Round 25 of Super League is in the books and we’re edging towards a dramatic conclusion to the regular season. There’s still so much to play for before the play-offs get underway and over the next two weeks, battles will be decided for the League Leaders’ Shield and the play-offs.
It’s been an entertaining and controversial weekend of action, with plenty to discuss. With that in mind, here’s a look at some of the major talking points to emerge over the last few days.
Change needed
The notion of gamesmanship has dominated the agenda over the last few days, with three high profile incidents provoking outrage among players, coaches, pundits and fans alike. To be absolutely clear, I am not accusing either Tee Ritson, Josh Drinkwater or Tyler Dupree of faking an injury or ‘theatrics’ following their collisions. All three incidents were penalties and all three impacts will have stung, with Jai Whitbread, Matty Lees and Lachlan Fitzgibbon being shown to the sin-bin.
However, the manner in which the offending players were dealt with does promote play acting from players, with the pause in play allowing the video referee to assess the incident and instruct the on-field official. That needs to change if the sport is to uphold its image and integrity.
Of course, with legal action being taken by former players of the game, the RFL finds itself between a rock and a hard place. However, they must find a way of closing a loophole that can be exploited. Whether more faith is placed in the on-field referee, mandatory HIAs are given to those who require treatment or the injured player is pulled from the action from a minute or two in a way that is similar to football, a solution must be found.
Wigan only getting better
It’s probably fair to say Wigan Warriors have been below their best on occasions in recent weeks. Matt Peet’s side were beaten at Leeds Rhinos last month before bouncing back St Helens at Magic Weekend. They then edged past a Hull FC side that dug deep at the Brick Community Stadium before turning in a clunky performance at Catalans Dragons.
There are mitigating circumstances, of course, with players missing and returning in that time, and the Cherry and Whites were far from perfect in their win over Hull KR on Friday night. There were errors in concentration, defensive lapses and discipline issues while controversial decisions played a part.
Take nothing away from Wigan, though, who needed to dig deep in order to hand Willie Peters’ side their first defeat in nine and put themselves in pole position for the League Leaders’ Shield, with the Warriors showing glimpses of their frightening best in that game, too. Such moments will have been encouraging to fans as Wigan look capable of finding their groove at the business end of the season. With silverware now in sight, you’d have to be brave to bet against them securing more glory at this point.
Catalans on the slide
Catalans Dragons have hit poor form at the exact wrong time and after their loss to Salford Red Devils over the weekend, they face an uphill battle if they are to secure a play-off spot. The Dragons have occupied a place in the top six for most of the season, but after losing five of their last six matches, they find themselves down in eighth, two points off the pace with just two games remaining.
The Perpignan outfit couldn’t have wished for a better end to the campaign, as they take on the Super League’s bottom two, London Broncos and Hull FC, but even if they win both games as they should, it might not be enough. There’s pressure on Steve McNamara then, quotes from president Bernard Guasch after their loss to London last month were enough to suggest that, and it seems all is not well in the south of France.
St Helens in real danger
Despite Warrington scoring just two tries in their 16-2 win over St Helens on Saturday, Paul Wellens’ side never looked like winning at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. They took the lead through a Jon Bennison penalty but the disjointed, sloppy and subpar performance that followed left them in a hole they couldn’t get out of in Cheshire.
As such, with two games to go, St Helens run the risk of missing out on a Super League play-off spot for the very first time. They currently occupy sixth, but they cannot afford to drop another point over the next two weekends with Castleford Tigers and Leigh Leopards being their remaining opponents.
Their injury record has hardly helped their situation, but players are due to return both this week and next and the expectation at the Totally Wicked Stadium will be that the club secure a Super League play-off berth.
