Power Rankings: Wigan Warriors and Leigh Leopards rise alongside Championship duo
From left to right: Wigan Warriors, Leigh Leopards and Featherstone Rovers all feature in this week's Power Rankings
Each week this season, Love Rugby League will be bringing you our Power Rankings, ranking the top 10 clubs in the British game we believe have the most momentum behind them.
The 35 clubs across Super League, the Championship and League 1 are all in the running to be involved, with solely on-field performance affecting the rankings (we’re not IMG!).
Our latest top 10 of the campaign is below, with all competitive games to this point taken into account.
For Super League clubs, that’s their performances across the 24 rounds played out so far and the Challenge Cup.
Meanwhile, the Championship season got underway in March, and 22 rounds have been played out to date. And in League 1, the regular season has now concluded.
Cubs in the bottom two divisions had also already played games in the 1895 Cup and Challenge Cup this year prior to their league campaigns beginning.
For reference, last week’s Power Rankings are here.
Without further ado, here’s the Love Rugby League Power Rankings (02/09/2024)…
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10. Keighley Cougars (DOWN 2)
The regular League 1 season is now over, and Keighley head into the play-offs on the back of a defeat having been beaten 32-18 at Rochdale Hornets on Sunday afternoon. Nonetheless, the Cougars achieved a 2nd place finish so will have home advantage in the play-offs – and have only been beaten four times in the league all season, including twice by runaway champions Oldham.
9. Bradford Bulls (NEW)
Bradford thumped Championship basement boys Dewsbury Rams 54-0 at Odsal on Friday night, extending their run to just one defeat in their last five outings (W3, D1). The Bulls are now within one competition point of 2nd-placed Toulouse Olympique with four rounds of the regular campaign remaining.
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8. Rochdale Hornets (NEW)
We’ve already mentioned Rochdale’s win against Keighley on Sunday, but with it, the Hornets ensured they’d have home advantage in the play-offs with a 3rd place finish. Winning their last four and five of their last six overall, Gary Thornton’s side are THE form team heading into the play-offs, with their points return over the last five bettered only by champions Oldham.
7. Wigan Warriors (UP 2)
Wigan were 26-18 winners in Perpignan against Catalans Dragons on Saturday night, with their youth shining through yet again in the shape of Junior Nsemba and Tom Forber. Keeping their pursuit of the League Leaders’ Shield alive with a fourth win in their last five, the Cherry and Whites host Hull KR on Friday night – the side currently above them at the top of the ladder.
6. York (UP 1)
Mark Applegarth’s York won 40-0 at Whitehaven on Sunday afternoon, and are now within two competition points of the top six in the Championship following a pretty woeful start to the year. The Knights have now won four games on the spin, and 11 of their last 15 looking back longer-term.
5. Featherstone Rovers (UP 1)
Featherstone are one of two teams in the Championship that have had a perfect record over the last five rounds, beating Barrow Raiders 36-18 at Post Office Road on Sunday afternoon to continue piling the pressure on those above them in the table. Sat 5th with four rounds of the regular season remaining, the Flatcappers are only three competition points behind 2nd-placed Toulouse.
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4. Leigh Leopards (UP 1)
Adrian Lam’s Leigh side beat Warrington Wolves 16-12 on Friday night to pick up a fourth win on the spin and eighth win in their last nine. For the first time this season, having won just one of their first nine games in 2024, the Leopards now occupy a spot in the play-offs, and finishing in the top six is in their hands.
3. Wakefield Trinity (-)
Championship table toppers Wakefield are the other Championship side – along with neighbours Featherstone – to have won all of their last five in the division. Trinity have still lost just once this year in the league having won 60-0 away against Swinton Lions on Sunday afternoon, and with the League Leaders’ Shield already wrapped up, look good value for a Grand Final trophy lift.
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2. Oldham (-)
Oldham lifted the League 1 title on Sunday afternoon at Boundary Park after a 56-0 win against Workington Town, with the hosts ending the campaign seven points clear of nearest competitors Keighley. Sean Long’s side can now look forward to competing in the Championship in 2025 having lost just one of their 20 league games this year. Congratulations to the Roughyeds!
1. Hull KR (-)
Hull KR are absolutely flying, beating Salford Red Devils 32-12 at Craven Park on Friday night to ensure they’d remain top of the ladder with just four rounds remaining. That was the Robins’ eighth win on the spin and 12th in 13 overall. Their long wait for a major honour could well be over in a few weeks providing they can get the job done away against Wigan on Friday evening!
