The Final Charge: Super League table predicted from 14th to eighth including Castleford Tigers and Hull FC

With four rounds remaining only two points separate the bottom five clubs, while at the top, Leeds Rhinos and second-placed Wigan Warriors are split only by their for and against.

This season has been notable for the number of shock results, including Castleford beating both of the top-two, Huddersfield Giants also winning at Wigan and York Knights defeating defending champions Hull KR. That makes it tough to predict the final table, but the Yorkshire Evening Post has had a go. Here’s who we think will finish in places 14 to eight.

14: Bradford Bulls

Remaining fixtures: Leigh (A), Toulouse (A), Castleford (H), York (A).

Promoted based on their IMG score, after finishing third in last year’s Championship, Bulls’ long-awaited return to the big time was always likely to be a tough experience. In terms of wins, the Odsal outfit have actually fared better than some pundits expected, but injuries and a lack of strength in depth took their toll as the season progressed.

Competitive at home, away form have proved an Achilles heel. Their final three games are all ones they’ll feel they could win, but margins of defeat have been mounting and it’ll be a relief when the season ends and they can bring more experienced players in.

13: Huddersfield Giants

Remaining fixtures: Warrington (A), Leigh (H), Hull KR (A), Castleford (H).

It has been a miserable season for Giants, but they are finishing on a high. Four successive wins have lifted them off the foot of the table and, though they have a very tough run-in, coach Jim Lenihan appears to be getting his message across.

The return of influential players has certainly helped and, at full-strength, Huddersfield have a better team than this year’s results suggest. They have woken up too late to make much difference, but avoiding the wooden spoon would strengthen their claim to a Super League spot next year.

12: Hull FC

Remaining fixtures: Catalans (A), Warrington (H), Toulouse (A), Leeds (A).

Like their city neighbours did in 2025, Hull have achieved a treble this season - losing to all three promoted sides. Having made progress last year, when they finished just one place outside the play-offs, the Black and Whites have tumbled backwards and at one stage seemed to be heading for last place.

A win at St Helens in round 22 probably put that to bed, but the old problems of high-profile recruits failing to reform, changes in leadership and an incredible run of injuries have all taken their toll.

11: York Knights

Remaining fixtures: Leeds (H), Wakefield (A), Catalans (A), Bradford (H).

The North Yorkshire club are operating on reduced funding and have been a breath of fresh air, despite pre-season predictions of a long, dismal campaign. Their incredible round one win against champions Hull KR was the perfect start and they’ve been competitive in virtually every game, especially at home. Only Wigan have scored more than a half century of points against them.

Like many of their rivals, they’ve been hit hard by injuries, but the partnership with Newcastle Knights, who are effectively operating as a feeder club, has proved invaluable. Offered wins against Hull KR, St Helens, Hull and Castleford in their debut top-flight campaign, any Knights fan would have snapped your hand off.

Avoiding last place was their only realistic aim and that appears to have been achieved, so they can feel it is job done and upwards and onwards under new ownership.

10: Castleford Tigers

Remaining fixtures: St Helens (A), Catalans (H), Bradford (A), Huddersfield (A).

Tigers won their Grand Final and then the wheels came off. When they hit back from 16-0 down to beat Leeds at home in July, Tigers - who won at Wigan Warriors earlier in the campaign - looked capable of a respectable mid-table finish, but since then their season has turned messy on and off the field.

The saga over coach Ryan Carr’s alleged suspension has cast a cloud over the club, but winning at Hull last weekend was a good effort in the circumstances and illustrated Tigers’ inconsistency. They don’t have a tough run-in, but with Castleford it seems literally anything could happen.

9: Toulouse Olympique

Remaining fixtures: Hull KR (A), Bradford (H), Hull FC (H), Warrington (A).

However this season finishes, Toulouse have done themselves proud in their second crack at Super League. Receiving half the funding of most of their rivals, the French newcomers have exceeded expectations and picked up some memorable scalps along the way.

A 46-0 win at St Helens in July was the highlight, but they also walloped Catalans at the French Magic Weekend and stunned Wakefield in West Yorkshire in round one.

Full-back Olly Ashall-Bott has been one of the competition’s most impressive players and his injury setbacks in the second half of the campaign were a cruel blow. Defence hasn’t been a strong point, but when they throw the ball around Toulouse can damage anyone, as they proved by scoring 24 points at home to Leeds in 15 minutes either side of half-time.

8: Catalans Dragons

Remaining fixtures: Hull (H), Castleford (A), York (H), Wigan (A).

Catalans have not looked like genuine play-off contenders at any stage this year, but the air has gone completely out of their tyres in the final quarter and they’ve lost seven of their last eight. Three of their final four games are winnable, but the French outfit are clearly a team who can’t wait for the season to end.

It has been a difficult campaign off the field, with Joel Tomkins departing relatively early on. Their away form has been particularly poor and coach John Cartwright clearly has a major rebuilding job ahead of him. He’ll probably feel the sooner he can focus fully on next year, the better while recent performances suggest his squad are counting down to beach time.