Six Rhinos named in Betfred Super League Dream Team

Leeds Rhinos are the big winners in the 2026 Betfred Super League Dream Team with six representatives. 

The mythical XIII, chosen to present the best players in the competition this season, sees reigning Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel Jake Connor retain his place. 

The stellar scrum-half is one of only three players to keep his spot from the 2025 side, along with Leeds colleague James McDonnell and dynamic Leigh Leopards centre Umyla Hanley. 

The other Rhinos stars to earn a slot are prolific winger Makia Sivo, Australian full-back Lachie Miller - who, like Connor, is figuring highly in 2026 Man of Steel discussions - elusive centre Ash Handley and free-scoring stand-off Brodie Croft. 

Wigan Warriors have two players included – 27-try winger Zach Eckersley and combative hooker Brad O’Neill, who both make the cut for the first time. 

Wakefield Trinity front-row Caleb Hamlin-Uele, whose form has earned him an England call-up, and destructive Leigh prop Joe Ofahengaue also make their debuts along with Miller, Sivo and Toulouse Olympique second-row Mathieu Jussaume, taking the tally to seven fresh faces. 

Warrington Wolves’ Ben Currie is the other player to secure selection, the England loose forward earning his second Dream Team slot but one which comes fully ten years after his first. 

Impressive Jussaume, who has scored 16 tries for the promoted French club and becomes their first-ever Dream Team representative, is the only player to earn recognition from sides who haven’t made the play-offs. 

Conversely, reigning champions Hull KR are the only club in the top-six not to see anyone get the nod. 

The selection process for the Dream Team has adopted a new approach this year with, for the first time, supporters getting the chance to vote. 

The Man of Steel panel – Ellery Hanley MBE, Paul Sculthorpe MBE, Joe Lydon, James Roby and Sam Tomkins – accounted for 50 percent of the overall weighting. 

Specially selected members of the media them contributed 30 percent while fans, via the Super League website, made up the final 20 percent of the vote. 

This was part of a change to help reflect a combination of expert knowledge, independent media opinion and views of fans who follow events week to week. 

The Dream Team selections brought up some interesting statistics. 

Sivo, for instance, was the journalists’ unanimous choice. The winger was the only Dream Team player selected by all journalists, while he was also the most popular player with supporters, featuring in 85 percent of fan teams. 

Fellow winger Eckersley achieved the highest overall weighted score of anyone in the Dream Team. His 90.77 total came from a perfect 5/5 Man of Steel panel selections – the only player to earn that feat - 11/12 journalists and 66.4 percent of fans. 

Croft took the stand-off jersey with support across all three voting groups: 3/5 panel votes and 7/12 journalist votes while just over half of the fans who voted opted for the former Man of Steel. 

Hamlin-Uele’s panel support proved decisive – four of the five Man of Steel panellists backed him – while O’Neill recorded the highest weighted score of any spine player or forward. His 77.34 put him behind only the two wingers among the final XIII. 

2026 Betfred Super League Dream Team and Heritage Numbers 

Full-back - Lachlan Miller (Leeds Rhinos, 231)  

Winger - Maika Sivo (Leeds Rhinos, 232) 

Centre - Ash Handley (Leeds Rhinos, 178) 

Centre - Umyla Hanley (Leigh Leopards, 225)  

Winger - Zach Eckersley (Wigan Warriors, 233) 

Stand-off - Brodie Croft (Leeds Rhinos, 203) 

Scrum-half - Jake Connor (Leeds Rhinos, 226) 

Prop - Joe Ofahengaue (Leigh Leopards, 234)  

Hooker - Brad O’Neill (Wigan Warriors, 235) 

Prop – Caleb Hamlin-Uele (Wakefield Trinity, 236) 

Second-row - Mathieu Jussaume (Toulouse Olympique, 237) 

Second-row - James McDonnell (Leeds Rhinos, 230) 

Loose forward - Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves, 159)  

Dream Team players will receive their shirts at a presentation at Old Trafford on Monday where they will also be available for interview as part of the Super League Play-Off Launch.  

Click here to find out more about Super League's Dream Team.

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