Forgotten Test flyer, Broncos and Dragons guns: 10 Super League stars for NRL hit lists

The NRL have lost a number of stars to the Super League that could come back for some unfinished business with the introduction of the Perth Bears and PNG in the coming seasons.

From reigning Man of Steel Jake Connor to Wigan grand final stars Bevan French and Jai Field, and Catalans flyer Nick Cotric, the Super League has plenty of talented players that could bolster NRL squads when the Bears come into the competition in 2027.

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Former Raiders star and England captain George Williams will return and play for the Dolphins from 2027. And with the player pool set to be diluted when the NRL expands from 17 teams to 19 in the next few years, clubs will be on the lookout for the best players not playing in the NRL.

Read on for the Super League stars who could make it in the NRL.

JAKE CONNOR

While not a former NRL player, the Leeds Rhinos’ English half won the Man of Steel to be crowned the Super League’s best player from last season, finishing five points clear of his nearest rival.

Connor scored eight tries and kicked 93 goals for the Rhinos last year, after switching from Huddersfield in the off-season in a stunning first campaign for his new club.

The 30-year-old has scored 77 tries and kicked 296 goals in 270 games for Huddersfield, Hull FC and Leeds since his debut back in 2013. He was left out of England’s Ashes squad, having played Test football in 2018-19, though can feel hard done by.

With the Bears and PNG set to join the NRL in the coming seasons, the player pool is going to need reinforcements and playmakers will be at a premium.

Connor is closer to the end of his career than the start, but experienced halves will be in short supply in the NRL and this could be his opportunity to test himself in the best competition in the world.

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HERMAN ESE’ESE

The Hull FC prop finished second in the Super League Man of Steel behind Jake Connor and showed he still has plenty to offer in the engine room.

Ese’ese left the NRL after playing 20 games for the Dolphins in their inaugural 2023 season, taking his career tally to 129 games for the Bulldogs Broncos, Knights, Titans and Dolphins since his debut in 2015, including seven Tests for Samoa and New Zealand.

The now 31-year-old has gone on to score 12 tries in 51 games for Hull FC over the last two years, including 10 in 26 matches last season.

Ese’ese may be getting to the twilight of his career, but the NRL needs to find another 70 players when they expand to 19 teams over the next few seasons and there are plenty of clubs who are on the lookout for experience in the front row.

JAI FIELD

The Wigan fullback finished third in the Man of Steel and helped lead his team to a third straight Grand Final, after scoring a whopping 26 tries in 29 games in 2025.

Field left the NRL in 2020 as a halfback after scoring four tries in 17 games for the Dragons and Eels from his debut in 2017 to 2020.

After transforming himself into a full-time fullback in the Super League, Field has gone on to score 76 tries in 112 games for Wigan from his debut in 2021 and won back-to-back titles with the Warriors in 2023 and 2024, before going down in the 2025 decider to Hull FC.

With smaller fullbacks making a comeback in the NRL in recent years, Field would be a handy pick-up for any club looking for strike and speed in the No.1 jersey and at 28, he still has plenty to offer, while his versatility in covering the halves would make him a valuable commodity.

NICK COTRIC

The Catalans Dragons centre finished sixth in Man of Steel voting in his first season in the Super League, after scoring five tries in 25 games for the club in 2025.

Cotric left the NRL in 2024 after scoring 63 tries in 149 games for the Raiders and Bulldogs since his debut in 2024, including one Origin for the Blues and two Tests for the Kangaroos.

Given he is still just 26, Cotric still has plenty of good years left in him and one feels he was lost to the NRL too early and has unfinished business in Australia.

Cotric has the versatility to cover wing, centre and fullback and with the Bears on the lookout for players, he would be a solid target given his experience and try-scoring ability.

LACHIE MILLER

Leeds Rhinos fullback Lachlan Miller scored nine tries and 17 goals in 24 games in 2025 to finish seventh in the Super League Man of Steel award.

Miller was a late bloomer in the NRL after switching from Rugby Sevens in 2022 and went on to score five tries in 19 games for the Sharks and Knights, before leaving Newcastle at the end of the 2023 season.

The 31-year-old has gone on to score 16 tries in 50 games for the Rhinos in two seasons in the Super League.

He might be on the wrong side of 30, but given his late start in rugby league, Miller still has plenty of good footy left in him and his ability to cover fullback and wing would make him a handy pick-up for a new club like the Bears.

BEVAN FRENCH

The Wigan playmaker finished 12th in the man of Steel and would have finished higher were it not for injury, as he led the Warriors to a third straight grand final.

French is one of the NRL’s big “what ifs” after scoring 35 tries in 47 NRL games for the Eels from 2016 to 2018, before leaving to the Super League.

Primarily a fullback and winger at Parramatta, French has transformed himself into a playmaker, scoring 114 tries in 137 games for Wigan from 2019 to 2025, including 15 in 22 games last season.

The 29-year-old won the Man of Steel back in 2023 and led the Warriors to back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024, before losing this year’s final to Hull KR.

French has unfinished business in the NRL and given his versatility in covering fullback, wing and the halves, he is a player worth taking a punt on.

LACHLAN LAM

The Leigh Leopards playmaker scored seven tries in 33 games last season to finish in the top 20 for the Man of Steel award.

Lam, the son of Roosters legend Adrian Lam began his career at the Tri-colours, scoring three tries in 31 games for the club, including 20 matches in his final season in 2021.

He was part of the Roosters’ 2019 Grand Final winning squad, but chose to join the Leopards in the Super League in 2022 in search of more starting opportunities.

Lam has gone on to score 27 tries in 104 games for Leigh over four seasons and won a Challenge Cup in 2023.

Still only 27, Lam has unfinished business in the NRL and the lack of quality halves would make him a potential target for plenty of teams, with expansion imminent and playing for his native PNG when they join the competition would make make sense.

ZAC WOOLFORD

The Huddersfield Giants hooker played 23 games in his first season in the Super league in 2025 in an impressive campaign.

The son of Raiders legend Simon Woolford was a late bloomer in the NRL, debuting in 2022 and playing 39 games for the Raiders over three seasons, before falling out of favour in 2024 and making the switch North.

Woolford is a solid dummy-half with excellent defence and slick service and would be a handy acquisition for an NRL team looking for depth at hooker.

At 29, Woolford still has plenty to offer and with the NRL set to expand to 18 teams in 2027, he could be an option to return to the Bears or another club in the future.

MATT DUFTY

The Warrington Wolves fullback scored eight tries in 24 games in the Super League last season and showed he has lost none of his speed and skills from his NRL days.

Dufty debuted in the NRL back in 2017 and scored 45 tries in 94 games for the Dragons and Bulldogs before leaving for the Super League in 2022.

The now 29-year-old has gone on to score 47 tries in 88 games for the Wolves over four seasons, including 20 in 28 games in his best season in 2024.

The knock on Dufty in the NRL was his defence and lack of consistency, but there is no doubting his class in attack and he would be a handy pick-up for a team looking for speed and try-scoring ability in the coming seasons.

TRISTAN SAILOR

The St Helens fullback had a superb first season in the Super League finishing with 18 tries in 32 games in 2025.

The son of dual international Wendell Sailor began his NRL career with the Dragons in 2019 playing five games for the club, before shifting to the Broncos in 2023 and scored two tries in 21 matches, before joining the Super League.

Sailor was a handy back-up to Reece Walsh at the Broncos in 2024 and one feels he would only benefit from an extended run in first grade if given the opportunity.

At 27, Sailor’s immediate future is at St Helens, but he still has time on his side to return to the NRL for some unfinished business and given his speed, skill and versatility in covering the back three and the halves, it would make him a great depth option for a club in need of a talented back with NRL experience.

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