The arrival of one of the world’s iconic rugby players, Sonny Bill Williams, has added a sense of anticipation and star quality to this season’s Betfred Super League, which returns to talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2 for 2020.
We’ll bring you more than 40 live games between now and the Grand Final at Old Trafford in October, in what promises to be the biggest and best season yet.
Super League’s Out of Your League podcast will also be available to talkSPORT 2 listeners and over the coming weeks fans can expect a new TV show – Inside Super League – to air on Amazon Prime and Sky, while a gritty documentary about the memorable 2019 season will also be available on Amazon Prime at the end of the month.
It’s fair to say there is a lot to look forward to over the next ten months, so talkSPORT has got Super League’s Warren Holmes to run us through some of the big things to keep an eye on in 2020…
Toronto Wolfpack and SBW
The Wolfpack will grab a lot of headlines in Super League this season, not just because of the signing of Sonny Bill Williams, but also because of their coach, Brian McDermott, who was the man who masterminded the successes of the great Leeds Rhinos team of the mid-2010s.
That said, the feeling inside the game is that The Wolfpack will struggle to compete consistently with the traditional powerhouses. Travel is one factor to consider and Toronto also have to play a number of home games ‘on the road’ because of the harsh Canadian winter, so it leaves their playing schedule quite disjointed. A small squad will also test them to the limit and Super League sides who travel to Canada will be far more prepared and competitive at Lamport Stadium.
A combination of Sonny Bill, some useful players around him like centre Ricky Leutele, and a typically shrewd McDermott game plan will undoubtedly provide some challenges to the best sides in the game – but it remains to be seen whether they have enough firepower to compete consistently.
James Maloney
The signing of James Maloney has gone under the radar, largely because of what’s been happening at Toronto Wolfpack – but in the Kangaroos half-back Catalans Dragons have signed one of the best players in the world.
Just last year the 33-year-old helped New South Wales to win the State of Origin series, one of the biggest series in sport, and if he stays fit, he will almost certainly be in contention to win the Man of Steel.
Dragons have also re-signed Josh Drinkwater from Hull KR. The Aussie was instrumental in helping them to their first ever trophy in 2018, the Challenge Cup.
Their most eye-catching piece of business, however, has been the arrival of Australian outside back Israel Folau.
The 30-year-old dual-code international, who has not played since being sacked by Rugby Australia last May for making homophobic comments on social media, signed a one-year contract with Dragons on the eve of the season.
Folau was told he would not be allowed to return to the NRL after his controversial remarks but the Rugby Football League has confirmed it will not prevent his registration with the Dragons.
Catalans’ biggest challenge this season will be reproducing their home form in the north of England. For them it’s the equivalent of playing on a Tuesday night in Stoke about 15 times a season. A Tony Pulis-coached Stoke team, not the current lot.
Super Saints
How Saints deal with the departure of head coach Justin Holbrook will be interesting – and a challenge – but in Kristian Woolf they have replaced him with one of the best minds in the game.
Woolf has led Tonga’s national team to becoming one of the best teams in the world. In 2019, they defeated Australia for the first time, and also humbled the Great Britain Lions.
Woolf is held in such high regard in Tonga that Tui Lolohea, their halfback, said: “Tongan people bow to him like a king.”
Saints haven’t made many new signings – but they were so far ahead of the competition last year they are unquestionably the ones to beat again this season.
The Tongan Terminator
Meet Manu Ma’u, the ‘Tongan Terminator’, and in the words of international teammate Andrew Fifita, the scariest bloke in the sport.
Who can argue with him? Ma’u has three plates inserted into the right side of his face which effectible holds it in place after he mangled it in a tackle.
“When it happened, I touched my face and I could feel the bone near my eye socket sticking out. I went to the changing rooms and the doctors looked and said it was no good.”
Hull FC missed out on the play-offs last year and it will be a huge surprise if they do the same this year.
They have recruited heavily and brought in some quality. Fans’favourite Mahe Fonua returns to the club from Australia’s NRL and he is a player who has the X-Factor the club needs to get them in contention this season.
Jackson Hastings
Wigan Warriors have made some big statements in the past few months. The acquisition of last year’s Man of Steel Jackson Hastings could be hugely influential.
The 2019 season saw Hastings miraculously lead Salford Red Devils to the Grand Final and, had they won, it would have been the biggest underdog story since Leicester City won the Premier League.
Having lost the influential George Williams to Canberra Raiders, Hastings looks the perfect playmaker to make their talented backline tick.
The main thing Warriors lacked last year was a big power game. Enter George Burgess, another marquee signing from the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL, to add some real dynamism to ayoung forward pack. Throw it all together and, all of a sudden, Wigan look like proper contenders.
Warrington Wolves
On their day Warrington Wolves can beat anyone, as they showed by seeing off Saints at Wembley last season to win their first Challenge Cup since 2012.
Wolves have been shrewd once again in the transfer market, signing England and Great Britain Lions half-back Gareth Widdop.
They have also brought in the popular Kiwi Anthony Gelling who, like the club themselves, are definitely worth a follow on social media.
Gelling will be among a number of players that head coach Steve Price will look to to fill a hole in the centres after the impressive Bryson Goodwin returned to Australia.
But is 2020 the time for big-money signing Luther Burrell to make his mark in Super League? He signed from rugby unionmid-way through 2019 and, as he says, “I’ve not come to Super League to play in the reserves.” So, a big season for Burrell – could this finally be Warrington’s year to win Super League? They have never won it and their top-flight league title was in 1955.
Gale force and no place like home
Last season was one to forget for Leeds Rhinos – but the rebuilding process is taking shape under head coach Richard Agar who has appointed homegrown talent Stevie Ward as captain and signed former Man of Steel Luke Gale from Castleford.
Gale has missed most of the last two seasons through injury – but Rhinos are confident he can be the catalyst to return the club to where they belong.
There is no lack of motivation around Headingley this season, as evidenced in pre-season by the way the club and community has responded to the motor neurone diagnosis of former player Rob Burrow.
Burrow, synonymous with the great Leeds Rhinos team alongside the likes of Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock and Danny McGuire, will be in the minds of the players and fans all season.
Not sure Leeds can go all the way, but one thing is for sure: Headingley being a much tougher place to go in 2020.
We’ll bring you more than 40 live Super League games this season on the talkSPORT network
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