24th October 2025 - 5 News Stories to Start your Day!
- Super League Raw
- Oct 24
- 6 min read
Here are the Rugby League Stories who have caught our eye!
The Rugby League Ashes are back—England vs Australia reignites one of sport’s fiercest rivalries
After years of waiting, the Ashes series between England national rugby league team and Australia national rugby league team is set to explode back onto the big stage tomorrow. The build-up has all the ingredients: an Australian team full of superstars, sold-out venues, and stakes sky-high. The atmosphere will be electric and supporters heading to Wembley will be full of optimism and expectation.
The fact that this series is being treated as rugby league’s “return to showtime” only adds to the intrigue. What makes it exciting: Australia remain the benchmark, with depth and pedigree. England are the hungry challengers, gunning for a breakthrough. The clash isn’t just about one game—it’s about pride, momentum and legacy. For the fans and players alike, this feels like a perfect end to an exceptional domestic season for both counties. A win here could reshape perceptions of England rugby league, and a loss could maintain Australia’s strangle hold. Bottom line: buckle up. This is rugby league at full throttle.
Can England win against the odds?
0%Yes - In Shaun we Trust
0%No - The Green and Gold will be too good!
To build you knowledge and excitement ahead of the start of the 2025 Ashes series visit our page outlining Great Britain/England's greatest wins over the Australians by clicking the button below.
How well do you know the Aussies? Here is our 1-17 Player Guide
2. Breakaway league R360 sends shockwaves through the sport — and major unions strike back
There’s drama off the field that may change everything. R360, a proposed global franchised league, has emerged as a serious disruptor—and the response has been seismic. The league is promising big money deals (rumoured $1 million + per season) to top-tier players. It’s bold, flashy and a bit reckless from the traditionalist perspective. But the governing bodies haven’t taken kindly. Big unions from England, Australia, New Zealand and others have loudly warned: sign with R360 and you risk your international career.
Cue a standoff of epic proportions: the established order determined to protect the game’s integrity versus the rebel vision promising transformation (and big bucks). It’s the kind of off-pitch intrigue you rarely see in rugby league. For players: a fork in the road. Do you chase the payday and gamble on rupture? Or do you stay loyal to the existing pathway and risk missing out on riches? Whatever happens, this story matters because it could reshape contracts, alignments, international eligibility—and the very structure of the sport. It’s high-stakes power play, and it’s unfolding live.
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3. The human touch: off-field heroics and redemption stories that remind us why we follow the game
In the midst of all the titles, contracts and politics, there are stories that hit you in the heart: redemption, rescue, real people. One such tale: Gehamat Shibasaki’s journey from disciplinary setback to national selection for Australia. Shibasaki had a wake-up call earlier this season, but now he’s been rewarded with a spot in the Kangaroos for the Ashes series. That kind of arc—fall, rebuild, triumph—resonates.Then there’s the wider message: players are more than athletes. Their stories matter. Their mistakes and comebacks reflect what we all go through.
In this sport of collision and physicality, the emotional journeys often go unseen—these ones get spotlighted. Why this matters: sports aren’t just about stats and trophies. They’re about character, community and connection. When a player redeems themselves, it echoes beyond the field. It reminds fans why they care. And when the stakes are high (international series, grand finals), these human moments amplify the drama. They raise the stakes from “just a game” to “who we are”. In short: while we watch big matches and follow league structures, never forget the heartbeat of rugby league is in the people.
4. Fulton‑Reilly Award
Here’s a summary of the new Player of the Series award introduced for the 2025 Rugby League Ashes:
🏆 What the award is
The award is officially titled the Fulton‑Reilly Award, and it will be presented to the outstanding player across the three-Test series between England national rugby league team and Australia national rugby league team.
The 2025 series marks the first Ashes contest in 22 years, making this award a significant revival moment in rugby league.
🎖 Why it’s named so
The name “Fulton-Reilly” honours two legendary figures in Ashes history: Bob Fulton AM and Malcolm Reilly OBE.
Bob Fulton played 35 international Tests for Australia (including four Ashes series) and later coached the Kangaroos in further Ashes contests.
Malcolm Reilly, a Castleford legend, starred for Great Britain in the 1970 Ashes series and later coached Great Britain and clubs—his career threaded into the Ashes narrative for decades.
The award is positioned not just as a “best player” trophy but as a tribute to national representation, rivalry, legacy and excellence in one of rugby league’s defining contests.
📅 Practical details & significance
The Fulton-Reilly Award will be given after the three Tests (at venues: Wembley, Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, and Headingley) to the player judged to have had the greatest impact across the series.
Because the Ashes are returning after a long hiatus (since 2003) and the award is new, it carries extra weight: making history matters here.
For players, this means the series is not just about winning for their team, but also about individual legacy within the sport’s storied rivalry. For fans and the wider game, it cements the return of the Ashes as something major.
5. Bradford Bulls tipped for wooden-spoon spot in 2026 Super League
The highly-anticipated return of the Bradford Bulls to the Super League for the 2026 season comes with a notable caveat: they are now firm favourites to finish last.
Back to the top flight, but under big pressure
After an 11-year absence from the top flight, the Bulls secured promotion through the grading system rather than purely on-field results. They moved up to 10th in the club gradings with a score of 14.81—just shy of the 15.0 required for “Grade A” status, meaning their place is automatic for 2026 but their status is still vulnerable. The expansion of Super League to 14 clubs for 2026 means there will be more teams, more fixtures and a possible dilution of talent or increased strain on clubs who are not fully prepared.
Why are they being tipped to go bottom?
Several factors combine to make Bradford the early ‘favourites to finish bottom’:
Odds from bookmakers show them at 2/1 for finishing last.
They are returning after a long time away, and while they have recruited new players, they are still building up strength for the higher intensity of Super League.
Their grading-status suggests they are not yet at the level of clubs with Grade A status (which tend to have more security and better resources).
The expanded league means more competition and less margin for error for a club in a rebuild phase.
The stakes are high
For the Bulls, this season is both a revival and a test. Their return to the Super League brings the heritage and expectation (they were former champions), but also scrutiny: if they struggle they may quickly be labelled as over-promoted. The odds on being bottom reflect that pressure. Finishing last would not only dash momentum but could hamper recruitment, sponsorship and fan confidence. On the other hand, a strong showing — avoiding the bottom, securing wins, building foundations — could reset their trajectory.
What to watch
How many of the new signings step up and how quickly the squad adapts to Super League intensity. The club’s off-field stability: finances, stadium, infrastructure. Their grading improvement spoke to off-field work.
How the club handles the expanded competition format (14 teams), with extra fixtures and travel potentially adding strain.
How the bookmakers and analysts adjust their predictions as the season unfolds — if Bradford pick up early wins, the “favourites for bottom” tag may drop.
In short: Bradford Bulls’ return to the top flight is a big moment, but the caution lights are flashing for 2026. The odds, the context of their promotion, and the competitive environment of the Super League expansion all point to a scenario where Bradford are underdogs for survival. If they can defy those expectations, it would be a major turnaround.
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