The League Leaders' Shield is a trophy awarded to the team finishing the season top of Super League in the sport of rugby league football. This regular portion of the season precedes the playoffs for the eventual Super League Grand Final. The trophy was first awarded in Super League VIII in 2003.

Bradford Bulls won the first shield in 2003, but St. Helens have won it most, winning it on a total of 8 occasions.

Wigan Warriors became only the 2nd team (along with St Helens), to retain the shield in 2024.

History

From 1907 until 1973 the Championship was awarded to the team winning a top-four play-off (excluding the 2 seasons 1962–63 and 1963–64, when the championship was awarded to the top-placed team). From 1907 to 1962 no prize was awarded to the team finishing top. From 1965 to 1973 a 'League Leaders' Trophy' was introduced to reward the team finishing top. In 1996, Super League was formed but continued to use the league to decide the champions until 1998, when they adopted a play-off structure for the championship. Between 1998 and 2002 no trophy was awarded for coming top of the league in the regular season, and it would not be until the 2003 season when the League Leaders' Shield was first awarded.

From 2015 to 2017, League Leaders' Shield winners would participate in the short lived World Club Series. 2015 also saw the prize money increase from £50,000 to £100,000.

In 2016, the League Leaders were awarded medals for the first time.

Shield winners

YearLeague leadersPtsRunners upPts
2003Bradford Bulls (C)44Leeds Rhinos41
2004Leeds Rhinos (C)50Bradford Bulls41
2005St. Helens47Leeds Rhinos44
2006St. Helens (C)48Hull F.C.40
2007St. Helens38Leeds Rhinos (C)37
2008St. Helens43Leeds Rhinos (C)42
2009Leeds Rhinos (C)42St Helens38
2010Wigan Warriors (C)44St Helens40
2011Warrington Wolves44Wigan Warriors43
2012Wigan Warriors42Warrington Wolves41
2013Huddersfield Giants42Warrington Wolves41
2014St. Helens (C)38Wigan Warriors37
2015Leeds Rhinos (C)41Wigan Warriors41
2016Warrington Wolves43Wigan Warriors (C)42
2017Castleford Tigers50Leeds Rhinos (C)40
2018St. Helens42Wigan Warriors (C)32
2019St. Helens (C)52Wigan Warriors36
2020Wigan Warriors76.47aSt. Helens (C)70.59a
2021Catalans Dragons82.61aSt. Helens (C)76.19a
2022St. Helens (C)42Wigan Warriors38
2023Wigan Warriors (C)40Catalans Dragons40
2024Wigan Warriors (C)44Hull KR42
2025Hull Kingston Rovers (C)44Wigan Warriors42
  • a: Shield winners decided by win percentage rather than points

(C) - Team also won the Grand Final to be crowned champions.

Winners

ClubWinsWinning years
St. Helens82005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022
Wigan Warriors52010, 2012, 2020, 2023, 2024
Leeds Rhinos32004, 2009, 2015
Warrington Wolves22011, 2016
Bradford Bulls12003
Huddersfield Giants12013
Castleford Tigers12017
Catalans Dragons12021
Hull Kingston Rovers12025

The Treble

ClubWinsWinning years
1Wigan Warriors41991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 2024
2Huddersfield Giants21912–13, 1914–15
2St. Helens21965–66, 2006
4Swinton Lions11927–28
4Bradford Bulls12003
4Leeds Rhinos12015
4Hull Kingston Rovers12025

The Quadruple

ClubWinsWinning years
1Wigan Warriors21993–94, 2024
2Bradford Bulls12003
2St. Helens12006
2Hull Kingston Rovers12026

See also

Notes