With 2024 coming to an end, we challenged the Sky Sports Rugby League pundits to give us their highlights, their biggest shocks, and look forward to the new Super League season…
Brian Carney’s 2024 rewind…
Favourite moment from the 2024 season?
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Hull KR sing ‘A little respect’ ahead of their Super League semi-final against Warrington Wolves
“Respect” being sung by a bumper Hull KR crowd ahead of kick-off in their semi-final against Warrington. The atmosphere was thick with a range of emotions.
The Robins were a revelation this year making it all the way to a Grand Final before receiving a harsh reminder of what sustained excellence looks like.
Shock of the 2024 season?
The club from the capital pulled off what I consider to be, without a doubt,the shock of the season. Catalans’ season was, shall we say, 50/50 at best in 2024 but there can’t be many that would have predicted their demise in round 20 away to London Broncos. A proud day for David and the Hughes family.
Most looking forward to in 2025?
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Wigan Warriors’ Bevan French scored the only try in the 2024 Grand Final against Hull KR, which closely resembled Rob Burrow’s Grand Final try for Leeds Rhinos against St Helens back in 2011
Watching Bevan French. Once upon a time that would have been a reference to a Wire wingman, one of the greatest the game has ever seen. Now it’s Super League’s greatest on-field entertainer. French might just be the most electrifying rugby player of either code in the world right now.
Jon Wilkin’s 2024 rewind…
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Check out the top five tries from Hull KR’s 2024 season, which saw them reach the Grand Final for the first time
Favourite moment from the 2024 season?
Brian Carney throwing to Rod Stewart instead of Rod Studd. We couldn’t stop laughing. I actually got excited Rod Stewart may be pivoting into sports broadcasting late on his career. But no, it was a little but great blooper.
Shock of the 2024 season?
Probably Hull FC, knowing that without more investment the smart move was to just throw the towel in for 2024. They shed players and costs, Adam Pearson bunkered down and waited for help in the form of the Myler family ties.
I suppose without resources, Pearson should be respected, he did what was right by not getting into a financial pickle.
He would have been absolutely under the blow torch from the Hull FC fans. The shock in 2024 was the realisation that winning games doesn’t matter as much anymore. It matters but not as much as it once did.
Most looking forward to in 2025?
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George Williams sent Warrington Wolves through to the Super League play-off semi-finals with a superb drop goal against St Helens
The growth of Warrington under Sam Burgess, the evolution of St Helens that you feel must come, the return of the new shiny Wakefield Trinity, the Robins bobbing their name on a trophy, and someone other than Wigan lifting a trophy.
Liam Farrell is out for three months with a repetitive stress shoulder injury from the trophy-lift movement…
Barrie McDermott’s 2024 rewind…
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A special rendition of Nessun Dorma helps pays tribute to former Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow
Favourite moment from the 2024 season?
Bittersweet for me but the Rob Burrow game was a fabulous tribute to a magnificent man and all his rugby league family, MND and of course his immediate family that are role models to ourselves.
While we all know that day would come, when it did it was extremely sad but uplifting at the same time. The broadcast was another example of what Sky and the sport can achieve when they have a common goal and collaboration happens.
My friend would have been delighted with the pre-game, the performance of the team and the tribute at the end as we said our goodbyes.
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Team-mate and close friend Kevin Sinfield sends a special message to the Leeds fans gathered to pay tribute to Rob Burrow
Shock of the 2024 season?
Hull FC and how disappointing they were from start to finish. They actually got worse!
Most looking forward to in 2025?
I’m a big fan of the captain’s challenge. It will bring an extra element to the game and will give us all plenty more to debate and discuss – when to use it, who uses it and who shouldn’t is often as entertaining as anything else.
Rugby league has always been revolutionary in its approach so we’ll see how it goes. Who knows, we may see other sports in this country adopt it.
Jamie Jones-Buchanan’s 2024 rewind…
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Rob Burrow CBE’s father, Geoff Burrow, presents Wigan Warriors’ Bevan French with the newly named Rob Burrow Award after the Australian was named Player of the Match in their Grand Final win against Hull KR
Favourite moment from the 2024 season?
“Moment” would be Bevan French’s try against Leigh in the 59th minute of the semi-finals.
As someone who played the game for 20 years, I never get bored of seeing unique moments of genius, prophetic vision and athletic mastery.
Shock of the 2024 season?
Discovering that 60 per cent of Hull KR fans walk to the stadium highlights the deep-rooted community spirit surrounding the game. Craven Park stands out as perhaps the only venue where a Craven Street could really flourish, and where fans would create such lively iconic ’80s pop renditions from groups like Erasure. Absolutely fantastic.
Most looking forward to in 2025?
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Hull KR winger Ryan Hall discusses recently passing former teammate Danny McGuire’s Super League try record
Assessing whether Super League’s all-time leading tryscorer, Ryan Hall, paired with Maika Sivo’s even better strike rate from the NRL, can help lift Leeds Rhinos out of the abyss.
Courtney Winfield-Hill’s 2024 rewind…
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Jon Wilkin was full of praise for Ryan Hall after the Hull KR winger broke the Super League try record in their win over Huddersfield
Favourite moment from the 2024 season?
In Super League, it has to be Ryan Hall’s record-breaking try at home and in the women’s competition, it is Georgie Hetherington being named Woman of Steel.
Shock of 2024 Season?
In the men’s competition, it would be Salford Red Devils’ performances given the noise around the club at beginning of season with player departures.
In the women’s, I loved Barrow’s results in their first year in Super League.
Most looking forward to in 2025?
The England vs Australia Ashes on home soil will be great, as will Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ arrival to Hull KR.
The women’s competition will then see England vs Australia in Las Vegas and Wigan Warriors Women building on from their impressive rise in 2024.
2025 Super League – key dates and what to look out for
March 1: Wigan Warriors vs Warrington Wolves in Las Vegas
April 17-19: Round 8 – Rivals Round
May 3-4: Magic Round (St James’ Park, Newcastle)
July 24: August 31 – Round 20 – split round across two weekends
September 4-7: Round 25 – Rivals Round fixtures reversed
September 18-21: Round 27 – last round of regular season (dates and times tbc)
September 26-27: Elimination Play-Offs
October 3-4: Semi-Finals
Saturday October 11: Grand Final (Old Trafford)
Sky Sports will again show every game of the Super League live this season – including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining four matches each week shown on Sky Sports+
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