Super League confirmed for 2025 as the three Greater Manchester teams keep their spots
Image: Martin Rickett/PA wire
The Super League have released their first official IMG grades for next season. The grades determine the clubs who will compete in the competition, with the three Greater Manchester teams keeping their places.
All professional rugby league clubs have been graded based on five areas: fandom, finance, stadium, community and on field performance.
The change in system which has replaced the traditional promotion and relegation route is an attempt to incentivise teams to grow more off the field. The grading handbook released earlier this year outlines how clubs are graded.
Manchester teams
Wigan Warriors are placed second in the rankings with a score of 16.91. They just narrowly missed the top spot to St Helens. The club have just finished an impressive campaign which saw them win all four available trophies including a victory over the Australian champions as well.
Leigh Leopards are placed seventh but remain a class A side with a score of 15.13. They also have had an impressive recent few seasons winning the Challenge cup in 2023 and making it to the semi finals of the SuperLeague in the season gone by.
Derek Beaumont the owner of the Leigh Leopards had his say on the gradings speaking from a club statement: “So, the positives of the grading process as there are some. Investment has been made in some stadiums to better facilities with the addition of screens and LED pitch perimeters, which is obviously a good thing.”
He added: “In the end we got what we would have done: the bottom club got relegated and the top club promoted, yet many clubs were cast in uncertainty for a long period.”
Salford have come out the worst of the three just barely making the top 12. They scored 13.97 and are one of the three grade B sides that will compete in the competition next year. Salford have of course recently had their ground purchased by Salford City Council and will look to hopefully see some positives come out of this which would hopefully improve the score for the next set of gradings.