Dream XIII of Yorkshire Super League stars
With it being Yorkshire Day, we’ve decided to select a Dream XIII made up of Super League players born in the White Rose county.
1. Niall Evalds
Evalds, 27, has really settled in to life at Castleford after joining the Tigers ahead of the 2021 season from Salford. Despite a loss for his side at Wembley, a terrific individual performance saw him claim the Lance Todd Trophy in the 2021 Challenge Cup final, only the fourth ever Castleford player to do so.
The full-back – who has signed a two-year contract extension with the club – is from the Halifax area of West Yorkshire. He has scored three times in eight appearances so far this season.
2. Tom Lineham
Lineham has been a prolific try scorer in recent years with Hull and Warrington having scored 116 tries in 167 appearances in Super League. The winger – who starred in the 2013 Super League Dream Team – was born in Leeds.
3. Zak Hardaker
Pontefract-born Hardaker was part of a Leeds team that won two Challenge Cups and three Super League titles. He then moved to Castleford in 2017 where he was a part of the first Tigers squad to lift the Super League Leaders Shield. He joined Wigan in 2019 following his drug ban.
He has scored four tries in eight appearances this season for Wigan. The England international has been named in the Super League Dream Team three times and was 2015 Man of Steel.
4. Harry Newman
In just three games back after recovering from a horrific double-leg break injury, Newman has caught up for lost time getting stuck right into the action this season. Newman burst onto the scene back in 2017 where he made history by becoming the first player born this century to play in Super League.
He spent time on dual registration with Featherstone before breaking into the Rhinos first team and being named Super League’s Young Player of the Year for the 2020 season.
5. Ryan Hall
Hall has recaptured his try-scoring form this season that saw him as a fan favourite at Headingley. The winger is Super League’s current top try scorer this season with 12 tries in 11 appearances for Hull KR.
England’s all-time record tryscorer is certainly back to his best after an injury-plagued stint in the NRL saw him make only 11 appearances for Sydney Roosters.
6. Jake Trueman
Trueman, 22, who was a Bradford academy product joined Castleford in 2017. He is considered as one of the best young half-backs in the game and played a pivotal role in getting the Tigers to the 2021 Challenge Cup final.
7. Luke Gale
Gale was named in the Super League Dream Team in three consecutive years between 2015-17. The former Man of Steel played an integral role in guiding Castleford to the League Leaders Shield and their first Super League Grand Final which they lost 24-6 against Leeds.
He then linked up with the Rhinos, his hometown club, for the 2020 season where he sealed another Challenge Cup for the club with a 76th minute drop-goal.
8. Alex Walmsley
Alex Walmsley tasted Challenge Cup victory with St. Helens for the first time back in July after beating Castleford 26-12 at Wembley. He was included in the 2020 Super League Dream Team after an impressive season which saw him score ten tries in 20 appearances.
9. Paul McShane
McShane is the current Super League Man of Steel after a stellar 2020 season earned him plaudits from many quarters. He has quickly become one of the most respected hookers in the game and was selected in Shaun Wane’s England side that faced the Combined Nations All Stars earlier in the year.
10. Liam Watts
Watts is set to link up with former coach Lee Radford in 2022 after the former Hull FC boss was appointed in place of Daryl Powell, who heads to Warrington next season. The prop has scored two tries in nine appearances this season.
11. Alex Mellor
Mellor has been in red hot form this season combining down the Leeds left edge. The Halifax-born forward signed for the Rhinos from Huddersfield ahead of the 2020 season in which he starred in Leeds’ Challenge Cup victory against Salford.
12. Oliver Holmes
Holmes, 28, has made more than 200 appearances for Castleford since making his senior debut back in 2010. In 2018 he was selected in the England Knights performance squad where he debuted in England’s 44-6 win over France before appearing on their tour of Papua New Guinea.
He is set to leave his hometown club as he heads to Warrington at the end of the season along with Peter Mata’utia and coach Daryl Powell.
13. John Bateman
