Super League’s most penalised players of 2024 including Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors pair

2024 was a game-changing year for Super League when it came to disciplinary procedures.

The opening months of the season were marred with huge controversy about an adjustment – or lack of – to new tackle height laws, which came under increasing scrutiny and prompted the Rugby Football League to ultimately change tact on their approach.

Some of the competition’s biggest names were front and centre to disciplinary drama – and over the course of the season, the ten players who racked up the most penalties conceded makes for interesting reading.

Throw in the cards they copped too, and this is a list nobody wants to be part of: but it’s full of surprises – not least at the very top..

10. Liam Farrell

The list begins with Wigan Warriors captain Farrell – one of two inclusions from the reigning Super League champions on this year’s list.

Farrell conceded 15 penalties while on the field for the Warriors in 2024 – but he didn’t actually pick up a single card, yellow or red. However, that tally is enough to put him in the top ten for this year.

9. Kallum Watkins

Farrell is one of four players who conceded 15 penalties in 2024 with another captain, Salford’s Kallum Watkins, also in that bracket.

However, the Red Devils star did pick up a yellow card throughout the season too – which nudges him just ahead of Farrell on the indiscipline stakes in our book!

8. Olly Russell

Huddersfield half-back Russell is the third player who accrued a total of 15 penalties against his name in 2024. Russell also picked up two yellow cards in his final season as a Giants player – he’ll move across West Yorkshire and play for Wakefield Trinity next season.

7. Liam Horne

Castleford hooker and Papua New Guinea international Horne also conceded 15 penalties from an individual perspective in 2024.

Horne also has three cards against his name – one red and two yellow!

6. Ligi Sao

Hull FC prop Sao conceded 17 penalties this year, and was involved in a number of controversial disciplinary moments to boot in a tough year disciplinary-wise for the forward.

He was, of course, sent off on the opening night of the season against Hull KR: and he would also pick up another two yellow cards and a further red card throughout 2024.

5. Rhyse Martin

He’s bound for Hull KR in 2025 – and Willie Peters will certainly hope Martin can sharpen up on the discipline side of his game when he becomes a Robin.

19 penalties conceded in total and a yellow card put Martin inside the top five when it comes to the competition’s most ill-disciplined players in 2024.

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4. Will Lovell

London captain Lovell has just committed to another season in the capital for the Broncos – and while he showed no shortage of endeavour in leading from the front for the Broncos in Super League, he was also among the competition’s dirtiest players.

Lovell conceded 21 penalties – one of only four players to accrue more than 20 against his name – and also picked up a yellow card to boot.

3. Elie El-Zakhem

The second Castleford player on this list is forward El-Zakhem. He didn’t receive any cards this season for the Tigers but he did concede a whopping 22 penalties in total.

2. James McDonnell

That’s one fewer than the number which Leeds forward McDonnell conceded during his time on the field for the Rhinos this season. He collected 23 penalties in 2024.

1. Harry Smith

It may come as a surprise to plenty – but in terms of discipline in 2024, it’s Wigan and England scrum-half Harry Smith who ranks as the worst offender.

Like McDonnell, Smith conceded 23 penalties throughout the course of the season. But he also picked up three cards – two yellows and a red – which rank him just above McDonnell and top of this list.

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