The 10 oldest Super League players in 2025 including trio of new NRL recruits

Close to 100 players took to the field in Super League last year that were 30 or older, with plenty of experience on show.

Some of those have hung up their boots, but in turn, we’ve seen some veterans make the move over to the British game ahead of next season from the NRL.

Here’s a look at the 10 oldest players who will ply their trade in Super League in 2025…

10. Elliott Whitehead – 04/09/1989 (35)

One of three NRL recruits on this list, Whitehead will play in Super League for the first time since 2015 next year having agreed a one-year deal to return to Catalans. The veteran forward already has 68 appearances for the Dragons on his CV as well as 109 for hometown club Bradford Bulls.

With 31 games played on the international stage between England and Great Britain, Whitehead featured more than 200 times in the NRL for Canberra Raiders.

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9. Jordan Rapana – 15/08/1989 (35)

Born in the same year, Rapana was Whitehead’s team-mate at Canberra for almost a decade. Having agreed a two-year deal with Hull FC, the ex-Gold Coast Titans ace will play in Super League for the first time in his career come 2025.

With appearances for both New Zealand and the Cook Islands on his CV, versatile back Rapana lined up alongside Whitehead in the 2019 NRL Grand Final which saw Canberra beaten by Sydney Roosters.

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8. Sam Tomkins – 23/03/1989 (35)

Legendary fullback Tomkins has decided to go around again in 2024 having returned to the field for Catalans midway through the season just gone, coming out of retirement to do so.

Named in the Super League Dream Team eight times, he’s fast approaching the milestone of 400 senior career appearances having featured 35 times on the international stage for England. A two-time Man of Steel, Tomkins has won everything there is to win in the British game, including three Super League titles.

7. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves – 20/01/1989 (35)

NRL legend Waerea-Hargreaves has spent his entire career to date Down Under, featuring 310 times for the Roosters after six appearances for Manly Sea Eagles at the start of his career and winning three Grand Finals in the process.

Now though, we’ll get to see him take to the field in Super League for Hull KR. The prop has agreed a one-year deal with Willie Peters’ side. The 33-time Kiwi international has already landed in the UK and excitement is building to see him run out at Craven Park.

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6. Willie Isa – 01/01/1989 (35)

When Isa suffered a horrific fracture dislocation of his ankle in a Challenge Cup tie at Castleford back in April, it had looked like it would end his career. The one-time Samoa international has penned a new one-year deal with Super League champions Wigan though, and will go around again in 2025.

Veteran utility Isa has already made over 300 career appearances, including more than 200 for the Warriors. A four-time Super League champion, he’s won everything there is to win in the British game with Wigan also has won the NRL Grand Final with Melbourne Storm back in 2009, too.

5. Stefan Ratchford – 19/07/1988 (36)

Warrington Wolves skipper Ratchford, a two-time Challenge Cup winner, also suffered a horror injury in 2024, sustaining multiple facial fractures in an accidental clash with St Helens’ James Bell during a game on his 36th birthday.

That was the utility back’s last appearance, and he had been off-contract, but penned a new deal for 2025 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. The eight-time England international needs just two more games to reach 450 at club level in his career having featured 108 times for Salford Red Devils and 340 times for the Wire to date.

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4. Leroy Cudjoe – 07/04/1988 (36)

Cudjoe’s entire career has been spent with hometown club Huddersfield, and he agreed a deal to play on into 2025 with the Giants, who he’s featured 382 times for at senior level to date.

The versatile back, who has 12 England caps to his name, is already the club’s second-highest appearance-maker of the summer era, and if he plays on again into 2026, could well reach Eorl Crabtree’s record of 424, needing to play 43 more games to better that tally.

3. Micky McIlorum – 10/01/1988 (36)

Hooker McIlorum will return to England with Hull KR in 2025 having put pen to paper on a one-year deal at Craven Park, bringing an end to seven seasons in France with Catalans.

With 11 England caps to his name and six games played for Ireland, the veteran needs just 11 more appearances to reach the milestone of 400 at senior level in his career. McIlorum is a two-time Super League champion and a three-time Challenge Cup winner.

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2. Ryan Hall – 27/11/1987 (37)

Six-time Super League champion Hall, another to have won everything there is to win in the British game, will return to Leeds in 2025 having penned a one-year deal to round off his career back with his boyhood club. The veteran winger has been with Hull KR for the last four seasons since returning from the NRL, but next term will don a Rhinos shirt for the first time since 2018.

A 45-time England international with two further appearances for Great Britain on his CV, Hall has scored well over 300 tries in his career and became Super League’s all-time top try-scorer in 2024 en-route to featuring in the Grand Final for KR. He also needs just six more appearances to reach the milestone of 400 at senior level in his career.

1. Chris Hill – 03/11/1987 (37)

Hill is officially the oldest player in Super League in 2025, with the England and Great Britain international having agreed a one-year deal to link up with Salford next year, bringing an end to three seasons in West Yorkshire with Huddersfield.

The prop has made a remarkable 561 career appearances to date having made his senior bow for Leigh – then ‘Centurions’ back in 2005. Having appeared in four Grand Finals without ever ending up on the winning side, Hill is able to boast two Challenge Cup winners’ medals as well as a League Leaders’ Shield one.

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