The clubs who are set for IMG score drops including Leeds Rhinos and Hull FC

It’s the start of a significant week in the world of rugby league: with all clubs nervously awaiting the reveal of the IMG gradings for 2025.

Those gradings will determine which 12 clubs are in Super League next year – and which sides are immune from relegation due to achieving a score of 15 or more and Grade A status.

There are plenty of clubs who will be confident their score will improve this week – but there are some who may be bracing for a drop in their tally, too.

Here’s some of those clubs.

Hull FC

There is growing expectation that while a number of Super League clubs will move from a Grade B to a Grade A, Hull FC are set to go in the opposite direction.

That is due to a number of aspects on the grading criteria but most notably, the performance aspect. Their score in that regard will drop significantly due to another disappointing league finish this year which actually puts them 12th on that listing due to the bonus points secured by Wakefield Trinity.

Will it serve as a wake-up call for the Black and Whites to improve on and off the field? They’re likely to be one of the biggest talking points this week.

Newcastle Thunder

It’s hard to believe that 12 months ago, the Thunder were graded above clubs including London Broncos and Halifax Panthers. They are likely to drop down the rankings this time, however.

Again, like Hull FC, league performance will be significant. The Broncos finished 11th in the Championship three seasons ago but that ranking will be replaced by a bottom of League 1 standing in 2024, significantly hitting their three-year average.

A tumultuous 12 months off the field for the club means that Thunder are one club you’d expect to drop down the list by quite a bit in the coming days.

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Leeds Rhinos

Don’t worry, Rhinos fans: there is no danger whatsoever of your side falling out of the Grade A threshold. In fact, they will be above the 15-point barrier by some distance when all is said and done.

But having maxed out in a number of areas off the field last year, there’s not much more room for the Rhinos to improve things: underlined by a very healthy score of 17.49.

That will drop you would suspect, partially because they were 5th in Super League in 2021 and they didn’t even make the play-offs this year.

Leeds also have a 2nd-placed ranking to defend next year too after reaching the Grand Final in 2022. So while their score might well go down, it isn’t anything to worry about.

Whitehaven

Another club who, like Newcastle, have been doing it incredibly tough on the field and you would suspect will take a hit in the finance aspect of the grading.

It isn’t too much to worry about for the Cumbrian club: they have more pressing matters to attend to, for a start. And their route back to the Championship won’t be defined by gradings, it’ll be defined by on-field performance alone.

But throw in the fact they’re replacing a 5th-placed finish on the performance criteria with a 13th-placed one this time, and Haven’s score of 6.27 might take a slight hit.

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