Super League XIV
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Super League season (known as the Engage Super League XIV for sponsorship reasons) is the fourteenth season of rugby league
since the Super League
format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the Minor Premiership over 27 rounds (including the Magic Weekend
at Murrayfield Stadium
) after which, the highest finishing teams entered the play-offs to compete for a place in the Grand Final and a chance to win the Super League Trophy. The previous Top six play-offs
are extended to eight teams.
Salford City Reds
and Crusaders join the twelve teams from Super League XIII
, following the implementation of a licensing system. Additionally, it was the Crusaders' first ever Super League season. The Catalans Dragons
played at least one game in Barcelona
, Spain
, to try and expand their fan base in Catalonia
region.
The season officially kicked off on 6 February, at 20:00 GMT
, with a Leeds Rhinos
defeat of the Celtic Crusaders. It came to a conclusion with Leeds Rhinos beating St. Helens in the Super League Grand Final
on 10 October. All clubs also participated in the 2009 Challenge Cup
tournament.
and Crusaders, for whom it was their début season in top-flight European rugby league.
Geographically, the vast majority of teams in Super League are based in the north of England
, four teams – Warrington
, St Helens, Salford
and Wigan
– to the west of the Pennines in Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside, and seven teams to the east in Yorkshire – Huddersfield
, Bradford
, Wakefield
, Leeds
, Castleford
, Hull and Hull KR
. Catalans Dragons
are the only team outside of the United Kingdom
, Crusaders are the only team in Wales
, and Harlequins RL are the only team to be based in a capital city (London
).
:
A media conference is scheduled for Sunday 27 September following the conclusion of Week 2's preliminary semi-finals the day before. During the conference the highest ranked winning team from the qualifying play-offs in Week 1 will in announce which team they have chosen to play in Week 3, the next week.
The play-offs will conclude with the 2009 Super League Grand Final
on 10 October.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
since the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
format was introduced in 1996. Fourteen teams competed for the Minor Premiership over 27 rounds (including the Magic Weekend
Magic Weekend
The Magic Weekend, previously Millennium Magic, is a concept by the Rugby Football League to stage an entire round of Super League matches in prestigious and exciting cities to showcase the sport....
at Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium
Murrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
) after which, the highest finishing teams entered the play-offs to compete for a place in the Grand Final and a chance to win the Super League Trophy. The previous Top six play-offs
Top six play-offs
After a top five play-off system was used, a play-off structure involving the top six teams was used to determine the winners of the Super League competition in British rugby league from 2002 through 2008....
are extended to eight teams.
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
and Crusaders join the twelve teams from Super League XIII
Super League XIII
Engage Super League XIII was the official name, due to sponsorship, for the 2008 Super League season by Engage Mutual. Twelve teams competed for the Minor Premiership over 27 rounds after which, the top 6 finishing teams entered the play-offs where they competed for a place in the Grand Final and...
, following the implementation of a licensing system. Additionally, it was the Crusaders' first ever Super League season. The Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
played at least one game in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, to try and expand their fan base in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
region.
The season officially kicked off on 6 February, at 20:00 GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
Greenwich Mean Time is a term originally referring to mean solar time at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. It is arguably the same as Coordinated Universal Time and when this is viewed as a time zone the name Greenwich Mean Time is especially used by bodies connected with the United...
, with a Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
defeat of the Celtic Crusaders. It came to a conclusion with Leeds Rhinos beating St. Helens in the Super League Grand Final
Super League Grand Final
The Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...
on 10 October. All clubs also participated in the 2009 Challenge Cup
2009 Challenge Cup
The 2009 Carnegie Challenge Cup began in January 2009. The Challenge Cup is the most prestigious knock-out competition in European rugby league. Teams from England, Scotland, Wales, France and Russia are included in the tournament....
tournament.
Teams
Super League XIV saw the introduction of a licensed Super League. Under this new system, promotion and relegation between Super League and National League One was abolished, and 14 teams were granted licenses subject to certain criteria. All twelve teams from Super League XIII were given places, as well as former Super League team Salford City RedsSalford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
and Crusaders, for whom it was their début season in top-flight European rugby league.
Geographically, the vast majority of teams in Super League are based in the north of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, four teams – Warrington
Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003....
, St Helens, Salford
Salford City Reds
Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...
and Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
– to the west of the Pennines in Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside, and seven teams to the east in Yorkshire – Huddersfield
Huddersfield Giants
Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
, Bradford
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
, Wakefield
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts...
, Leeds
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
, Castleford
Castleford Tigers
Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'...
, Hull and Hull KR
Hull Kingston Rovers
Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
. Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
are the only team outside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Crusaders are the only team in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and Harlequins RL are the only team to be based in a capital city (London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
).
| Team | Stadium | Capacity | City/Area |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bradford BullsBradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... (2009 season) |
Grattan Stadium, Odsal Odsal Stadium Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934... |
27,000 | Bradford Bradford Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897... , West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.... |
 Castleford TigersCastleford Tigers Castleford Tigers are a professional rugby league club based in Castleford in West Yorkshire, England. They participate in the professional European competition Super League. They are sometimes known as 'Cas', 'Cas Tigers', 'Classy Cas' or the 'Black & Amber'... (2009 season) |
The Jungle The Jungle (Wheldon Road) The Jungle is the former name of Wheldon Road, a stadium in Castleford, West Yorkshire, England. This is the home of the Castleford Tigers rugby league team.... |
11,750 | Castleford Castleford Castleford is the largest of the "five towns" district in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, England. It is near Pontefract, and has a population of 37,525 according to the 2001 Census, but has seen a rise in recent years and is now around 45-50,000. To the north... , West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.... |
 Catalans DragonsCatalans Dragons The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom... (2009 season) |
Stade Gilbert Brutus Stade Gilbert Brutus Stade Gilbert Brutus is a rugby league stadium located in Perpignan, in the south of France. Even though the stadium currently has around 9,000 seats installed, it can accommodate around 1,000 fans more due to standing room... |
10,000 | Perpignan Perpignan -Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the... , Pyrénées-Orientales Pyrénées-Orientales Pyrénées-Orientales is a department of southern France adjacent to the northern Spanish frontier and the Mediterranean Sea. It also surrounds the tiny Spanish enclave of Llívia, and thus has two distinct borders with Spain.- History :... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
 Crusaders (2009 season) |
Brewery Field Brewery Field Brewery Field is a 8,000 capacity sports stadium in Bridgend, Wales 1,100 of which is seated capacity... |
12,000 | Bridgend Bridgend Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town... , Glamorgan Glamorgan Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
 Harlequins RL (2009 season) |
Twickenham Stoop | 12,700 | Twickenham Twickenham Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan... , London |
 Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants Huddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C.... (2009 season) |
Galpharm Stadium Galpharm Stadium The Galpharm Stadium, formerly the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, is a multi-use sports in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. Since 1994, it has been the home ground of Huddersfield Town and Super League side, Huddersfield Giants.-The Stadium:... |
24,544 | Huddersfield Huddersfield Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city.... , West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.... |
 Hull (2009 season) |
Kingston Communications Stadium KC Stadium The KC Stadium, often shortened to the KC, is a multi-purpose facility in the city of Kingston upon Hull , England. Conceived as early as the late 1990s, it was completed in 2002 at a cost of approximately £44 million. It is named after the stadium's sponsors, telecommunications provider KC,... |
25,404 | Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of... , East Riding of Yorkshire East Riding of Yorkshire The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority... |
 Hull Kingston RoversHull Kingston Rovers Hull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006... (2009 season) |
"New" Craven Park | 9,471 | Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of... , East Riding of Yorkshire East Riding of Yorkshire The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority... |
 Leeds RhinosLeeds Rhinos Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League... (2009 season) |
Headingley Carnegie Stadium | 22,250 | Leeds Leeds Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial... , West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.... |
 Salford City RedsSalford City Reds Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup... (2009 season) |
The Willows | 11,363 | Salford City of Salford The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over... , Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the... |
 St Helens RLFC (2009 season) |
The GPW Recruitment Stadium Knowsley Road Knowsley Road was a stadium located in Eccleston, St Helens, Merseyside. It was the home of St Helens RLFC from 1890 until its closure in 2010. St Helens Town FC played their home fixtures at Knowsley Road from 2002 until 2010. For a period, the venue also hosted Liverpool FC Reserves... |
17,500 | St Helens, Merseyside St Helens, Merseyside St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census... |
 Wakefield Trinity WildcatsWakefield Trinity Wildcats Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are a professional rugby league club that plays in the European Super League and is based in Wakefield. They achieved promotion in 1999 and have remained in the League since. They are known to their fans as Wakey, Trinity, Wildcats, or historically The Dreadnoughts... (2009 season) |
Belle Vue Belle Vue (Wakefield) Belle Vue is a rugby league stadium in Wakefield, England. It is the home stadium of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. It is located beside the A638 Doncaster Road, approximately one mile south of Wakefield City Centre.- Description :Currently, the East stand has a covered stand with seating, with some... |
12,600 | Wakefield Wakefield Wakefield is the main settlement and administrative centre of the City of Wakefield, a metropolitan district of West Yorkshire, England. Located by the River Calder on the eastern edge of the Pennines, the urban area is and had a population of 76,886 in 2001.... , West Yorkshire West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972.... |
 Warrington WolvesWarrington Wolves Warrington Wolves are a professional rugby league football club based in Warrington, England that competes in Super League. They play at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, having moved there from Wilderspool in 2003.... (2009 season) |
Halliwell Jones Stadium Halliwell Jones Stadium Halliwell Jones Stadium is a rugby league stadium in Warrington, England that is the home ground of Warrington Wolves. It has also staged Challenge Cup semi-finals, the European Nations Final and the National League Grand Finals' Day.... |
14,206 | Warrington Warrington Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens... , Cheshire Cheshire Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow... |
 Wigan WarriorsWigan Warriors Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011.... (2009 season) |
DW Stadium | 25,138 | Wigan Wigan Wigan is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It stands on the River Douglas, south-west of Bolton, north of Warrington and west-northwest of Manchester. Wigan is the largest settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan and is its administrative centre. The town of Wigan had a total... , Greater Manchester Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the... |
| Reigning champions | Promoted via licence |
Rule changes
Changes to the play-off systemSuper League play-offs
Since 1998 a play-off system has been used to determine the Super League champions. The format has changed over the years, starting with a play-off involving first five, then six teams and currently eight. The play-offs culminate in the Super League Grand Final....
:
- This season an eight-team play-off system was introduced to replace the previous six-team system.
- One feature of this system, known as "Club Call", is that the highest ranked team from the regular season table winning a match in the first week of the play-offs will be able to select their opponents for their next game in Week Three. This selection opportunity is only possible for teams finishing in the top three during the regular season to achieve.
Play-offs
The play-offs commence following the conclusion of 27 round regular season and involve the eight sides finishing highest. The play-offs open on Friday 18 September, with the Week 1 fixtures being completed over the weekend.A media conference is scheduled for Sunday 27 September following the conclusion of Week 2's preliminary semi-finals the day before. During the conference the highest ranked winning team from the qualifying play-offs in Week 1 will in announce which team they have chosen to play in Week 3, the next week.
The play-offs will conclude with the 2009 Super League Grand Final
2009 Super League Grand Final
The 2009 Super League Grand Final was held on Saturday 10 October 2009, at Old Trafford, Manchester, UK. The match was contested by defending champions and 2009 League Leaders Leeds Rhinos, and the team they had faced in the grand final for the past two years, St Helens.The 2009 decider, contested...
on 10 October.
Club Statistics
| Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leeds | 849 | 148 | 127 | 3 | 38007 | 5536 | 8111 | 386 | 273 | 874 | 846 | 1042 | 199 | 8 | 506 | 32 | 32 | 338 | 215 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | St Helens | 748 | 142 | 88 | 4 | 40624 | 5800 | 8708 | 291 | 297 | 750 | 904 | 1088 | 182 | 6 | 504 | 56 | 56 | 371 | 169 | 0 | 1 |
| 3 | Wigan | 707 | 130 | 93 | 1 | 38164 | 5402 | 8595 | 397 | 299 | 823 | 850 | 1191 | 173 | 4 | 555 | 47 | 48 | 347 | 190 | 0 | 5 |
| 4 | Wakefield | 701 | 118 | 112 | 5 | 35625 | 5191 | 8038 | 244 | 393 | 931 | 724 | 1014 | 143 | 1 | 581 | 34 | 35 | 296 | 198 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Huddersfield | 698 | 121 | 107 | 0 | 37761 | 5428 | 9282 | 361 | 324 | 944 | 728 | 936 | 169 | 5 | 573 | 23 | 26 | 373 | 238 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 | Hull KR | 674 | 118 | 100 | 2 | 37954 | 5469 | 9063 | 198 | 332 | 793 | 703 | 1234 | 140 | 9 | 630 | 30 | 33 | 351 | 172 | 0 | 2 |
| 7 | Catalans | 658 | 120 | 88 | 2 | 36555 | 5175 | 8627 | 248 | 276 | 750 | 617 | 909 | 138 | 7 | 524 | 40 | 40 | 355 | 253 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Castleford | 657 | 117 | 93 | 3 | 36128 | 5457 | 7786 | 283 | 357 | 910 | 742 | 983 | 148 | 3 | 537 | 37 | 38 | 325 | 206 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | Bradford | 653 | 111 | 103 | 3 | 35109 | 5299 | 7957 | 365 | 280 | 762 | 743 | 1019 | 148 | 3 | 460 | 32 | 32 | 360 | 201 | 0 | 3 |
| 10 | Warrington | 649 | 118 | 88 | 1 | 36355 | 5069 | 7855 | 325 | 280 | 706 | 752 | 1115 | 153 | 2 | 472 | 37 | 38 | 367 | 173 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Harlequins | 591 | 102 | 91 | 1 | 35590 | 5350 | 8618 | 294 | 315 | 808 | 679 | 1025 | 126 | 4 | 549 | 20 | 22 | 319 | 171 | 1 | 1 |
| 12 | Hull | 502 | 86 | 79 | 0 | 35322 | 5139 | 8137 | 359 | 336 | 772 | 738 | 972 | 119 | 4 | 556 | 22 | 24 | 302 | 140 | 0 | 1 |
| 13 | Salford | 460 | 80 | 70 | 0 | 30972 | 4849 | 8827 | 320 | 258 | 638 | 575 | 861 | 98 | 7 | 571 | 19 | 19 | 269 | 223 | 1 | 4 |
| 14 | Celtic Crusaders | 357 | 63 | 52 | 1 | 30222 | 5001 | 8397 | 311 | 249 | 747 | 511 | 962 | 94 | 0 | 554 | 16 | 17 | 340 | 204 | 0 | 3 |
Notable moments
- Friday 6 February - The season kicks off at HeadingleyHeadingley StadiumHeadingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
, with the defending champions Leeds RhinosLeeds RhinosLeeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
taking on Super League newcomers Crusaders. Leeds eventually win the game 28-6. - Sunday 15 February - The first draw of the season is played out at the Grattan StadiumOdsal StadiumOdsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
, as Bradford BullsBradford BullsBradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
and Hull KRHull Kingston RoversHull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
draw 13-13. - Friday 27 February - The first game in the season to be decided by a single point is won by Hull KRHull Kingston RoversHull Kingston Rovers or Hull KR is an English professional rugby league football club based in Hull, England. The club formed in 1882 and currently competes in Super League, having won promotion from National League One in 2006...
, who beat St Helens 19 – 20 away from home. - Saturday 7 March - St Helens win 4-0 at Crusaders in the lowest scoring match in Super LeagueSuper LeagueSuper League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
history. - Friday 20 March - Hull FC and Leeds both lose, breaking the two remaining 100% records in the league.
- Sunday 22 March - Wakefield's match away at Celtic is postponed due to the death of Leon WalkerLeon WalkerLeon Walker was a British rugby league player. His position of preference was at loose forward.-Playing career:Walker started playing rugby league for the amateur side, the Churwell Chiefs....
in the corresponding reserves fixture earlier in the day. - Sunday 19 April - St Helens become the first team to score 60 points or more in a single game, against Castleford.
- Friday 24-Sunday 26 April - The top four teams in the league before this round; St Helens, Leeds, Huddersfield and Wakefield, all lose their fixtures.
- Sunday 26 April - Chris Hicks scores a hat-trick for the second successive weekend, this time against Huddersfield.
- Saturday 2-Sunday 3 May - The Magic WeekendMagic WeekendThe Magic Weekend, previously Millennium Magic, is a concept by the Rugby Football League to stage an entire round of Super League matches in prestigious and exciting cities to showcase the sport....
fixtures, held over the May DayMay DayMay Day on May 1 is an ancient northern hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday; it is also a traditional spring holiday in many cultures....
bank holidayBank HolidayA bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
weekend at Murrayfield StadiumMurrayfield StadiumMurrayfield Stadium is a sports stadium located in the west end of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Its all-seater capacity was recently reduced from 67,800 to 67,130 to incorporate the largest permanent "big screen" in the country though it still remains the largest stadium in Scotland and one...
in EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
attract an aggregate attendance of approximately 60,000 attendees over the two days. Over 6,000 of these were estimated to be Scottish. - Sunday 17 May - Celtic beat Bradford to win their first ever Super League match, ending an 11-match losing sequence.
- Saturday 23 May - Celtic host Catalans in the first ever Super League match not to feature an English side.
- Saturday 20 June - Catalans Dragons host the first Super League game to take place in SpainSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís CompanysEstadi Olímpic Lluís CompanysEstadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is a stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exposition in the city , it was renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics...
, the venue for the 1992 Summer Olympics1992 Summer OlympicsThe 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
. - Friday 3 July - David Howell of Harlequins RL becomes the first player of the season to be sent off, in Quins' match against Wigan at the JJB.
- Saturday 4 July - Keith Senior, who holds the record for most Super League appearancesSuper League Records-Most tries in a Super League career:-Most tries in a Super League regular season:-Most tries in a Super League match:-Most goals in a Super League career:-Most goals in a Super League season:* Note that this list includes drop goals....
, plays and scores in his 500th professional match.
Awards
Awards were presented for outstanding contributions and efforts to players and clubs:- Man of Steel: Brett HodgsonBrett HodgsonBrett Hodgson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Super League...
(Huddersfield Giants) - Coach of the year: Nathan Brown (Huddersfield Giants)
- Engage Super League club of the year: Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....
- Young player of the year: Sam TomkinsSam TomkinsA pre-season unofficial friendly match provided Tomkins his first experience against top-flight opposition as he came off the bench during Lee Briers' testimonial match in a 30–22 loss to Warrington Wolves. Noble followed this up by providing Tomkins, aged 19, with his first team debut on 12 May...
(Wigan Warriors) - Carnegie community player of the year: Lee RadfordLee RadfordLee Radford is an English professional rugby league footballer with Hull of Super League. An England representative second-row forward, he previously played for the Bradford Bulls....
(Hull FC) - Frontline Fairplay IndexFairplay IndexThe Fairplay Index is used in the Super League and Co-operative Championship rugby league competitions as a measure to determine the fairest team over the regular season. The team with the lowest points total wins...
winners: Hull FC - Metre-maker: James GrahamJames Graham (rugby league)James Graham is a rugby league player for St. Helens of Super League. A Great Britain and England international representative front row forward, he has played his entire professional career to date at St...
(St Helens), 4,752 metres - Hit Man: Malcolm AlkerMalcolm AlkerMalcolm Alker was a and captain for the Salford City Reds rugby league team until 2010.Alker played his entire professional rugby league career at Salford...
(Salford City Reds), 981 tackles - Mike Gregory Spirit of Rugby League Award: Steve PrescottSteve PrescottStephen Prescott MBE , is an English former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s.Son of Eric Prescott, a formidable forward with St Helens in the 1970s, Steve Prescott played for St. Helens in the Rugby League Premiership and the Super League, and for Hull and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats...
Disciplinary record
The following table lists all incidents that were reviewed by the Rugby Football LeagueRugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
during Super League XIV, which were later deemed "guilty" and resulted in disciplinary action. The offenses were graded, depending on severity, in alphabetical order, "A" being less severe than "B".
| Name of Player | Rnd | Offense | Grade | Suspension | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chev Walker Chev Walker Chev Walker is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Bradford Bulls of Super League. He has played both rugby league and rugby union professionally. Since 2007 he has played rugby league for Hull KR. Until 2010 when he signed a 1 year contract with the Bradford Bulls. Usually a ,... |
1 | Striking | C | 1 match | £ Pound sterling The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence... 300 |
Report |
| Michael McIlorum Michael Mcilorum Michael David J. McIlorum is an English rugby league player who currently plays for English club Wigan Warriors in the Super League competition... |
2 | Dangerous throw | C | 1 match | £200 | Report |
| Jamal Fakir Jamal Fakir Jamal Fakir is a Moroccan-Frenchrugby league player for the Catalans Dragons club in the European Super League competition. A fiery, strong-running second-rower.... |
2 | High tackle | C | 1 match | £300 | Report |
| Ben Westwood Ben Westwood Ben Westwood is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Europe's Super League. An England international representative forward, he previously played for the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats before moving to Warrington in 2002 and winning the 2009 Challenge Cup with... |
2 | High tackle | D | 5 matches | £300 | Report |
| Maurie Fa'asavalu Maurie Fa'asavalu Maurie Fa'asavalu is a Samoan rugby union player who formerly played rugby league for St Helens. He was recently picked in the Great Britain rugby league squad after living in England for 4 years... |
4 | "Chicken wing" | C | 1 match | £300 | Report |
| Keith Mason Keith Mason (rugby league) Keith Mason is an English born professional rugby league footballer who at representative level has played for Wales, and at club level for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Melbourne Storm, St. Helens, Castleford Tigers, and Huddersfield Giants, playing at , i.e... |
7 | Striking | C | None | £300 | Report |
| Ian Sibbitt Ian Sibbitt Ian Sibbit is a second row for the Bradford Bulls rugby league team.Sibbit signed for Salford in 2004 from the Warrington Wolves having also played for Melbourne Storm.-Bradford Bulls:... |
10 | High tackle | C | 1 match | £300 | Report |
| Darrell Griffin Darrell Griffin Darrell Griffin is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Leeds Rhinos of Super League. An England international representative prop forward, his former clubs include Oxford Cavaliers, London Broncos, Wakefield Trinity Wildcats and Huddersfield Giants.He is notable as being a top... |
17 | Grapple tackle | C | None | £300 | Report |
| Jamal Fakir Jamal Fakir Jamal Fakir is a Moroccan-Frenchrugby league player for the Catalans Dragons club in the European Super League competition. A fiery, strong-running second-rower.... |
17 | High tackle | C | 2 matches | £300 | Report |
Operational rules
Salary cap:- For the 2009 season, Super League clubs agreed to operate within a £1.7 million salary cap for their 25 first tier players.
The 'club trained player rule' entered its second year and made a planned adjustment:
- Clubs would be required to include a minimum of six players, an increase from five players, who have come through their academy or are under 21 years old in their 25-player first team squads. Clubs were required to have eleven United Kingdom-trained players, an increase from ten, and no more than eight overseas-trained players, a decrease from ten.
Television
2009 was the first of a new three-year broadcasting agreement between the RFL and BSkyB for Sky SportsSky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
to screen matches exclusively live within the United Kingdom. The deal for the 2009, 2010 and 2011 season was worth in excess of £50 million, with media speculation that each Super League club would receive £0.9-£1.2 million in 2009.
Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
' continued coverage in the UK sees two live matches broadcast each week - one on Friday Night at 7:30pm and another at 6pm on Saturdays. Regular commentators are Eddie Hemmings
Eddie Hemmings (rugby league)
Eddie Leslie Bruce Hemmings presents Sky Sports rugby league coverage, and is also the channel's main commentator for the sport. Hailing from Warrington, Cheshire, England, Hemmings is usually partnered by the idiosyncratic co-commentator Mike Stephenson....
and Mike Stephenson
Mike Stephenson
Michael "Mike" Stephenson, also commonly known as Stevo, is an English Rugby League World Cup winning Rugby League, and presenter/commentator on British satellite television channel Sky Sports who also represented Great Britain in the sport.Stevo, the nickname that he is commonly known as on TV...
with summarisers including Phil Clarke
Phil Clarke
Phil Clarke is an English rugby league football commentator and former professional player of the 1980s and 90s. A Great Britain and England international representative loose forward, he spent his club career with Wigan, as well as a stint in Australia with the Sydney Roosters.Phil Clarke is the...
, Barrie McDermott
Barrie McDermott
Barrie McDermott is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A Great Britain international representative , he played his club football at Oldham, Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos , Bramley and Widnes.McDermott later became the Head of Youth Development with...
and Terry O'Connor
Terry O'Connor (rugby league)
Terry O'Connor is an English former rugby league footballer. His position was , or .-Career:A native of Widnes, O'Connor was picked up from local Widnes side St Maries after also playing for Widnes Tigers. He was a former barla international and toured NZ with them in 1991...
. Highlights are shown on Boots N' All
Boots N' All
Boots 'N' All is the Sky Sports-televised rugby league, weekly magazine programme, focusing on the Super League, National Leagues and amateur game...
which is shown on Sky Sports and is rebroadcast on the Internet.
BBC Sport
BBC Sport
BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC. It became a fully dedicated division of the BBC in 2000. It incorporates programmes such as Match of the Day, Grandstand , Test Match Special, Ski Sunday, Rugby Special and coverage of Formula One motor racing, MotoGP and the Wimbledon Tennis...
broadcast a highlights programme called the Super League Show
Super League Show
The Super League Show is the BBC's rugby league highlights programme, usually shown on a Sunday afternoon on BBC One in the North of England and on the BBC website. It is fronted by Look North newsreader Harry Gration and Tanya Arnold with a variety of studio guests from Super League...
, usually presented by Harry Gration
Harry Gration
Harry Gration is a television presenter based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. He is one of the main presenters for the BBC Yorkshire regional magazine programme Look North.-Early life:...
. The BBC have elected to broadcast this only to the North West
BBC North West
BBC North West is the BBC English Region serving Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Walsden in West Yorkshire, the Isle of Man , north-west Derbyshire, the Yorkshire Dales including Settle and Ribblesdale, and southern Cumbria.BBC North West television output is also broadcast in...
, Yorkshire & North Midlands
BBC Yorkshire
BBC Yorkshire is one of the English regions of the BBC. It was formed from the division of the former BBC North region into BBC Yorkshire and BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, based in Hull.-Television:...
, North East & Cumbria
BBC North East and Cumbria
BBC North East and Cumbria is the BBC English Region covering Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, North Yorkshire, Teesside and all but the southern part of Cumbria...
, and East Yorkshire & Lincolnshire
BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire
BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, sometimes abbreviated to BBC Yorks & Lincs, is the name for the BBC's twelfth English Region, based in Hull and created from the division of the former BBC North region, based in Leeds...
regions on a Sunday. A national repeat is broadcast overnight during the week, the BBC Director of Sport, Richard Moseley, commented that this move was in response to the growing popularity and awareness of the sport, and the large number of requests from people who want to want to watch it elsewhere in the UK. End of season play-offs are shown across the whole country in a highlights package. Super League Show is available for streaming or downloaded using the BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer
BBC iPlayer, commonly shortened to iPlayer, is an internet television and radio service, developed by the BBC to extend its former RealPlayer-based and other streamed video clip content to include whole TV shows....
in the UK.
Orange Sport TV in France shows every Catalans Dragons home match live and also some other matches which are broadcast in the UK live on Sky.
Internationally Super League is shown live on Showtime Sports
ShowSports
ShowSports is part of the Orbit Showtime Network. ShowSport 1 HD, 2, 3, 4 and Extreme Sports Channel are available on many Orbit Showtime Network packages. They began showing from the first of April 2007.-ShowSports 1 HD:...
(Middle East), Sky Sport (New Zealand), NTV+ (Russia), SportKlub (Eastern Europe) and Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports North America
Setanta Sports USA was a premium television channel launched in 2005 by the Irish sports broadcaster Setanta Sports to offer live and tape-delayed mainstream sports events in the United States and Caribbean....
(USA and Canada) show Super League matches live or delayed each week.
2009 was the first of a three year deal in which the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
in Australia will show up to 70 live games from Super League over the season.
Radio
Super League XIV is covered extensively by BBC Local RadioBBC Local Radio
BBC Local Radio is the BBC's regional radio service for England and the Channel Islands, consisting of 40 stations. They cover a variety of areas with some serving a city and surrounding areas, for example BBC Radio Manchester; a county, for example BBC Radio Norfolk; an administrative region for...
:
- BBC Radio Manchester cover Wigan, Salford and Warrington.
- BBC Radio Humberside cover Hull KR and Hull FC.
- BBC Radio Leeds cover Bradford, Leeds, Castleford, Wakefield and Huddersfield.
- BBC Radio Merseyside (AM/DAB only) cover St Helens and Warrington.
The competition is also covered on commercial radio coverage:
- BCB 106.6 (Bradford Community Broadcasting) cover Bradford Bulls home and away.
- Radio Aire cover Leeds Rhinos.
- KCFM Hull cover Hull KR and Hull.
- Radio Marseillette covers every Catalans Dragons Home Match (in French).
- Radio France Bleu Roussillon covers every Catalans Dragons Away Match (in French).
- Yorkshire Radio cover all Yorkshire clubs and have one commentary per round which is not covered by either BBC or SKY.
All Super League commentaries on any station are available via the particular stations on-line streaming.
Internet
ESPN360ESPN360
ESPN3 is an online streaming service for WatchESPN to deliver both live streams and replays of global sports events to sports fans in North America, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Middle East, New Zealand, and Europe...
has worldwide broadband rights.
Starting from Thursday 9 April 2009, all of the matches shown on Sky Sports will also be available live online via Livestation
LiveStation
Livestation is a platform for distributing live television and radio broadcasts over a data network. It has been developed by Skinkers Ltd and is now a new company called Livestation Ltd...
everywhere in the world excluding the US, Puerto Rico, UK, Ireland, France, Monaco, Australia and New Zealand. List of Super League games available on Livestation.com
In the United Kingdom, BBC London 94.9, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Warrington cover Harlequins, Celtic Crusaders (home games) and Warrington (home games) respectively.