League Leaders' Shield

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox sports award The League Leaders' Shield<ref name="wilson2009-07-16">Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/20705936.saints-league-leaders-shield-rankings-since-2003/</ref>

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

Year	League leaders	Pts	Runners up	Pts
2003	Template:Leagueicon Bradford Bulls (C)	44	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	41
2004	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos (C)	50	Template:Leagueicon Bradford Bulls	41
2005	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens	47	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	44
2006	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens (C)	48	Template:Leagueicon Hull F.C.	40
2007	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens	38	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos (C)	37
2008	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens	43	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos (C)	42
2009	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos (C)	42	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	38
2010	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors (C)	44	Template:Leagueicon St Helens	40
2011	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	44	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	43
2012	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	42	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	41
2013	Template:Leagueicon Huddersfield Giants	42	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	41
2014	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens (C)	38	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	37
2015	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos (C)	41	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	41
2016	Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	43	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors (C)	42
2017	Template:Leagueicon Castleford Tigers	50	Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos (C)	40
2018	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens	42	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors (C)	32
2019	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens (C)	52	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	36
2020	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	76.47a	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens (C)	70.59a
2021	Template:Leagueicon Catalans Dragons	82.61a	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens (C)	76.19a
2022	Template:Leagueicon St. Helens (C)	42	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	38
2023	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors (C)	40	Template:Leagueicon Catalans Dragons	40
2024	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors (C)	44	Template:Leagueicon Hull KR	42
2025	Template:Leagueicon Hull Kingston Rovers	44	Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	42

• ^a: Shield winners decided by win percentage rather than points

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

Winners

Club	Wins	Winning years
Template:Leagueicon St. Helens	8	2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2022
Template:Leagueicon Wigan Warriors	5	2010, 2012, 2020, 2023, 2024
Template:Leagueicon Leeds Rhinos	3	2004, 2009, 2015
Template:Leagueicon Warrington Wolves	2	2011, 2016
Template:Leagueicon Bradford Bulls	1	2003
Template:Leagueicon Huddersfield Giants	1	2013
Template:Leagueicon Castleford Tigers	1	2017
Template:Leagueicon Catalans Dragons	1	2021
Template:Leagueicon Hull Kingston Rovers	1	2025

The Treble

Template:Main {{#lst:Treble (rugby league)|BRITISH_RL_TREBLE_LIST}}

The Quadruple

Template:Main {{#lst:Treble (rugby league)|BRITISH_RL_QUADRUPLE_LIST}}

See also

• List of British rugby league champions
• List of British rugby league league leaders
• Championship Leaders' Shield
• Super League Grand Final
• Minor premiership - Australian equivalent

Notes

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