The Most Successful Sides In Super League History
It's hard to believe but Super League will be celebrating its 25th year in 2020. Since starting in 1996, four different rugby league clubs have won the title. That means Super League is more exclusive than its counterpart in rugby union, the Premiership, or the Premier League in football.
Ahead of the silver anniversary, we take a look back over the most successful sides in Super League history.
BRADFORD BULLS
While they are now fallen giants, Bradford Bulls won Super League in three out of the five championships between 2001 and 2005 under Brian Noble following their first triumph in 1997. The early 2000s, in particular, were a golden period for the Bulls as they also landed the World Club Challenge in 2002 and the last of their five Challenge Cup crowns as they completed the treble (with the League Leaders' Shield) in 2003.
Those glory days are a distant memory for Bradford now. A steady decline led to administration and relegation, with nine coaches in as many years since 2010. Bulls serve as a cautionary tale to the established elite of Super League that success cannot be taken for granted.
WIGAN WARRIORS
Five-time Super League winners Wigan Warriors had to wait 12 years between their first and second successes. Michael Maguire finally brought about the revival so many Cherry and Whites fans had hoped for in 2010 and he added the Challenge Cup the following year before leaving for Australia.
"Wally goes to wembley" (CC BY 2.0) by mikemcsharry
It was under successor Shaun Wane when Wigan really began to dominate. During seven years in charge from 2011 to 2018, Warriors won the Super League three times - also doing the Challenge Cup double in 2013. The Cherry and Whites have finished runners-up on six other occasions, so that makes them one of the most consistent sides in Super League history. They last won the Grand Final in 2018, besting local rivals Warrington Wolves.
ST. HELENS
St. Helens are one of only two teams in Super League history to retain the championship since the competition was formed. After winning in the inaugural season, they regained the title in 1999 and successfully defended it in 2000.
As well as landing Super League six times, Saints have lifted the League Leaders' Shield for finishing top of the table during the regular season a record seven times. They also emulated Bradford by winning the treble in 2006. Success has proved more difficult to come by in recent years, but St. Helens are 1/1 favourites in the rugby league odds for another Grand Final success in Super League XXIV.
LEEDS RHINOS
Last and by no means least, we come to the most successful side in the Super League era, Leeds Rhinos. Seven of their eight wins came in the decade of 2007 to 2017. Like local rivals Bradford and St. Helens, the treble was achieved at Headingley in 2015. All of the success enjoyed by Leeds in Super League has come this century since 2004. First Tony Smith took them to the title, then Kiwi coach Brian McClennan built upon that and Brian McDermott picked up four titles during his eight years with the West Yorkshire rugby club.
