RANKING the 12 Super League coaches is never an easy task as the placings can change year on year based on the form of their respective clubs.
For some, such as Mark Applegarth, Willie Peters and Paul Wellens, it is even tougher when considering that the trio have yet to coach at Super League level – those three are ranked 10, 11 and 12 purely on the basis that they have yet to coach a game in the top flight.
Anyway, here goes.
12. Mark Applegarth – Wakefield Trinity
Only rated at number 12 due to his lack of coaching experience as a whole. Mark Applegarth has taken on the reins at Wakefield Trinity following the departure of Willie Poching with the former Head of Youth at the West Yorkshire club being given his chance to shine. A former Wakefield, York and Batley player, Applegarth has the tough task of leading Wakefield away from the bottom of the Super League table and to relative safety – a feat only achieved towards the back end of last season.
11. Willie Peters – Hull KR
Willie Peters is perhaps the biggest unknown in terms of new Super League bosses. Remembered by Wigan Warriors fans following his playing stint back in 2000, the former Newcastle Knights assistant coach has stepped up to his first major role with Hull KR. Coaching experience is, however, aplenty as he led the Wests Tigers’ Holden Cup team in 2016 before.becoming assistant coach at Manly Sea Eagles and then the South Sydney Rabbitohs where he worked under Wayne Bennett. 2020 saw Peters move to the Knights where he spent three seasons before his move to the UK. A really interesting one!
10. Paul Wellens – St Helens
He learnt from the best in his time as assistant coach at St Helens, with Paul Wellens monitoring the stewardship of both Justin Holbrook and Kristian Woolf, but it will be a different kettle of fish as head coach. Rated the highest of the three bosses without Super League head coaching experience because he learnt under two head coaches who won four Grand Final titles between them. Can Wellens replicate that success? Time will tell.
9. Adrian Lam – Leigh Leopards
Only been a Super League boss for two seasons but, after a brilliant first year in charge of the Wigan Warriors in which he guided the Lancashire club to a Grand Final, the wheels fell off for Adrian Lam in 2021 as Matt Peet stepped into the role as head coach. Lam did, however, take Leigh back to Super League at the first time of asking in 2022 with the Leopards now gearing up for their first year back. It will be interesting to see how Lam and Leigh fare in 2023 with a new cohort of signings and there will be an eagerness to see if the former PNG star can keep the newly-promoted side in the top flight.
8. Daryl Powell – Warrington Wolves
The phrase ‘you don’t become bad overnight’ perhaps rang true for Daryl Powell in his first season as Warrington Wolves boss. It was a dismal year from start to finish with the Cheshire club finishing second bottom in the Super League table with only relegated Toulouse Olympique below them. Just nine wins from 27 league games left Warrington fans shellshocked and all eyes will be firmly fixed on how Powell gets his chargers playing in 2023. He did a tremendous job with Castleford Tigers prior to his Wolves appointment and he will be hoping to hone in on that success next season.
7. Lee Radford – Castleford Tigers
2022 was an up and down season for Lee Radford in his first year as Castleford Tigers head coach. Finishing just outside the play-offs, the Tigers had been present in the top six for much of the season before losing out to the Leeds Rhinos in the final round of fixtures. Granted, Radford has won two Challenge Cups in his career as a head coach – both with Hull FC – but never really looked like getting his hands on silverware again in 2022. It will be up to the former Bradford Bulls enforcer to take Castleford nearer next season.
6. Paul Rowley – Salford Red Devils
He took over the Salford Red Devils ahead of the 2022 Super League season, but many people predicted the club to finish near the bottom of the table. However, Paul Rowley smashed those predictions into smithereens, taking Salford into the play-offs and then to within 80 minutes of the Grand Final before falling short against eventual winners St Helens. Rowley’s playing style has been impressive to say the least with the Red Devils being known as the entertainers in 2022. Now, his task is to continue the stunning rise of the Salford club.
5. Steve McNamara – Catalans Dragons
A disappointing 2022 season shouldn’t hide the wonderful job that Steve McNamara has done with the Catalans Dragons since the French side were almost relegated back in 2017. McNamara was the head coach when Catalans beat the then named Leigh Centurions in the Million Pound Game, but, since then, the Dragons have won the Challenge Cup and made their maiden Grand Final in 2021. Catalans again finished inside the top four in 2022, but lost in the first week of the play-offs to eventual finalists Leeds Rhinos. McNamara’s task will be to rekindle that excellent form in 2021 that led the French side to their first-ever League Leaders’ Shield.
4. Ian Watson – Huddersfield Giants
Though yet to win a major trophy, Ian Watson has made it to two finals – both with Salford Red Devils – but the most impressive facet of Watson is the ability to turn around the two clubs he has been head coach of. At Salford, he helped the Red Devils from basement dwellers to silverware-hunters – and he is doing exactly the same with the Huddersfield Giants. After finishing in the top four in 2022 and reaching the Challenge Cup Final, Watson’s task is to now go one further and win a trophy which is the only thing missing from his tenure so far.
3. Matt Peet – Wigan Warriors
A real baptism of fire befell Matt Peet upon taking the Wigan Warriors job ahead of the 2022 season. Following a real drive home of the word ‘culture’, Wigan started seeing results immediately with the Warriors going on to win the Challenge Cup against the Huddersfield Giants. Though the Super League play-offs were a disappointment as Wigan went out in the semi-finals to the Leeds Rhinos, 2023 will be the year in which Peet turns the Warriors into Grand Final-hunters. It’s also evident that the Wigan players love playing under him.
2. Rohan Smith – Leeds Rhinos
Some may raise their eyebrows at Rohan Smith being placed in second after just one season in Super League, but the impact that the Australian had on Leeds Rhinos after joining midway through 2022 was impeccable to say the least. With virtually the same team that began the season with just one win from seven games, Smith helped guide the Rhinos to the Super League Grand Final where the West Yorkshire side came up short against St Helens. Smith also has Grand Final-winning experience with former club Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup, but now it’s his time to show why he is here in second.
1. Tony Smith – Hull FC
As things stand, Tony Smith is the only current Super League head coach to have won a Super League Grand Final, winning the showpiece event twice with the Leeds Rhinos back in the mid-2000s. Alongside those Super League titles, Smith also guided the Warrington Wolves to three Challenge Cup wins whilst he helped steer Hull KR to both a Super League semi-final and a Challenge Cup semi-final. Now it’s his task to turn things around at Hull FC, who have been underperforming for a number of seasons. Get that right and it would firmly cement Smith’s place as number one.
