Wolves on top - but can they stay there?

We’ve hit the quarter-final mark in the 2026 Betfred Super League!

Warrington Wolves are sitting top of the tree with five wins from six, and are joint-top with Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos, Wakefield Trinity and St Helens in a terrifically tight table.

Did you know that on 16 occasions, the team leading after Round 7 has gone on to lift the League Leaders’ Shield, and this included a run of seven straight seasons between 2013 and 2019?

However, only two teams in the last six years have gone on to finish top after leading in Round 7, highlighting the recent unpredictability of the Super League competition.

These teams were Hull KR (2025) and St Helens (2022). Astoundingly, the Robins maintained their place at the top from Round 4 all the way to Round 27!

And as recently as 2024 and 2023, early leaders Catalans and Warrington fell away, slipping to seventh and sixth place respectively, whilst Wigan went on to the claim the shield, back-to-back.

Exactly ten years ago, Warrington Wolves occupied top spot and went on to stay there. So, it’s quite fitting that the current Wolves side are top too.

Can Sam Burgess’ side follow the class of 2016 and convert their early dominance into silverware?

Here is a full list of the teams who were leading the way in Round 7 between 1996-2025 and who the eventual league winners went on to be.

Just six teams have had perfect starts up to Round 7 in the whole history of Super League – in 1996, 2004, 2006, 2014, 2016 and 2019. The most common pattern is W6 L1, however.

 

2025

Leading in Round 7: Hull KR (W6 L1)

Eventual winners: Hull KR

 

2024

Leading in Round 7: Catalans Dragons

Eventual Winners: Wigan Warriors

-Out of the five treble winners in Super League history, only Wigan weren’t leading the way in Round 7.

 

2023

Leading in Round 7: Warrington Wolves

Eventual Winners: Wigan Warriors

 

2022

Leading in Round 7:  St Helens (W6, L1)

Eventual Winners: St Helens

 

2021

Leading in Round 7: Wigan Warriors

Eventual Winners: Catalans Dragons

-The Warriors had fell to fourth place at the end of the 2021 season.

 

2020

Leading in Round 7: St Helens

Eventual Winners: Wigan Warriors

 

2019

Leading in Round 7:  St Helens (W7 L0)

Eventual Winners: St Helens

-This was the start of a dominant era for the Red V, who really reinforced their status as one of the competition’s most consistent front-runners.

-Saints went on to finish a record 16 points clear of everybody else at the top in 2019 and would win the next four Grand Finals.

-Did you know that the Saints have finished top of the league ten times in total – and six of those times they were top at the quarter-way mark?

 

2018

Leading in Round 7: St Helens (W6 L1)

Eventual Winners: St Helens

 

2017

Leading in Round 7: Castleford Tigers (W6 L1)

Eventual Winners: Castleford Tigers

-Daryl Powell’s formidable Tigers side set the pace in 2017 and went on to finish ten points clear of all the other teams.

 

2016

Leading in Round 7: Warrington Wolves (W7 L0)

Eventual Winners: Warrington Wolves

-Will the 2026 Warrington Wolves follow the path of 2016, and can their fine form translate into end of season success?

2015

Leading in Round 7: Leeds Rhinos (W6 L1)

Eventual Winners: Leeds Rhinos

-Despite a dramatic League Leaders’ Shield race between the Rhinos and the Warriors that year, Leeds held out and Ryan Hall’s try sealed the silverware in the final round.

 

2014

Leading in Round 7: St Helens (W7 L0)

Eventual Winners: St Helens

 

2013

Leading in Round 7: Huddersfield Giants (W6 L1)

Eventual Winners: Huddersfield Giants

 

2012

Leading in Round 7: Huddersfield Giants

Eventual Winners: Wigan Warriors

 

2011

Leading in Round 7:  Warrington Wolves (W6 L1)

Eventual Winners: Warrington Wolves

 

2010

Leading in Round 7: Wigan Warriors (W6 L1)

Eventual Winners: Wigan Warriors

 

2009

Leading in Round 7: Leeds Rhinos (W6 L1)

Eventual Winners: Leeds Rhinos

 

2008

Leading in Round 7: Leeds Rhinos

Eventual Winners: St Helens

-The Rhinos looked set to finish top but were edged out by Saints by a single point, continuing a trend of the Red V capitalising on others’ early leads, and coming from behind.

 

2007

Leading in Round 7: Bradford Bulls

Eventual Winners: St Helens

 

2006

Leading in Round 7:  St Helens (W7 L0)

Eventual Winners: St Helens

 

2005

Leading in Round 7: Leeds Rhinos

Eventual Winners: St Helens

 

2004

Leading in Round 7: Leeds Rhinos (W7 L0)

Eventual Winners: Leeds Rhinos

 

2003

Leading in Round 7: Bradford Bulls (W6 L1)

Eventual Winners: Bradford Bulls

 

Other than in St Helens in Super League’s inaugural year (1996), an early-era trend was that teams leading the way at the quarter point in the 1997-2002 seasons did not manage to maintain their lead at the top.

 

2002

Leading in Round 7: Bradford Bulls

Eventual Winners: St Helens

 

2001

Leading in Round 7: Wigan Warriors

Eventual Winners: Bradford Bulls

 

2000

Leading in Round 7: St Helens

Eventual Winners: Wigan Warriors

 

1999

Leading in Round 7: St Helens

Eventual Winners: Bradford Bulls

 

1998

Leading in Round 7: Leeds Rhinos

Eventual Winners: Wigan Warriors

 

1997

Leading in Round 7: St Helens

Eventual Winners: Bradford Bulls

 

1996

Leading in Round 7: St Helens (W7 L0)

Eventual Winners: St Helens

 

Across three decades, the pattern is clear. Whilst a fast start can be a powerful indicator, it’s no guarantee. For Warrington in 2026, history offers both encouragement and caution in equal measure…