The Super League Dream Team is an annually-selected
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
All Star Team consisting of the players deemed to have been the best in their respective positions in the
Super League
The Super League (officially known as the Betfred Super League due to sponsorship from Betfred and legally known as Super League Europe), is the top-level of the British rugby league system. At present the league consists of twelve teams, of wh ...
competition. The team is selected by a panel of journalists and broadcasters at the end of each season.
The inaugural Dream Team was selected in 1996, the competition's first season. The team is traditionally selected following the completion of the regular season, and so does not take play-off matches into account.
1996
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
1997
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
1998
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
1999
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2000
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2001
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2002
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2003
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2004
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2005
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2006
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2007
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2008
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2009
The
2009 Super League Dream Team was announced on 14 September 2009.
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2010
On 6 September 2010, the Dream Team of
Super League XV
The 2010 Super League season (known as the Engage Super League XV for sponsorship reasons) was the 15th season of the European rugby league football competition, Super League. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leaders' Shield over 27 rounds ( ...
was announced. The team boasted four players from league leaders
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League.
Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Rugby Football League, Northern Rugby ...
; including first appearances for
Pat Richards
Pat Richards (born 27 February 1982) is a former professional rugby league footballer. An Ireland international er, he played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers, with whom he won the 2005 NRL ...
,
Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin (born 24 November 1982) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a loose forward for and captained the Wigan Warriors in the Super League, and has also played for Great Britain and England at int ...
and
Joel Tomkins
Joel Andrew Tomkins (born 21 March 1987) is a former English professional rugby league footballer who last played forward for the Catalans Dragons in the Betfred Super League, and has played for England at international level.
He has previous ...
, with the latter's brother
Sam appearing for the second successive year. Three players came from second and third placed
St. Helens and
Warrington Wolves
The Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league club based in Warrington, England, that competes in the Super League. They play rugby at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2004.
Founded as Warrington Z ...
; those being
Paul Wellens
Paul Simon Wellens (born 27 February 1980) is an English professional rugby league coach who is the head coach of St Helens in the Betfred Super League and a former professional rugby league footballer.
A Great Britain and England interna ...
,
James Roby
James William Mark Roby (born 22 November 1985) is an English professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays as a for St Helens in the Super League, and for Great Britain and England at international level.
He has played his ent ...
and
James Graham (St Helens) and
Matt King Matthew or Matt King may refer to:
Matthew
* Matthew King (composer) (born 1967), British composer and pianist
* Matthew King (cricketer) (born 1977), Australian cricketer
* Matthew Yang King (born 1974), American actor, voice actor, director, prod ...
,
Adrian Morley
Adrian Paul Morley is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a and forward from the 1990s through the 2010s. A Great Britain national rugby league team, Great Britain and England national rugby league team, Engl ...
ad
Ben Westwood
Ben Westwood (born 25 July 1981) is an English former rugby league footballer who played as a or in the Betfred Super League. He played for England and the England Knights at international level.
He previously played for the Wakefield Trin ...
(Warrington). Two players, left wing partnership
Keith Senior
Keith Andrew Senior (born 24 April 1976) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played for the Sheffield Eagles and the Leeds Rhinos in the Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative , he is co ...
and
Ryan Hall, were selected from
Leeds Rhinos
The Leeds Rhinos are a professional rugby league club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The club was formed in 1870 as Leeds St John's and play in the Super League, the top tier of English rugby league. They have played home matches at Headi ...
, and the team was completed by
Michael Dobson of
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers are a professional rugby league club based in Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, England, that competes in the Super League, the top tier of British rugby league. The club has won five league championships, and one Challeng ...
. Only three of the thirteen (Richards, King and Dobson) in 2010 were imports, one of whom (Richards) had switched his allegiance to
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
in 2008. 2010 also proved to be the first time a set of brothers (the Tomkins') have appeared in the same Dream Team.
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2011
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2012
On 10 September 2012, the Dream Team for
Super League XVII
The 2012 Super League season (known as the ''Stobart Super League XVII'') was the 17th season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leaders' Shield over 27 rounds (in ...
was announced. The team consisted of six players from league leaders
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League.
Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Rugby Football League, Northern Rugby ...
, three from league runners-up
Warrington Wolves
The Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league club based in Warrington, England, that competes in the Super League. They play rugby at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2004.
Founded as Warrington Z ...
, two from
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons ( French: ''Dragons Catalans'', Catalan: ''Dracs Catalans'') are a professional rugby league club from Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales department, France. The team competes in the Super League and are the only team from ...
and one each from
St Helens R.F.C.
St Helens R.F.C. is a professional rugby league club in St Helens, Merseyside who compete in the Super League, the top tier for rugby league in Great Britain.
They are the current Champions, having won the last 4 consecutive titles, and becom ...
and
Super League XVI
The 2011 Super League season (known as the Engage Super League XVI for sponsorship reasons) was the 16th season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leaders' Shield o ...
winners
Leeds Rhinos
The Leeds Rhinos are a professional rugby league club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The club was formed in 1870 as Leeds St John's and play in the Super League, the top tier of English rugby league. They have played home matches at Headi ...
. Six players (
Ryan Atkins
Ryan Atkins (born 7 October 1985) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for York City Knights in the Betfred Championship and formerly England at international level.
He previously played for the Bradford Bu ...
,
Rémi Casty,
Josh Charnley
Joshua Charnley (born 26 June 1991) is an English international professional rugby league footballer who plays on the for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League.
He previously played for the Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors, with whom he w ...
,
Brett Finch
Brett John Finch (born 20 August 1981) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative half back, he played in the National Rugby League for Austra ...
,
Chris Hill and
Gareth Hock
Gareth Hock (born Gareth Charnock; 5 September 1983) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a or for the Leigh Centurions in the Betfred Championship. He has represented Great Britain and England at internat ...
) make their debuts in the Dream Team, while three players (
James Roby
James William Mark Roby (born 22 November 1985) is an English professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays as a for St Helens in the Super League, and for Great Britain and England at international level.
He has played his ent ...
,
Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins (born 23 March 1989) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and occasional for the Catalans Dragons in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
He is the two time and current and r ...
and
Ben Westwood
Ben Westwood (born 25 July 1981) is an English former rugby league footballer who played as a or in the Betfred Super League. He played for England and the England Knights at international level.
He previously played for the Wakefield Trin ...
) have been selected for the fourth time with Tomkins being selected four years in a row.
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2013
On 9 September 2013, the
Super League XVIII
The 2013 Super League season was the 18th season of rugby league football since the Super League format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the League Leaders' Shield over 27 rounds (including the Magic Weekend), after which the h ...
Dream Team was announced at
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...
's
John Smith's Stadium
Kirklees Stadium (currently known due to sponsorship as the John Smith's Stadium) is a multi-use stadium in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. Since 1994, it has been the home ground of football club Huddersfield Town and rugby league si ...
. The team was virtually made up of
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
players with
Danny Brough
Danny Brough (born 15 January 1983) is a Scottish former professional rugby league footballer who played as a or .
Brough started his professional career in 2002 with Dewsbury Rams in the second tier before moving to York City Knights a year ...
who now represents
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
at international level, although was born in
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees in West Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Calder and on an arm of the Calder and Hebble Navigation waterway. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Hudder ...
in
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
. Brough was also one of five
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are an English professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, the birthplace of rugby league, who play in the Super League competition. They play their home games at the John Smiths Stadium which is sh ...
players in the Dream Team, which acknowledges the club winning the
League Leaders' Shield
The League Leaders' Shield is a shield awarded to the team finishing the season top of Super League in the sport of rugby league football. Currently, and for most of Super League's history, the championship is decided on the basis of a play-off se ...
. The other Huddersfield players being
Eorl Crabtree
Eorl Crabtree (born 2 October 1982) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played at representative level for England, and at club level in the Super League for the Huddersfield Giants, ...
,
Leroy Cudjoe
Leroy Cudjoe (born 7 April 1988) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Huddersfield Giants in the Betfred Super League. A product of the Huddersfield academy system, he also captained Huddersfield as well a ...
,
Brett Ferres
Brett Ryan Ferres (born 17 April 1986) is an English professional rugby league footballer who last played for Doncaster RLFC in the RFL League 1, and has played for England at international level, initially as a and later as a or .
He has pr ...
and
Shaun Lunt.
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors are a professional rugby league club in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in the Super League.
Formed in 1872 as Wigan Football Club, Wigan was a founding member of the Rugby Football League, Northern Rugby ...
have four players, three of which,
Josh Charnley
Joshua Charnley (born 26 June 1991) is an English international professional rugby league footballer who plays on the for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League.
He previously played for the Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors, with whom he w ...
,
Sean O'Loughlin
Sean O'Loughlin (born 24 November 1982) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a loose forward for and captained the Wigan Warriors in the Super League, and has also played for Great Britain and England at int ...
and
Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins (born 23 March 1989) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and occasional for the Catalans Dragons in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
He is the two time and current and r ...
, being the only members of the 2012 Dream Team to be selected in 2013 with Tomkins now selected in the Dream Team five years in a row. The other Wigan player selected was
Matty Smith
The remainder of the Dream Team consists of two players from
Hull F.C.
Hull Football Club, commonly referred to as Hull or Hull F.C., is a professional rugby league football club established in 1865 and based in West Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The club plays in the Super League competition and were ...
(
Ben Crooks
Ben Crooks (born 15 June 1993) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a or er for the Keighley Cougars in the RFL Championship, Betfred Championship.
Crooks has previously played for Hull Kingston Rovers and Hull F.C ...
and
Tom Lineham
Tom Lineham (born 21 September 1991), is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er for Wakefield Trinity in the Betfred Super League and the England Knights at international level.
He played for the York City Knights in ...
) and one each from
Leeds Rhinos
The Leeds Rhinos are a professional rugby league club in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. The club was formed in 1870 as Leeds St John's and play in the Super League, the top tier of English rugby league. They have played home matches at Headi ...
(
Jamie Peacock
James Darryl Peacock MBE, (born 14 December 1977) is a motivational speaker, leadership mentor and former English professional rugby league footballer. He played for Leeds Rhinos and the Bradford Bulls in the Super League, and captained both ...
) and
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity is a professional rugby league club in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, that plays in the Super League. One of the original twenty-two clubs that formed the Rugby Football League, Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895, betw ...
(
Danny Kirmond
Danny Kirmond (born ) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who last played as a forward for York City Knights in the Betfred Championship. He has formerly played for England at international level.
He has played at club ...
), who are the only team to have a player in the Dream Team but not involved in the play-offs. Despite finishing second in the table, no players from
Warrington Wolves
The Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league club based in Warrington, England, that competes in the Super League. They play rugby at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2004.
Founded as Warrington Z ...
were selected.
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2014
The first Dream Team to be made up of entirely English players. This is the first time since 2010 that
Sam Tomkins
Sam Tomkins (born 23 March 1989) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a and occasional for the Catalans Dragons in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
He is the two time and current and r ...
does not make an appearance and a debut for
Zak Hardaker
Zak Alexander Hardaker (born 17 October 1991) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a or for the Leigh Leopards in the Super League. He has played for the England Knights, England and Great Britain at international l ...
,
Tommy Makinson
Tommy Makinson (born 10 October 1991) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er for St Helens in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
He spent time on loan from St Helens at the Rochdale Horn ...
,
Michael Shenton
Michael Shenton (born 22 July 1986), also known by the nickname of "Shenny", is a former English professional rugby league footballer who played as a and was the captain of the Castleford Tigers ( Heritage â„– 810) in the Super League.
An ...
,
Kallum Watkins
Kallum Paul Watkins (born 12 March 1991) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a or forward for the Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
He previously played for the Lee ...
,
Kevin Brown Kevin Brown may refer to:
Entertainment
* Kevin Brown (blues musician) (born 1950), English blues guitarist
* Kevin Brown (author) (born 1960), American journalist and translator
* Kevin Brown (poet) (born 1970), American poet and teacher
* Kevin ...
,
Daryl Clark
Daryl Clark (born 10 February 1993) is an English professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the Warrington Wolves in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
He played for the Castleford Tigers ( Heritage â ...
and
Carl Ablett
Carl Ablett (born 19 December 1985) is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a or for the Leeds Rhinos in the Betfred Super League and England at international level.
Ablett spent time on loan from Leeds at ...
.
Jamie Peacock
James Darryl Peacock MBE, (born 14 December 1977) is a motivational speaker, leadership mentor and former English professional rugby league footballer. He played for Leeds Rhinos and the Bradford Bulls in the Super League, and captained both ...
makes a record tenth appearance.
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2015
Jamie Peacock
James Darryl Peacock MBE, (born 14 December 1977) is a motivational speaker, leadership mentor and former English professional rugby league footballer. He played for Leeds Rhinos and the Bradford Bulls in the Super League, and captained both ...
made a record and 11th and final appearance.
* †indicates that year's
Man of Steel.
2016
The 2016 Dream Team featured nine players making their first appearance.
Six of the best for Hull FC
/ref>
* †indicates that year's Man of Steel.
2017
The 2017 Dream Team featured eight players making their first appearance. Six players selected from League Leaders Castleford Tigers.
2018
The 2018 Dream Team featured eight players making their first appearance. Seven players selected from League Leaders St Helens.
* †indicates that year's Man of Steel.
2019
The 2019 Dream Team featured nine players making their first appearance. League Leaders and Champions St Helens had the most players for any one team with five
* †indicates that year's Man of Steel.
2020
The 2020 season was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team was selected based on the Man of Steel points totals. St Helens had the most players of any team with three as players from eight different clubs were chosen.
* †indicates that year's Man of Steel.
2021
Second place St Helens and League Leaders Catalans Dragons dominate this years dream team with 5 and 4 selections respectively. Sam Tomkins returns after an 8 year absence, Hull K.R. have their first representative in a decade and Liam Farrell, Alex Walmsley and Johnny Lomax all retain their places from last year.
* †indicates that year's Man of Steel.
2022
The 2022 Super League dream team was dominated by the North West clubs with League Leaders St Helens having 4 players, as well as 2nd placed Wigan and 6th placed Salford having 3 players each. Six players make their first appearance whilst Ken Sio, Jack Welsby, Alex Walmsley, Liam Farrell, and Morgan Knowles retain their places from last year. Bevan French makes his first appearance since 2020 and James Roby makes his first appearance since 2018.
* †indicates that year's Man of Steel.
Appearances by club and country
To date, 17 different clubs have seen players appear in the Dream Team.
14 different countries have seen players appear in the Dream Team. Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
are the latest country to see a player appear with Kevin Naiqama
Kevin Naiqama (born 4 February 1989) is a Fiji national rugby league team, Fiji international rugby league footballer who usually plays as a or er for the Huddersfield Giants in the English Super League, Super League and as a or for Fiji nat ...
making the team in 2019 for St. Helens.
Players who have made at least five appearances
See also
References
External links
2009 Super League Dream Team at superleague.co.uk
2008 Super League Dream Team at superleague.co.uk
2007 Super League Dream Team at news.bbc.co.uk
2006 Super League Dream Team at news.bbc.co.uk
2005 Super League Dream Team at news.bbc.co.uk
2004 Super League Dream Team at news.bbc.co.uk
2003 Super League Dream Team at news.bbc.co.uk
2002 Super League Dream Team at news.bbc.co.uk
2001 Super League Dream Team at news.bbc.co.uk
2000 Super League Dream Team at news.bbc.co.uk
{{Super League Europe
Super League, Dream Team
Rugby league trophies and awards