Power Rankings: Wakefield Trinity top, Keighley Cougars rise, Bradford Bulls in form

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 15 rounds so far and the Challenge Cup.

Meanwhile, the Championship and League 1 seasons got underway in March, and clubs in those divisions had already played games in the 1895 Cup and Challenge Cup this year prior to that as well.

For reference, last week’s Power Rankings are here.

Without further ado, the Love Rugby League Power Rankings (01/07/2024)…

10. St Helens (DOWN 2)

Paul Wellens

St Helens head coach Paul Wellens

It’s a common theme given that Super League clubs didn’t play over the weekend just gone due to the ‘international break’, but Saints kick off our Power Rankings in 10th having dropped down a couple of places. They lost 20-18 at Salford Red Devils before the break, and resume with a home game against Castleford Tigers on Friday evening.

9. Hull KR (DOWN 3)

Following their Challenge Cup semi-final defeat, KR have won four in a row, beating Castleford 13-12 at the Jungle thanks to Jez Litten’s drop goal prior to the international break. Despite the victory, that was a stuttering performance, and improvement will be sought by Willie Peters when they host Catalans Dragons on Saturday evening.

8. Sheffield Eagles (UP 1)

The first of four Championship clubs involved in this week’s rankings, Sheffield didn’t make it easy for themselves, but secured a third consecutive victory with an 18-10 win at York on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles were 12-0 up come the break, before the hosts clawed it back to 12-10. Joel Farrell’s late try sealed it for Mark Aston’s men, who are 2nd in the table.

7. Wigan Warriors (DOWN 6)

Matt Peet

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet

Wigan have had the biggest ‘drop’ in this week’s rankings, but it’s through no fault of their own given they didn’t play. The Warriors have won eight games in a row across all competitions, with their Challenge Cup final triumph included in that run. Matt Peet’s men – who now top the Super League table outright with a game in hand – host Leigh Leopards on Friday night.

LRL RECOMMENDS: Grading every Super League club’s 2024 from worst to best at halfway point

6. Bradford Bulls (NEW)

Having won 38-12 away at bottom club Dewsbury Rams on Sunday, Bradford have now won six of their last seven in the Championship and sit 4th (or joint-3rd depending on how you look at it). The one game the Bulls lost in that run came courtesy of a late drop goal at Batley Bulldogs, and this weekend coming, they head across the Channel to 3rd-placed Toulouse Olympique.

5. Rochdale Hornets (NEW)

In a similar vein of form, Rochdale have also been quietly going about their business in League 1 of late, and a 48-18 victory away at Hunslet in their last outing saw the Hornets leapfrog the Parksiders into 3rd place. Gary Thornton’s side have now won all of their last five and seven of their last eight overall.

4. Oldham (DOWN 1)

Joe Wardle Oldham Alamy

Oldham player-coach Joe Wardle at the 2024 League 1 season launch

Sean Long’s Oldham beat Hunslet 30-6 at Boundary Park on Sunday to retain their spot at the top of the League 1 table, still conceding under 10 points per game on average this season. The Roughyeds have won 11 of their 12 league games so far this season, with their only defeat coming against Keighley Cougars, who are hot on their tails.

3. Toulouse Olympique (UP 1)

Toulouse had a slow start to the year, but now look like the team to watch in the race for 2nd spot in the Championship. Sylvain Houles’ Olympique move up a spot in our Power Rankings having picked up a seventh straight win – and an eighth in the last nine – with a 20-0 victory at home against Featherstone Rovers on Saturday evening. That was also a third consecutive ‘clean sheet’.

2. Keighley Cougars (UP 3)

Keighley also move up in our rankings after picking up a fifth straight victory courtesy of a 37-18 win at Workington Town on Sunday afternoon. The Cougars – like League 1 leaders Oldham – have won 11 of their 12 league games so far this term, with their only defeat coming at home against Hunslet in May.

1. Wakefield Trinity (UP 1)

Daryl Powell

Wakefield Trinity head coach Daryl Powell applauds the club’s supporters ahead of a game at Belle Vue in 2024

There was only one club who were going to top these rankings once Super League took a break, and it’s 1895 Cup winners Wakefield. They still have a 100% record in the Championship this year, with 13 wins from 13 on the board after a 36-0 win at Barrow Raiders on Sunday. It seems improbable they’ll be beaten again in 2024…

LRL RECOMMENDS: Bradford Bulls, Sheffield Eagles, Wakefield Trinity stars in Championship Team of the Year (so far) for 2024