We’re a significant chunk of the way through the season now and the Super League, Championship and League 1 tables are beginning to take shape. Three teams remain unbeaten throughout the divisions, while there has been some surprise packages.
Below, Rugby League Live takes a look at 10 of the best coaches right now across the three leagues.
Kristian Woolf – St Helens
The Australian is in charge of the best team in the country and few will argue against his spot on this list. Saints were already the champions when Woolf took over in 2020 but he has somehow managed to make them better and even harder to break down.
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This year has been no different. The Merseysiders sit on top of the Super League table having failed to win just two games and on both occasions Woolf fielded weakened teams.
Saints’ one major slip-up came in the Challenge Cup as they lost to their nearest and dearest rivals Wigan Warriors in the semi-finals, but you can guarantee that defeat will provide Saints with added motivation as they aim to win their fourth Grand Final in a row.
Brian McDermott – Featherstone Rovers
McDermott is in charge of the only unbeaten side in the Championship and it looks as though they are involved in a two-horse race for promotion alongside Leigh Centurions. The West Yorkshire club has invested heavily in the hope of finally earning a Super League spot and McDermott is the man bringing it all together on the field.
He knows what it takes to climb out of the Championship, having taken Toronto Wolfpack to the top flight, and with 12 games played, Featherstone are well on their way. Leigh Centurions got one over them in the 1895 Cup final on Saturday, but McDermott will be hoping that can spur Rovers on.
Anthony Murray – North Wales Crusaders
The Crusaders are one of two unbeaten teams in League 1 and after a number of years in the rugby league doldrums, they look capable of winning promotion to the second tier right now. Murray’s side are second, behind Keighley Cougars on points difference and they take on the West Yorkshire side on Saturday at the Zip World Stadium.
Win that game and Murray will have North Wales in the driving seat in League 1.
Ian Watson – Huddersfield Giants
Watson’s first season at the John Smith’s Stadium was a difficult one. The Giants failed to find traction in the Super League and as a result they finished ninth, someway short of many people’s expectations.
However, the former Salford boss has made plenty of progress since then and right now his side are breathing down the necks of the top three. Some of his recruitment has been inspired, with Tui Lolohea, Chris Hill and Danny Levi doing the business this season in claret and gold, while he’s bringing out the best in the likes of Chris McQueen, Jermaine McGillvary and Olly Russell, too.
The Giants were beaten in the cup final on Saturday, but they’re well placed in the league and they’ll fancy their chances of timing a run to Old Trafford.
Craig Lingard – Batley Bulldogs
As it stands Batley could go fourth with a win on Thursday afternoon over Whitehaven and given the tight budget Lingard has at his disposal, that’s some going. Lingard led Batley to a play-off semi-final last year in what was a memorable season for Bulldogs fans and right now, they’re the only team to take points off Featherstone, securing a 20-20 draw at Mount Pleasant.
They’re a formidable force both at home and away and they’re certainly flying high in confidence right now.
Steve McNamara – Catalans Dragons
The job Steve McNamara has done at Catalans has been nothing short of exceptional, transforming the club from Super League strugglers to Grand Finalists. He’s changed the mentality in Perpignan entirely and few would be betting against the French side from making another final this year.
They’ve responded well to last season's Old Trafford disappointment and as it stands they sit second in the Super League, just two points behind St Helens. McNamara will be frustrated with the three defeats his side have had, losing to Saints, Hull FC and Huddersfield, but they’ve certainly got a platform to build off over the second half of the year.
Rhys Lovegrove – Keighley Cougars
The Yorkshire side haven’t been in the Championship since their relegation in 2014, but they’re well on their way towards promotion this year under Lovegrove and head of rugby Andrew Henderson. They’re at the top of the League 1 table, level on points with North Wales, having won all eight of their games so far.
As mentioned above, Saturday’s game against the Crusaders looks set to intrigue and a result for the Cougars would certainly put them in a strong position. The club seems to be making progress off the field at present and with Lovegrove at the helm, they’re moving in the right direction on it, too.
Adrian Lam – Leigh Centurions
Lam’s stock wasn’t exactly high when he left Wigan Warriors at the end of the season. The former Papua New Guinea international had overseen a difficult campaign in which the Cherry and Whites had fallen way short of expectations.
The Warriors had one of the worst attacking records in the league and they were nilled by Leeds Rhinos in the play-offs as their season ended in disappointment. It’s fair to say Lam has bounced back well, though, leading Leigh to 1895 Cup success on Saturday and to second in the Championship.
Featherstone appear to be Leigh’s only true competitors when it comes to promotion and Lam will be expected to lead the club back to the Super League this year, especially after some hefty investment in the playing squad. He’s done very well so far and he’ll be confident of seeing his side kick on as the business end of the season approaches.
Matt Peet – Wigan Warriors
He’s only been in the job since the start of the season, but Peet is already making a huge impact at the DW Stadium. The Warriors are third in Super League at present, but they’ve rediscovered their attacking edge and their key men are playing with a lot more confidence.
The improvement in Wigan was underlined on Saturday as they claimed their 20 th Challenge Cup crown by seeing off Huddersfield Giants at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. There’s a long way to go this year but after winning the first piece of silverware on offer to them this year, Peet’s Wigan will be full of belief moving forward.
Paul Crarey – Barrow Raiders
Barrow have wasted no time in reacclimatising to Championship life after spending two seasons in League 1. Crarey’s side are sixth at present, but they’re only a point behind Halifax Panthers, while York City Knights are in sight, too.
The Cumbrian outfit aren’t short of talent with Crarey building a formidable squad at Craven Park, they’ll have their eyes on a play-off place.
