For Super League clubs, that’s their performances across the 21 rounds played out so far and the Challenge Cup.

Meanwhile, the Championship and League 1 seasons got underway in March, and clubs in those divisions had already played games in the 1895 Cup and Challenge Cup this year prior to that as well.

For reference, last week’s Power Rankings are here.

Without further ado, here’s the Love Rugby League Power Rankings (12/08/2024)…

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10. Halifax Panthers (NEW)

Championship outfit Fax, who have had a disappointing season overall, are involved in our Power Rankings for the first time after making it three wins on the spin with a 38-12 victory at home against Barrow Raiders on Sunday afternoon.

The Panthers led by two at the break, and scored an impressive 24 unanswered points in the second half. Sat 10th on the ladder in the second tier, they’re now four points clear of the relegation zone and three clear of Barrow.

9. Doncaster (NEW)

Doncaster are also newly involved in our Power Rankings having claimed the scalp of Toulouse Olympique with an eye-catching 20-18 win at the Eco-Power Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

That was a fifth win in seven for the Dons, who – in their first season back in the second tier following promotion – are well in the play-off mix, sat one competition point outside the top six as things stand.

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8. Widnes Vikings (-)

Widnes were beaten 8-0 at home by Featherstone Rovers on Sunday afternoon, with that the first game they’ve lost in five. Allan Coleman’s side have fallen to 5th on the Championship ladder, sat a point below 4th-placed Bradford Bulls.

The top two looks out of reach for the Vikings, but it’s imperative they get back to winning ways soon so they’re able to secure a 3rd or 4th-place finish and with it a home tie in the play-offs.

7. Keighley Cougars (NEW)

With three games of the regular season left, it looks as though top spot in League 1 may well be out of reach for Keighley, currently sat three competition points behind leaders Oldham.

Crucially however, with a hard-fought 24-16 win away against North Wales Crusaders on Sunday, the Cougars mathematically made sure nobody could catch them in 2nd spot. Accordingly, when the play-offs come around, they’ll have home advantage to start with. The Cougar Park natives have now lost just one of their last 10 (W8, D1).

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6. Leigh Leopards (-)

Leigh remain in 6th spot in our rankings after a jam-packed week which saw them beaten 28-6 at Wigan Warriors on Tuesday night, and then go on to beat Hull FC on home soil on Sunday afternoon, 42-12 victors at the Leopards’ Den.

Adrian Lam’s Leopards have now won five of their last six, but remain 8th on the Super League ladder. They’re a point below 7th-placed Leeds Rhinos, but more importantly, five behind those occupying play-off spots.

5. Warrington Wolves (-)

It was a winning weekend for Warrington, who picked up a 36-22 victory away against bottom club London Broncos on Sunday afternoon. The performance was by no means a classic from Sam Burgess’ side, but they got the job done in the capital.

As a result, the Wolves have moved back to within two competition points of Hull KR and Wigan – the sides occupying 1st and 2nd on the ladder respectively. Sat in 3rd, Wire now have a four point gap to those chasing them, and they have won six of their last seven overall.

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4. Toulouse Olympique (DOWN 2)

As they lost at Doncaster on Saturday, Toulouse were beaten for the first time since April 27, and their unbeaten run came to an end having lasted 12 games (W11, D1). Olympique remain 2nd in the Championship table, a point above 3rd-placed Sheffield Eagles.

Head coach Sylvain Houles will hope that the loss in South Yorkshire acts as a reminder that the job is not yet finished where obtaining a home semi-final tie in the play-offs is confirmed. The French side have still got to play Sheffield before the regular season comes to an end.

3. Wakefield Trinity (UP 1)

Top-of-the-table Wakefield picked up a 42-6 win at home against Sheffield on Friday evening, recording a third consecutive victory in the process having still been beaten just once in the Championship so far this season.

Trinity are now nine competition points clear of nearest competitors Toulouse, and 10 clear of the Eagles in 3rd place. Still unbeaten at Belle Vue in 2024, they could mathematically have a top two spot wrapped up by the end of this month.

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2. Hull KR (UP 1)

KR beat Castleford 36-6 at Craven Park on Friday evening, with their points on the night coming unanswered following an early opener for the Tigers. The Robins have now won nine of their 11 home league games in 2024, and sit top of the Super League ladder on points difference following Wigan’s defeat at Leeds on Saturday afternoon.

Friday night’s success was Willie Peters’ side’s fifth victory on the spin and their ninth in the last 10 having been beaten in Golden Point extra time by Catalans Dragons last month. Their status as genuine contenders for the title seems to become more evident by the week.

1. Oldham (-)

As already mentioned, Oldham are three competition points clear at the top of the League 1 table, and are the odds on favourites to finish there. If they do so, they’ll gain automatic promotion up to the Championship – where they haven’t been since 2021.

Sean Long’s Roughyeds beat bottom club Newcastle Thunder 84-0 at Boundary Park on Sunday afternoon, with that their ninth consecutive victory. This weekend coming, they make the trip to Keighley. Win there, and they’ll wrap the title up.

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