Every Super League club’s perfect first 2025 fixture including FOUR local derbies
Who would every Super League club's ideal opening fixture of 2025 be?
The 2025 Super League season will come further into view this week, with confirmation of the full fixture list for the upcoming campaign.
There’ll be some milestone moments in every club’s list of games for next year: Rivals Round, their final game and, of course, who they play first up.
Every team will have an ideal opponent and location in mind for the first weekend of the season. So who would be the perfect fit for all 12 Super League teams when the new season starts in February? We’ve got some ideas..
Castleford Tigers: Leeds Rhinos (A)
The obvious option here might be newly-promoted Wakefield Trinity. But given the buzz surrounding the Tigers’ new-look coaching team including Danny McGuire and Brett Delaney, the prospect of them going to AMT Headingley on the opening weekend is fascinating.
The subplots alone make for an intriguing game – and that’s before you factor in two local rivals who will have serious aspirations of a better performance in 2025 after underwhelming seasons this year. It would be a brilliant start.
Catalans Dragons: St Helens (H)
The Dragons will undoubtedly want to be at home on the opening weekend, just as they were this season when they inflicted defeat on Sam Burgess’ Warrington.
Another big-name heading to the south of France for the first match would be incredibly appealing – and throw in the Tommy Makinson link, and it’s enough to get people interested.
Huddersfield Giants: Leeds Rhinos (H)
There’s a theme running across the majority of West Yorkshire for 2025, with most clubs looking to post improved showings after a dismal 2024. That’s definitely the case for Luke Robinson and Huddersfield Giants, with Robinson looking to turn the club’s fortunes around next year.
They’d be another side who would love a local derby against Leeds on the opening weekend to attract a decent crowd.
Hull FC: Hull KR (H)
A repeat of last year’s opener, anyone? There’s at least one side of Hull who’d definitely be up for that – with the Black and Whites hoping to kick-start the John Cartwright era with a bang in 2025.
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Hull KR: Wigan Warriors (A)
..however, we’re thinking the other side of Hull might fancy a different opening-night challenge! There’s no doubting the organisers and Sky Sports will be looking for a huge fixture to start 2025: and this could be it.
It was tradition once upon a time for the opening game of the season to be a Grand Final rematch: Wigan would get the honours of hosting as reigning champions but the prospect of last year’s two standout teams going at it again would certainly grab some headlines.
Leeds Rhinos: Wakefield Trinity (H)
The Rhinos are going to be on the list for a desired opening round opponent for a fair few teams we’d think: but who would be their perfect first match of 2025?
The prospect of a packed-out AMT Headingley against newly-promoted Wakefield would be a great fit. Trinity will head across West Yorkshire with a big travelling army of supporters, a new-look team and lofty ambitions. Testing those against a Rhinos team who have bold goals for 2025 would be a perfect fixture.
Leigh Leopards: Wigan Warriors (H)
There’s a few teams who’d fancy a crack at the all-conquering world champions at the start of next season: and we know Leigh are one. A sold-out LSV, a big pre-match entertainment routine and a barnstormer of a local derby? Sign us up.
Salford Red Devils: Leigh Leopards (H)
The Red Devils were magnificent last season against all the odds – will they be written off so easily in 2025? Either way, the one team they might really fancy a crack at early doors would be the one who ended their season in the play-offs last season: Adrian Lam’s Leopards.
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St Helens: Wigan Warriors (H)
It’ll be somewhat of a new-look Saints side that takes to the field in 2025 – and they’ll be keen to right the wrongs of 2024 with a fast start to the new campaign. What better way to do that than by claiming the scalp of the reigning champions on home turf.
Wakefield Trinity: Castleford Tigers (H)
Some clubs probably won’t mind whether they’re home or away first game – but Wakefield will definitely want to have their first match back in Super League on home soil.
They’ll go all out to sell Belle Vue out – and if they had Castleford coming to town on the opening night, that prospect would be almost guaranteed. Local bragging rights on the line on the opening weekend? It’s a sure-fire ticket for success in the scheduling.
Warrington Wolves: St Helens (H)
Sam Burgess’ side knocked the Saints out of the play-offs in 2024: a Friday night under the lights at the Halliwell Jones Stadium looking for a repeat? There’s a fair few Wire fans who would sign up to that.
Wigan Warriors: Hull KR (H)
A showdown with Warrington Wolves might appeal – but that’s locked in for Las Vegas in March, so can’t happen again so soon. So a Grand Final rematch against Willie Peters’ Rovers, continuing one of the sport’s hottest new rivalries, gets our thumbs up as a perfect fit for the Warriors to start their pursuit of a three-peat.
TUESDAY’S PICKS ON LRL
👉🏻 Predicting Super League’s opening round fixtures including Grand Final rematch
👉🏻 Ranking Castleford Tigers’ 10 best academy graduates in the Super League era
👉🏻 Super League’s best half-backs ranked: Wigan Warriors duo both star in top 4
👉🏻 Former Wakefield Trinity coach ‘in running’ for New South Wales job
