Super League’s best hookers ranked: Papua New Guinean pair included alongside Wigan Warriors duo

There were some consistently impressive performers all over the field in Super League in 2024: including the hookers.

Below, we rank the seven best stars we saw in the #9 spot in Super League this year…

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9. Joe Mellor (Salford Red Devils)

Mellor often gets overlooked when it comes to those receiving praise in the Salford side, but his rugby league IQ alone is worth noting. Reading the game exceptionally well, the veteran makes key decisions to influence the Red Devils’ attack and continuously piles pressure on opposition runs with his darts from dummy-half.

With a strong defensive skillset to boot, we think he’s one of Super League’s most well-rounded hookers, and he was right up there in 2024 in terms of tries scored from nine.

8. Jez Litten (Hull KR)

The first of two Hull KR stars included in this ranking, Litten actually became the hooker that came off the bench for Willie Peters’ side in the second half of the campaign, and impressed in doing so. Providing energy when he entered the field along with an ability to play-the-ball quickly around the ruck, tiring defences couldn’t cope with him at times.

There aren’t many more agile hookers in the competition, and though he’s not the biggest of men, he’s fearless with the ball in hand. Whenever he gets the ball in hand, the Robins look dangerous – and he played a big part in them reaching their maiden Grand Final.

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7. Liam Horne (Castleford Tigers)

One of two Papua New Guinea internationals in this ranking, Horne was a bright spark in a Castleford side which struggled for much of the campaign. The Port-Moresby native is tireless in his efforts to get the Tigers on the front foot, and is vital in terms of his side’s link play.

Earning himself a new deal at the Jungle, 2024 was most definitely the best we’ve seen yet from the Kumuls ace, who is just as much of a force defensively as he is offensively. Come 2025, fellow countryman Judah Rimbu will be breathing down his neck for a starting spot, so he’ll need to continue on his own upward trajectory.

6. Matt Parcell (Hull KR)

At the start of 2024, we’re not sure we’d have had Parcell down as someone who’d have made this ranking, but here we are. The way he performed for KR as they reached Old Trafford, we’re not quite sure how nobody in the British game has snapped him up following his exit from Craven Park.

The Australian returns Down Under on the back of a campaign which saw his leadership skills come to the fore in the Robins’ squad, proving a key figure in the vast majority of their games. Even at 32, his ability to exploit gaps in defences, coupled with his intelligent decision-making, allowed him to consistently create scoring opportunities. Super League will miss him.

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5. Kruise Leeming (Wigan Warriors)

There are also two Wigan stars in this ranking, and Leeming is the first of them. Big things were expected of the England international when he returned from the NRL ahead of the 2024 campaign, and he surpassed even the highest of those expectations.

Using every bit of his experience to his advantage, the 29-year-old’s reactions are still lightning fast, and combing those with his rugby league IQ allows him to be one of the most dynamic players on the field in any game. Seamlessly linking up with his team-mates in a Warriors squad littered with star quality, he had a huge role in their quadruple-winning success.

4. Daryl Clark (St Helens)

Big things were expected of Clark before a ball had been kicked in 2024, too. He was brought in by Saints to try and fill the shoes of James Roby. Very few in the world could fill those shoes, and we’re not saying Clark did, but he gave it a damn good effort! In an ultimately disappointing season for Paul Wellens’ side, he was one of the clear standouts.

His vision and experience maks him one of the most influential and dangerous hookers in Super League, and when he didn’t play through injury in 2024, it showed with a drop off in quality. Often, that’s a good enough sign of a player’s talent.

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3. Danny Walker (Warrington Wolves)

England international Walker actually got the nod and was named in the Super League Dream Team for 2024. Though we wouldn’t have him top of our ranking in terms of the best hookers in the competition, he was probably the most consistent, very rarely missing a game and delivering some top-class showings throughout the campaign for hometown club Warrington.

The Wire star’s ability to control the tempo of a game is growing year-on-year along with his rugby league IQ, and he’s lethal out of dummy-half, never needing a second invitation for a dart forward to help Sam Burgess’ side up the field.

2. Brad O’Neill (Wigan Warriors)

Had Wigan academy product O’Neill stayed fit all year, then we think it would’ve been the Warriors ace that was named in the Dream Team. He suffered an ACL injury in July, so missed the run in as Matt Peet’s side lifted the Super League title at Old Trafford, though he played a huge part in them getting there.

Like most that come off the production line at Robin Park, the 22-year-old has shown constant signs of improvement since first being involved at senior level, and added an extra dimension to the Warriors’ attack when fit in 2024. A cut above the majority of the rest when it comes to his work rate, he’s now undoubtedly one of the very best hookers in the competition.

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1. Edwin Ipape (Leigh Leopards)

This man is THE best for us, and we have to say how much we’ve enjoyed seeing Ipape’s rise right from the minute he first took to the field for Leigh in the Championship back in 2022. Not many could have projected then where the Leopards – and the PNG star himself – would be now, but it has been some journey.

Ipape spent a huge chunk of 2024 sidelined through injury, and he still takes our number one spot in this ranking, that’s how highly we rate him. An absolute wrecking ball in attack and defence, when he’s on form, we’re not quite sure how anybody is meant to try and stop him.

In Round 27 when Leigh needed to win at home against Saints to secure their play-off spot, he was absolutely unplayable – head and shoulders above everyone else on the field. Leopards fans, enjoy watching him while you can, because there’s no doubt NRL clubs will be sniffing around the cult hero sooner rather than later.

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