IT was not quite the biggest, the boldest and the best season we were promised by the marketing men but there was no shortage of drama, disappointment, highlights or heartbreaks in engage Super League XIII.

Even without the traditional relegation fight, the 2008 Super League season produced enough thrills and spills to keep the supporters of all 12 clubs and the sporting public at large captivated throughout a dull summer.

The sense of disappointment felt by Castleford after their defeat by Bradford and the elation of the Huddersfield players following the Giants' victory at Warrington in Round 27 served to illustrate that in many respects this season has been more competitive than any in the summer rugby era.

The last seven months have been full of surprises, including wins for newly-promoted Castleford against both Leeds and St Helens, the mercurial rise of Catalans Dragons and the fall from grace of Hull, but in one important respect the status quo has been maintained.

In spite of their defeats at Wheldon Road, Leeds and St Helens have been in a league of their own for much of 2008 and it would be a huge surprise were the line-up at this year's grand final not to be a repeat of last year's. Just a point separated Saints and Leeds after 27 rounds but there was a 13-point gap between the Rhinos and Wigan in fourth place, an unhealthy situation for a competition which remains light years from achieving its goal of being winnable by every constituent club.

The final season before Super League takes on a new look with 14 clubs will be remembered as one that featured far too many injuries, too few major upsets but sufficient entertainment to keep the crowds tumbling through the turnstiles in record numbers.


Bradford Bulls

2007 finish: 3rd.

2008 finish: 5th.

2008 attendance: 10,287 (-1,803).

Top try-scorer: Semi Tadulala (17).

Top tackler: Jamie Langley (709).

Most metres: Andy Lynch (3,540).

Most errors: Paul Sykes (33).

Star performer: Andy Lynch.

Comments: Lived up to pre-season expectations and lacked pace and explosive power. Uninspiring to watch at times and injuries meant they were never a match for the competition's best. Looked good in closing weeks and could yet have a say in the title race.

Castleford Tigers

2007 finish: NL winners.

2008 finish: 12th.

2008 attendance: 7,501 (+2,464).

Top try-scorer: Luke Dorn (19).

Top tackler: Joe Westerman (763).

Most metres: Ryan McGoldrick (3,158).

Most errors: Ryan McGoldrick (36).

Star performer: Joe Westerman.

Comments: First year back in the top flight was as tough as they expected but wins against Leeds and St Helens were undoubted highlights. Let themselves down with poor recruitment. Home-spun youngsters have gained valuable experience and will be much better next year.

Catalans Dragons

2007 finish: 10th.

2008 finish: 3rd.

2008 attendance: 8,376 (+203).

Top try-scorer: Clint Greenshields (16).

Top tackler: Gregory Mounis (701).

Most metres: Clint Greenshields (3,770).

Most errors: Adam Mogg (24).

Star performer: Thomas Bosc.

Comments: The surprise package of 2008. Well coached, well-disciplined and entertaining to watch. Showed worrying signs of running out of steam as the play-offs beckoned.

Harlequins

2007 finish: 9th.

2008 finish: 9th.

2008 attendance: 3,777 (+382).

Top try-scorers: Tony Clubb, David Howell (10).

Top tackler: Chad Randall (773).

Most metres: Rikki Sheriffe (2,574).

Most errors: Scott Hill (34).

Star performer: Rob Purdham.

Comments: Gave more opportunities to London-born players but remain deeply disappointing on and off the field with poor attendances and, on occasions, desperately dull style of play. Brian McDermott is a better coach than his team's form has suggested in 2008.

Huddersfield Giants

2007 finish: 5th.

2008 finish: 10th.

2008 attendance: 8,179 (+1,092).

Top try-scorer: Paul Whatuira (13).

Top tackler: Andy Raleigh (683).

Most metres: Darrell Griffin (2,421).

Most errors: Kevin Brown (29).

Star performer: Michael Lawrence.

Comments: Sacked coach Jon Sharp after poor start from which they never recovered. Never looked like building on their achievement of reaching the play-offs last year. Arrival of Nathan Brown and season ticket offers chance to make a fresh start in 2009.

Hull

2007 finish: 4th.

2008 finish: 11th.

2008 attendance: 13,432 (-1,174).

Top try-scorer: Kirk Yeaman (16).

Top tackler: Lee Radford (755).

Most metres: Shaun Berrigan (2,355).

Most errors: Craig Hall (31).

Star performer: Shaun Berrigan.

Comments: Reservations about quality of pre-season recruitment proved justified and eventually cost coach Peter Sharp his job. Blighted by injuries which also exposed limitations of some younger players. Wembley appearance could not disguise need for a dressing room shake-up.

Hull Kingston Rovers

2007 finish: 11th.

2008 finish: 7th.

2008 attendance: 8,554 (+1,394).

Top try-scorer: Peter Fox (13).

Top tackler: Ben Fisher (728).

Most metres: Michael Vella (2,972).

Most errors: Ben Cockayne (27).

Star performer: Michael Dobson.

Comments: A terrific second season in Super League for the 2006 National League winners. Just missed out on a play-off spot and could have made the top six had they suffered fewer injuries and played more smartly at times.

Leeds Rhinos

2007 finish: 2nd.

2008 finish: 2nd.

2008 attendance: 17,043 (-515).

Top try-scorer: Scott Donald (21).

Top tackler: Kevin Sinfield (777).

Most metres: Jamie Peacock (3,617).

Most errors: Brent Webb (30).

Star performer: Jamie Peacock.

Comments: Faltered in early-summer after a scintillating start to the season and have struggled to reach and maintain their best form since. Finished the year strongly and have the form and the personnel to defend the title for the first time in their history.

St Helens

2007 finish: 1st.

2008 finish: 1st.

2008 attendance: 10,642 (+1,002).

Top try-scorer: Ade Gardner (26).

Top tackler: James Roby (710).

Most metres: James Graham (3,935).

Most errors: Francis Meli (29).

Star performer: James Graham.

Comments: Enhanced their standing as the most successful team of the modern era by retaining League Leaders' Shield and Challenge Cup. They have been unbeatable in their last 22 matches which is not surprising given the talent they have amassed in their ranks. Only Leeds can stop them.

Wakefield Trinity

2007 finish: 8th.

2008 finish: 8th.

2008 attendance: 6,996 (+213).

Top try-scorer: Damien Blanch (13).

Top tackler: Duncan MacGillivray (610).

Most metres: Oliver Wilkes (2,608).

Most errors: Ryan Atkins (28).

Star performer: Sam Obst.

Comments: A disappointing last third of the season undermined a promising effort earlier in the year. Reached a Challenge Cup semi-final but took their eye off the ball. A distinct lack of chemistry between players in key positions dashed any play-off hopes they may have had.

Warrington Wolves

2007 finish: 7th.

2008 finish: 6th.

2008 attendance: 9,496 (-1,349).

Top try-scorer: Chris Hicks (16).

Top tackler: Ben Westwood (746).

Most metres: Adrian Morley (3,373).

Most errors: Lee Briers (33).

Star performer: Chris Hicks.

Comments: Once again failed to realise their potential and have been less than the sum of their parts all year long. Change of coach threatened to turn things around but James Lowes still has a long way to go to rid the dressing room of the malaise that continues to blight their ambitions.

Wigan Warriors

2007 finish: 6th.

2008 finish: 4th.

2008 attendance: 14,505 (-1,613).

Top try-scorer: Pat Richards (17).

Top tackler: Harrison Hansen (825).

Most metres: Iafeta Palea'aesina (2,893).

Most errors: Thomas Leuluai (24).

Star performer: Pat Richards.

Comments: Draw at St Helens on the last weekend secured a home play-off but have been plagued by inconsistency all season. Continue to rely too heavily on Trent Barrett and look to have little chance of stopping either Leeds or St Helens reaching the grand final.



Statistics courtesy of Opta Index.