The 2025 Super League season gets underway on Thursday, with reigning champions Wigan Warriors hosting Leigh Leopards.
The Warriors reigned supreme last season, winning every trophy that was up for grabs.
Rivals St Helens will hope to stop their dominance, while Warrington Wolves will look to build on last season's improvements under head coach Sam Burgess.
At both ends of the table, there should be plenty to fight for and it promises to be a fascinating eight months.
Wigan's Title To Lose
February marks the start of the new Super League season and conditions will be tough during the first few fixtures.
Wigan will be the team that everyone else targets, but Matty Peet's team should be well-equipped to handle those early hurdles.
Having won the Grand Final, Challenge Cup, League Leaders' Shield and World Club Challenge last season, the Warriors are again the team to beat in 2025.
Willie Isa, Mike Cooper and Ryan Hampshire have all departed in the off-season, but Wigan still have a young and ambitious squad who, if they stay fit, should lift silverware again.
Chasing Pair Take Different Approaches
With Wigan expected to rule the roost once again, it is St Helens and Warrington who are next in the betting for the Grand Final crown.
Rather than overhaul his squad, Saints boss Paul Wellens has added NRL trio Tristan Sailor, Kyle Feld, and Lewis Murphy to his ranks, while also appointing Eamon O'Carroll and Lee Briers to his backroom staff.
The addition of two experienced coaches may be the perfect tonic for the Saints, whereas Warrington have added more young and ambitious players to their ranks.
Burgess has lost plenty of experienced players since their title push last season, adding youngsters Oli Leyland and Alfie Johnson, while experienced forward Dan Russell has also moved to the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Those two teams have taken different approaches ahead of the 2025 campaign and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top come October.
Several Clubs Have Something To Prove
This season's Super League is full of storylines from each and every club, and hopefully, this will help the game grow in the next 12 months.
Hull KR reached the Grand Final in 2024 and will hope that is not a fluke, while Leeds Rhinos have overhauled their squad under coach Brad Arthur.
Arthur has vowed that his team will be in much better shape after a full pre-season under his stewardship, but they have already lost recent signing Maika Sivo for the year due to an ACL injury.
Catalans Dragons have done some shrewd business by signing Tommy Makinson, Elliott Whitehead and Luke Keary and, if the French outfit can keep their key players fit, they are overpriced to go all the way.
Castleford Tigers, Hull FC and Wakefield Trinity are all expected to be fighting to stay in the top-flight, while Huddersfield Giants and Salford Red Devils may get dragged in after uninspiring off-seasons.
