Every Super League club’s most valuable transfer asset as deadline nears: Lewis, Welsby, Sneyd..
Clockwise from top left: Lachlan Lam (Leigh Leopards), George Williams (Warrington Wolves), Bevan French (Wigan Warriors) & Brodie Croft (Leeds Rhinos) all feature in this feature as their respective clubs' 'Most Valuable Player'
Super League clubs must have all of their transfer business for this season done and dusted by the close of play on Friday (August 2), with a handful of moves expected to be announced before the deadline.
Below, we’ve taken a look at who we think every top flight club’s most valuable player is.
It would take a pretty special offer for any of these to be lured away from the team they’re currently contracted to, as we’ll get onto…
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Castleford Tigers – Liam Horne
Having featured five times and helped Castleford over the line in their bid for survival at the back end of last season, 26-year-old Horne has excelled this term. The Papua New Guinean hooker has been an ever-present for Craig Lingard’s side to date, arguably their player of the season. They’ve tied him down until the end of the 2026 season, too.
Catalans Dragons – Arthur Mourgue
Homegrown ace Mourgue – a six-time France international – is only contracted until the end of next season, but you’d wager that Catalans will be seeking an extension sooner rather than later. At 25, he stepped in to fill the shoes of Sam Tomkins this season, and did a sterling job. Now, with Tomkins returning, he’s moved into the halves and at times this year, he’s even played at hooker.
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Huddersfield Giants – Adam Clune
29-year-old Clune arrived at Huddersfield in the off-season with big expectation on his shoulders. And though the Giants haven’t hit the heights they’d have hoped, he’s been the standout individually for us. The Australian has been tied down until the end of the 2026 season, and definitely fits the billing as Huddersfield’s ‘MVP’.
Hull FC – Denive Balmforth
The first Englishman in this list, young hooker Balmforth had to bide his time for his chance at the MKM Stadium this season, but has taken it with both hands. In recent weeks, the 20-year-old has delivered some big performances, and earned himself a new deal for next year. The ludicrous thing is, game time may be even harder to come by once Amir Bourouh arrives from Salford.
Hull KR – Mikey Lewis
Across the city at KR, Lewis is tied down until the end of the 2028 season, and it’s a good job. He loves the Robins, but you’d expect bigger clubs on both sides of the globe to come knocking if he continues to perform as he is doing. The 23-year-old has been around for what feels like forever, and is now one of the best playmakers in Super League.
He’s one of the best s**thouses too, and we love the confidence he has in himself. Now a three-time England international, the KR academy product is fast approaching a century of senior appearances in their colours.
Leeds Rhinos – Brodie Croft
2022 Man of Steel Croft, 27, has been one of very few standout players in what has been another drab season for the Rhinos to date. Leeds paid a handsome fee to Salford for his services ahead of this season, and 16 assists so far this year in Super League show exactly why. He’s still incredibly valuable with a contract which runs until the end of the 2026 campaign.
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Leigh Leopards – Lachlan Lam
Lam is a wanted man, and it’s no surprise. The 26-year-old has taken Super League by storm since Leigh were promoted, and has established himself as one of the best halves in the British game. If the Leopards can keep hold of the PNG ace until at least the end of his contract next year, it’ll probably outweigh any recruitment they do. A very, very valuable asset.
London Broncos – Rhys Kennedy
Prop Kennedy will turn 30 in October, but remains the most valuable asset on London’s books at the moment in our opinion. The Broncos look destined for a return to the Championship come 2025, and we’d be surprised if they manage to hang on to the Australian. He could definitely fill a hole in a Super League club’s squad next year, make no doubt about it.
Salford Red Devils – Marc Sneyd
Maybe it’s because he’s not an overseas star, or because Salford aren’t one of the top dogs, but Sneyd has only just started to get the plaudits he deserves. There’s no one better with the boot in Super League, and in terms of value to a team, you’d have to push hard to find someone more important to a side than he is to the Red Devils. The 33-year-old is contracted for another two years.
St Helens – Jack Welsby
There was panic for Saints, and Super League on the whole, when the NRL came knocking for Welsby at the end of last season. It took a contract which runs until the end of the 2027 season to tie him down, but – as we knew he would do – the academy product has proved his worth again this year.
Shifting from full-back into the halves when required amidst an injury crisis of late, there are very few times that the 23-year-old has let the Red V down. They’ll undoubtedly miss him while he’s sidelined with the hamstring issue picked up last week. Invaluable, really.
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Warrington Wolves – George Williams
England skipper Williams, who will turn 30 in October, seems to have stepped up a gear this season under the tutelage of former international team-mate Sam Burgess. Six tries and nine assists in Super League so far this term are just the tip of the iceberg where Warrington’s vice-captain is concerned, simply one of the best halves we have in our game. He’s aging like a fine wine!
Midway through last season, the Wolves handed him a contract which runs until the end of the 2026 season. The way things are going, who’s to say he won’t have another Grand Final winners’ ring in his possession by the time that deal comes to an end?
Wigan Warriors – Bevan French
Rounding things off with Wigan, it was never going to be anyone else other than French. The Warriors moved quickly to hand the superstar a four-year deal which runs until the end of the 2028 season, and we’ve seen exactly why on plenty of occasions already.
The Australian ace is electric in everything that he does, scoring tries and making them for fun. His ability to come up with a moment of magic is virtually unmatched across Super League, and if there was any doubt over just how important he is to the Warriors, you only have to look at how they’ve faltered since he tore his hamstring last month.
