Every Super League club’s breakthrough star of 2024 including England stars present and future

The Super League season is wrapped up for another year: and there was a plethora of young gems unearthed across the competition in 2024.

Wigan Warriors star Junior Nsemba was crowned Super League’s Young Player of the Year for 2024, and there were so many more rising stars across the 12 clubs this year.

Here, Love Rugby League highlights a young player from every club in the competition who enjoyed a breakthrough season and impressed in Super League.

Castleford Tigers: Cain Robb

Robb has been around the Castleford first-team for several years now, having made his debut for the Tigers back in 2021.

But it was in 2024 when he really came to the fore for Cas, making 18 appearances for Craig Lingard’s side before his season was cut short by injury. The 21-year-old is a special talent, and if he continues his career trajectory, you wouldn’t be surprised to see him wearing the No. 9 jersey for the Tigers in years to come.

Catalans Dragons: Cesar Rouge

Rouge is similar to Robb in the sense that he made his first-team debut back in 2021: but 2024 marked the year of him maturing from an academy talent to a fully fledged Super League player.

The 22-year-old half-back made 21 appearances for Steve McNamara’s side this season, starting 12 of those and scoring four tries in the process. Rouge has already made his international debut for France, winning four caps for his country so far.

Huddersfield Giants: Aidan McGowan

McGowan actually started the season on loan in the Championship with Bradford, making 17 appearances for the Bulls before being recalled by parent club Huddersfield.

The highly-rated winger, who can also play fullback, made his Super League debut for the Giants in July and went on to make 10 appearances for Luke Robinson’s side.

McGowan’s performances were rewarded at the end of the year when he made his international debut for Ireland in their 36-6 win over Scotland.

NEXT GEN: Meet the ‘hardest training’ youngster Huddersfield Giants have high hopes for

Hull FC: Lewis Martin

2024 might well have been an utterly grim year on the whole for Hull FC, but their ability to bring through homegrown talent was one of few positives for the Black and Whites.

Martin, who made his first-team debut in 2023, made 25 appearances for Hull in 2024, scoring nine tries. He has an incredibly bright future ahead of him.

Hull KR: Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e

Okay, hear us out on this one. PLT didn’t make an appearance for Hull KR in 2024 as he spent the season on loan at Oldham, playing a starring role in the Roughyeds’ League 1 title-winning campaign, scoring 15 tries in 18 games.

Laulu-Togaga’e scooped the League 1 Player of the Year award for his marvellous displays for Oldham, and will remain with Sean Long’s side in 2025 for their campaign back in the Championship.

PLT has also signed a contract extension with Hull KR that will see him remain at Sewell Group Craven Park until the end of 2026, and if he has another impressive year with Oldham, then there’s no reason why he can’t break into Willie Peters’ first-team in 2026.

Leeds Rhinos: Alfie Edgell

The 20-year-old probably didn’t expect to play so many games for the Rhinos this season: but it was a fine breakthrough campaign from the youngster, who scored six tries in 16 games.

Edgell, who made his first-team debut in 2023, played primarily on the wing for the Rhinos in 2024 but also featured at fullback. He has a bright future ahead of him, and will add strength in depth to Brad Arthur’s backline next season.

NEXT GEN: Meet Alfie Edgell – the Leeds Rhinos fullback who grew up idolising Danny McGuire

Leigh Leopards: Umyla Hanley

Hanley enjoyed his best season to date in 2024 as he broke into Adrian Lam’s first-team with the Leopards, scoring 14 tries in 31 appearances in all competitions.

The 22-year-old also completed the transition from wing to centre, a position which has made his home in Lam’s 17 due to his impressive performances.

London Broncos: Oli Leyland

The Broncos endured a tough year on and off the pitch: but it was a season of genuine growth for Leyland, who scored three tries and kicked 40 goals in 28 games for Mike Eccles’ side in all competitions.

Leyland excelled at both fullback and half-back this year in his first season in Super League: so much so that he attracted the interest of Warrington Wolves and Sam Burgess, with the Kent-born playmaker signing a two-year deal with the Wire from 2025.

Salford Red Devils: Harvey Wilson

The 20-year-old prop was a mid-season arrival at Salford from Wigan, having signed a deal with the Red Devils until at least the end of 2025.

Wilson made five appearances for Paul Rowley’s side towards the back end of 2024: and showed plenty of promising signs. If he can put some size on in pre-season and build on those displays next season, then Salford fans are in for a treat.

St Helens: Harry Robertson

Robertson is gem who has come through the famed Saints academy. He made his first-team debut at the age of 18 in a derby clash with Wigan, and he impressed so much so that he stayed in Paul Wellens’ side for the next two months.

It’s probably fair to say that every rugby league fan can see that Robertson is going to be a very special player if he continues his career trajectory. He is going to be part of this St Helens side for years to come, you suspect.

NEXT GEN: St Helens teenager lifts lid on incredible debut and remarkable backstory

Warrington Wolves: Adam Holroyd

The Warrington academy product has made 25 appearances for the Wolves since making his first-team debut in 2022, with 18 of those coming in 2024.

Holroyd has quickly built up a reputation of being a hard worker, a grafter, an old school type back-rower: and Sam Burgess is a keen admirer of him. Holroyd’s best is yet to come, you feel, but 2024 was a gargantuan year for the 20-year-old.

NEXT GEN: The Warrington Wolves product with ‘great potential’ thriving under Sam Burgess’ tutelage

Wigan Warriors: Junior Nsemba

What a year it has been for Nsemba. The 20-year-old became a mainstay in Matt Peet’s forward pack this year, scoring eight tries in 28 appearances.

The towering back-rower played a major role in the Warriors becoming the first team in the Super League era to win all four trophies available to them during a single season.

Super League Young Player of the Year. Super League Dream Team member. England debut. What a year. We’re running out of superlatives to describe him. Serious talent.

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