The crowd numbers are in for the most recent round of Super League action, and it was a very healthy weekend for the competition, with five of the seven games attracting five-figure crowds.
Huddersfield Giants’ tie with Warrington Wolves, a game labelled “the worst half of Super League ever” by Sky Sports commentator Mark Wilson, was one that couldn’t break the 10.000 mark, with just 4,102 fans in attendance to see Warrington’s seventh win of the season.
Catalans Dragons’ home tie with Leigh Leopards, one of the most entertaining games of the weekend, came much closer to breaking five figures, with 9,597 spectators watching on to see Leigh down Les Dracs on home turf.
Friday night saw St Helens take on York Knights, and after a 16-10 scoreline at half-time, it looked as though York were in with a real chance of pulling off an upset. However, a Tristan Sailor 40/20 formed part of a brilliant second-half effort from the Red Vee, and Saints went on to win 40-16 in front of 10,342 fans, the majority of which went home happy.
The opening game of round 10 saw Hull KR dominate a Castleford Tigers side which had plenty of new faces, but that still couldn’t change their fortunes. Loanees Brad Dwyer and Tom Nicholson-Watton and permanent signings Tyler Dupree and Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e all endured a debut defeat as 11,807 fans saw KR take home a comfortable 50-6 victory.
Moving to the opposite side of Hull, it would be a weekend to forget for Andy Last’s side, who couldn’t topple Toulouse Olympique. The French side claimed their second win on English soil this season after a 12-4 victory. Neither side scored any points in the second half, as the majority Black and Whites crowd of 12,612 left the MKM Stadium questioning how they went from such a strong win over Castleford to that.
Wigan Warriors got back to winning ways just in time for their Challenge Cup clash with St Helens next week. Matt Peet’s side took on Bradford Bulls at home, and paired their youngest halves partnership for over 40 years. George Marsden and Jack Farrimond played in spine pairing, and combined well to help their side to a 38-14 win over Kurt Haggerty’s men in front of 13,362 supporters.
The biggest crowd of the weekend came at Headingley, as a huge 15,145 fans watched Brad Arthur’s Leeds Rhinos take a 40-22 win over Wakefield Trinity. The game was labelled “carnage” by Daryl Powell, as Leeds stayed top of the Super League table thanks to a Maika Sivo hat-trick and a Brodie Croft double.
Super League Round 10 attendances in full:
Hull KR 50-6 Castleford Tigers – 11,807
Leeds Rhinos 40-22 Wakefield Trinity – 15,145
St Helens 40-16 York Knights – 10,342
Wigan Warriors 38-14 Bradford Bulls – 13,362
Catalans Dragons 18-33 Leigh Leopards – 9,597
Huddersfield Giants 4-34 Warrington Wolves – 4,102
Hull FC 4-12 Toulouse Olympique – 12,612
