Super League XXIII, known as the Betfred Super League XXIII for sponsor reasons, was the 23rd season of the Super League and 124th season of rugby league in Britain for 2018.
Wigan Warriors were crowned champions after beating Warrington Wolves 12-4 to win their 22nd league Championship.
Twelve teams competed over 23 rounds, including the Magic Weekend.
This season also saw the first Super League game played outside Europe, as Wigan Warriors faced Hull F.C. at WIN Stadium in Wollongong, Australia on Saturday 10 February 2018, which Wigan won, 24–10.
St. Helens won the League Leaders Shield for a record 6th time. However, they failed to reach the Grand Final after losing their semi final 13-18 to Warrington Wolves.
Widnes Vikings were relegated to the Championship, after only 3 wins in the regular season and one win in The Qualifiers, while London Broncos were promoted after winning the Million Pound Game by beating Toronto Wolfpack 4–2.
Teams Eleven teams in Super League are from the North of England. Five teams hail from the historic county of Lancashire, west of the Pennines: Warrington, St. Helens, Salford, Wigan, and Widnes. Six teams hail from the historic county of Yorkshire, east of the Pennines: Huddersfield, Wakefield Trinity, Leeds, Castleford, Hull KR and Hull FC. Catalans Dragons, located in Perpignan, France, are the only team outside the North of England. St Helens, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves, and Leeds Rhinos are the only teams to have played in every season of Super League since 1996.
Hull KR were promoted from the Championship after finishing in 2nd place in The Qualifiers for 2017 whilst Leigh were relegated to the Championship after losing the 2017 Million Pound Game to Catalans.
Team2017 positionStadiumCapacityCity/Area Castleford Tigers(2018 season)1st (League Leaders/Runners-Up) The Mend-A-Hose Jungle 11,750 Castleford, West Yorkshire Catalans Dragons(2018 season) 10th Stade Gilbert Brutus 14,000 Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales, France Huddersfield Giants(2018 season)8th John Smith's Stadium 24,544 Huddersfield, West Yorkshire Hull(2018 season)3rd KCOM Stadium 25,404 Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire Hull Kingston Rovers(2018 season)Promoted Lightstream Stadium 12,225 Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire Leeds Rhinos(2018 season)2nd (Champions) Headingley Carnegie Stadium 22,250 Leeds, West Yorkshire Salford Red Devils(2018 season)7th AJ Bell Stadium 12,000 Salford, Greater Manchester St. Helens(2018 season)4th Totally Wicked Stadium 18,000 St. Helens, Merseyside Wakefield Trinity(2018 season)5th Beaumont Legal Stadium 11,000 Wakefield, West Yorkshire Warrington Wolves(2018 season)9th Halliwell Jones Stadium 15,500 Warrington, Cheshire Widnes Vikings(2018 season)12th The Select Security Stadium 13,500 Widnes, Cheshire Wigan Warriors(2018 season)6th DW Stadium 25,138 Wigan, Greater Manchester
Regular season
Super 8s Super League
The Qualifiers
Playoffs
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereeAttendance Semi-finals St. Helens13–18 Warrington Wolves4 October 2018, 19:45Totally Wicked StadiumRobert Hicks12,031 Wigan Warriors14–0 Castleford Tigers5 October 2018, 19:45DW StadiumBen Thaler13,461
Grand Final
Final
Wigan Warriors
Wigan finished 2nd in regular season and seven consecutive wins in the Super 8's saw them secure 2nd place in the table. A 14–0 victory over Castleford Tigers in the semi-final earned Wigan a place in their 10th Grand Final.
This is the first time that a team has won all 7 Super 8's games in a single season, and since this playoff format will be abandoned at the end of the 2018 season, will make this a unique historic feat achieved by Wigan.
Warrington Wolves
Warrington finished 4th to earn an away trip to League Leaders Shield winners St. Helens in the semi-finals. Warrington won 18-13 with a late try by Tom Lineham. Warrington will be contesting their 4th Grand Final.
Match details
This match was Shaun Wane's last game as Wigan coach before going to Scotland Rugby Union after 7 seasons as head coach of Wigan.
Teams
Wigan Warriors PositionWarrington Wolves #1 Sam Tomkins #1 Stefan Ratchford #21 Dominic Manfredi #2 Tom Lineham #4 Oliver Gildart #3 Bryson Goodwin #3 Dan Sarginson #19 Toby King #2 Tom Davies #27 Josh Charnley #6 George Williams #6 Kevin Brown #9 Thomas Leuluai #7 Tyrone Roberts #25 Romain Navarette #8 Chris Hill #7 Sam Powell #9 Daryl Clark #10 Ben Flower #10 Mike Cooper #40 Joe Greenwood #30 Bodene Thompson #14 John Bateman #12 Jack Hughes #13 Sean O'Loughlin #34 Ben Westwood #20 Morgan Escare Interchange #17 Joe Philbin #19 Ryan Sutton Interchange #13 Ben Murdoch-Masila #12 Liam Farrell Interchange #19 George King #8 Tony Clubb Interchange #15 Declan Patton Shaun Wane Coach Steve Price
Player statistics
Top 10 try Scorers RankPlayerClubTries1 Ben Barba St. Helens282 Tom Johnstone Wakefield Trinity243 Mark Percival St. Helens204= Greg Eden Castleford Tigers18 Ben Jones-Bishop Wakefield Trinity Tom Lineham Warrington Wolves7= Bureta Faraimo Hull F.C.17 Jonny Lomax St. Helens9 Liam Marshall Wigan Warriors1610= David Mead Catalans Dragons15 Regan Grace St. Helens Josh Charnley Warrington Wolves Stefan Ratchford Warrington Wolves
Top 10 try assists RankPlayerClubAssists1 Jacob Miller Wakefield Trinity282 Paul McShane Castleford Tigers273 Ben Barba St. Helens244 Richie Myler Leeds Rhinos235= Josh Drinkwater Catalans Dragons22 George Williams Wigan Warriors7 Kevin Brown Warrington Wolves208= Ryan Hampshire Wakefield Trinity19 Stefan Ratchford Warrington Wolves10 Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors18
Top 10 goal scorers RankPlayerClubGoalsDrop Goals1 Danny Richardson St. Helens13562 Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors9663 Danny Brough Huddersfield Giants6224 Ryan Hampshire Wakefield Trinity6115 Ryan Shaw Hull KR5606 Jamie Ellis Castleford Tigers5417 Josh Drinkwater Catalans Dragons5308 Marc Sneyd Hull F.C.5159 Luke Gale Castleford Tigers48410 Jake Connor Hull F.C.402
Top 10 points scorers RankPlayerClubPoints1 Danny Richardson St. Helens2962 Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors2413 Ryan Shaw Hull KR1564 Ryan Hampshire Wakefield Trinity1435 Josh Drinkwater Catalans Dragons1346 Danny Brough Huddersfield Giants1307 Jamie Ellis Castleford Tigers1178 Stefan Ratchford Warrington Wolves1149 Ben Barba St. Helens11210 Marc Sneyd Hull F.C.111
• Updated to match(es) played on 28 September 2018 (Super 8s – Round 7)
Discipline
Red Cards RankPlayerClub Red Cards1= Liam Watts * Castleford Tigers / Hull F.C.1 Kenny Edwards Catalans Dragons Mickael Simon Catalans Dragons Danny Brough Huddersfield Giants Bureta Faraimo Hull F.C. Lee Mossop Salford Red Devils Morgan Knowles St. Helens Matty Lees St. Helens Jacob Miller Wakefield Trinity Declan Patton Warrington Wolves Wellington Albert Widnes Vikings Chris Houston Widnes Vikings
Liam Watts' red card was picked up whilst playing for Hull F.C.
Yellow Cards RankPlayerClub Yellow Cards1= Sam Moa Catalans Dragons3 Mickael Simon Catalans Dragons2= Adam Milner Castleford Tigers2 Julian Bousquet Catalans Dragons Michael McIlorum Catalans Dragons Fouad Yaha Catalans Dragons Ryan Hinchcliffe Huddersfield Giants Kruise Leeming Huddersfield Giants Josh Johnson Hull KR Lama Tasi Salford Red Devils Weller Hauraki * Salford Red Devils / Widnes Vikings Mark Percival St. Helens Matty Ashurst Wakefield Trinity Craig Huby Wakefield Trinity Tyler Randell Wakefield Trinity Mike Cooper Warrington Wolves Tom Lineham Warrington Wolves Chris Houston Widnes Vikings Thomas Leuluai Wigan Warriors Sam Tomkins Wigan Warriors3= Matt Cook Castleford Tigers1 Oliver Holmes Castleford Tigers Mike McMeeken Castleford Tigers Grant Millington Castleford Tigers Joe Wardle Castleford Tigers Lambert Belmas Catalans Dragons Greg Bird Catalans Dragons Benjamin Jullien Catalans Dragons Lewis Tierney Catalans Dragons Brayden Williame Catalans Dragons Danny Brough Huddersfield Giants Michael Lawrence Huddersfield Giants Jermaine McGillvary Huddersfield Giants Jordan Turner Huddersfield Giants Jacob Wardle Huddersfield Giants Jake Connor Hull F.C. Bureta Faraimo Hull F.C. Josh Griffin Hull F.C. Maurice Blair Hull KR Chris Clarkson Hull KR Matthew Marsh Hull KR Mose Masoe Hull KR Nick Scruton Hull KR Danny Tickle Hull KR Joel Tomkins * Hull KR / Wigan Warriors Brett Ferres Leeds Rhinos Matt Parcell Leeds Rhinos Brad Singleton Leeds Rhinos George Griffin Salford Red Devils Junior Sa'u Salford Red Devils Logan Tomkins Salford Red Devils Kris Welham Salford Red Devils Ryan Lannon Salford Red Devils Kyle Amor St. Helens Luke Douglas St. Helens Matty Lees St. Helens Dominique Peyroux St. Helens Scott Grix Wakefield Trinity Max Jowitt Wakefield Trinity Reece Lyne Wakefield Trinity Sitaleki Akauola Warrington Wolves Ryan Atkins Warrington Wolves George King Warrington Wolves Hep Cahill Widnes Vikings Danny Walker Widnes Vikings Sam Powell Wigan Warriors Romain Navarette Wigan Warriors
Weller Hauraki has been sin binned once for Salford, and once for Widnes Joel Tomkins' sin bin was picked up whilst playing for Wigan Warriors Updated to match(es) played on 22 September 2018 (Super 8s Round 6)
Attendances
Average attendances ClubHomeGamesTotalAverageHighestLowest Castleford Tigers 11 86,888 7,898 9,557 5,946 Catalans Dragons 11 91,891 8,353 10,236 6,585 Huddersfield Giants 11 63,199 5,745 9,121 4,385 Hull FC 11 133,921 12,174 17,564 10,051 Hull KR 11 87,614 7,964 12,090 6,711 Leeds Rhinos 11 140,881 12,807 23,246 10,366 Salford Red Devils 11 30,236 2,748 5,568 2,248 St Helens 11 126,264 11,478 17,980 10,008 Wakefield Trinity 11 57,685 5,244 7,020 4,055 Warrington Wolves 11 110,969 10,088 12,268 8,792 Widnes Vikings 11 53,876 4,897 7,009 3,681 Wigan Warriors 10 117,084 11,708 16,047 10,641
Top 10 attendances Rank Home club Away club Stadium Attendance 1 Wigan Warriors Warrington Wolves Old Trafford 64,892 2 Magic Weekend: Day 1 St. James' Park 38,881 3 Magic Weekend: Day 2 St. James' Park 25,438 4 Leeds Rhinos Castleford Tigers Elland Road 23,246 5 St Helens Wigan Warriors Totally Wicked Stadium 17,980 6 Hull FC Hull KR KCOM Stadium 17,564 7 Leeds Rhinos Hull KR Elland Road 16,149 8 Wigan Warriors St Helens DW Stadium 16,047 9 Hull FC Huddersfield Giants KCOM Stadium 13,704 10 Hull FC Castleford Tigers KCOM Stadium 13,623
Statistics correct as of 27 July 2018 (Round 23)
End-of-season awards
Awards are presented for outstanding contributions and efforts to players and clubs in the week leading up to the Super League Grand Final:
Coach of the year: Shaun Wane (Wigan Warriors) Foundation of the year: Leeds Rhinos Hit Man: Paul McShane (Castleford Tigers) (1160 tackles) Man of Steel: Ben Barba (St. Helens) Metre-maker: Bill Tupou (Wakefield Trinity) (4114 Metres) Rhino "Top Gun": Luke Gale (Castleford Tigers) Super League Club of The Year: Warrington Wolves Top Try Scorer: Ben Barba (St. Helens) (28) Young player of the year: Jake Trueman (Castleford Tigers)
Media Television 2018 is the second of a five-year contract with Sky Sports to televise 100 matches per season.
Sky Sports coverage in the UK will see two live matches broadcast each week, usually at 8:00 pm on Thursday and Friday nights.
Regular commentators will be Eddie Hemmings with summarisers including Phil Clarke, Brian Carney, Barrie McDermott and Terry O'Connor. Sky will broadcast highlights on Sunday nights on Super League - Full Time at 10 p.m.