Murrayfield Magic preview.

This weekend will see the fourth Magic Weekend, the second time the event will be hosted in the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh.

Every round 13 Super League game will be played at Murrayfield Stadium. It gives the fans a unique opportunity to watch every single game in the same round of matches in the flesh, but how does this years event wet the appetite compared to previous years in Edinburgh and Cardiff?

When the draw for this year’s Magic Weekend was made during the close season, there were very few games that would catch the imagination of the neutral fans on paper. As the trip to Edinburgh is less than a week away, a quick glance at both the weekend’s fixtures and the current league table shows that the next seven games may not be as predictable as many people suggested at the start of the season.

If certain results go in favour of a particular team, there could be several changes to the league table on bank holiday Monday. Super League may have a new league leader, a new top four and a reshuffle of the eight play off places. It all makes for an exciting weekend of rugby league in Scotland.

There are fans who would have preferred to see the return of the derby matches that proved to be a unique selling point for the original Millennium Magic weekend back in 2007. These fans will no doubt argue there is more at stake than just the two competition points, and that more fans are compelled to travel the greater distance to support their team against a local foe. But close proximity between two clubs geographically does not always provide a classic rugby match. It is often the case when two teams close to each other in the league table provide a much more thrilling contest, and a fantastic advert for the game on both live television and on ‘foreign’ ground away from the M62 corridor.

Every club has something to play for at this stage of the season, and so there is every chance that each game can be a thrilling encounter as we look ahead to this years Magic Weekend.

Bradford Bulls V Crusaders RL – Saturday May 1, 1pm.
After their demolition of Hull KR at home, Bradford go into this game full of confidence against a 11th place Crusaders. The appointment of Steve McNamara as the new England coach obviously blew the wind in the Bradford sails as they were able to score six tries past a tough Hull KR side last weekend. They have no new injury concerns ahead of travelling to Edinburgh which is good news for McNamara’s side, although Nick Scruton is facing charges in front of the RFL’s disciplinary panel for a high tackle in Sunday’s win over Hull KR. They face the Crusaders, who secured their first ever Super League win against the Bulls last season at the Grattan Stadium.

Crusaders will be boosted ahead of this game by the presence of Gareth Thomas for the entire 80 minutes last weekend, as well as the expected debut appearance of Jarrod Summut. But Brian Noble will be expecting his side to begin the game better on Saturday, which would be in stark contrast compared to what they did against Huddersfield at home last weekend. Crusaders also have no more injury worries as they look to avenge their 20-16 loss earlier on in the season against Bradford on Easter Monday.

Hull FC V Harlequins RL – Saturday May 1, 3pm.
Harlequins will be travelling to Edinburgh after competing one of the biggest upsets of the season so far. Despite being down 24-6 at half time away to Wigan, the London-based team went 40 minutes without conceding a try to win the game 38-26. Before the game it was bottom verses top of the league, and Quins were able to win the game proving that there are no guaranteed victories in Super League. This could well be a lesson that Hull FC should learn before taking on the Quins in the second game of the weekend at Murrayfield. However despite the win, Quins are to be without Ben Jones-Bishop for six weeks with a fractured skull.

Hull FC are still missing Sean Long and Craig Fitzgibbon who are just two of their key players out through injury, but Kirk Yeaman is expected to make his return after missing his sides 12-8 victory over Wakefield with a leg injury. Hull are just one point behind Bradford in the league table, and should the Bulls lose against Crusaders Richard Agar’s men will be expected to make the jump from sixth to fifth with the same number of wins as top four side Huddersfield.

Salford City Reds V Warrington Wolves – Saturday May 1, 5pm.
When these two teams met on Good Friday, it was Salford that had all the reason to feel confident at half time despite being behind at the break. And despite the one sided score line of 32-2, the result didn’t reflect the hard work Salford put in to prevent Warrington from scoring more than two tries in the first half. They also kept Wigan to a low score line, only losing 18-4 at home to the current league leaders. Shaun McRae will want his side to repeat three of their last four performances, forgetting what will hopefully be a blip against Castleford last weekend.

Warrington welcomed back Lee Briers to full fitness against Catalan on Sunday, after missing several games through injury since his sides home loss to Wigan in round three. Warrington have met Salford during the Magic Weekend once before in 2007, in which the Wolves thrashed the Reds 50-18 at the Millennium Stadium. Tony Smith does have one injury concern after Ben Harrison was taken off within the first five minutes against Catalan and failed to return. Gareth Carvell is still on the sidelines after picking up an injury two weeks ago against Hull KR.

Leeds Rhinos V Wakefield Trinity Wildcats – Saturday May 1, 7pm.
Leeds are expected to bounce back from their disappointing loss to last years fellow grand finalists on Saturday, which will conclude the first day of this years Magic Weekend. Leeds were heavily defeated against St Helens 41-20 at the GPW Recruitment Stadium. But they will face the tough task of beating Wakefield, who happen to be tucked neatly inside the top eight one point above Leeds who are currently in ninth place. When the two teams last met in round two, it was Wakefield who came away victorious with a 28-18 win at the Hearwell Stadium.

Leeds will want to avenge that loss, and potentially move up two places in the league up to seventh. Wakefield narrowly lost to Hull FC on Friday in a very stop, start game that saw 20 scrums and 20 penalties. Wakefield coach John Kear will want to make sure his side improve on their ball retention, or else he could see his side take a battering against the champions. Leeds are expected to bring back Ali Lauitiiti from injury, subject to the second rower passing a fitness test before the game.

Castleford Tigers V Catalan Dragons – Sunday May 2, 2pm.
Despite winning 30-12 against Salford last weekend, Castleford will be happy to have an extra game away from home, as their form at the Jungle is a dire one. They have only won two of their seven home games this season, including a Challenge Cup loss to Barrow the weekend before last. Things weren’t much better last year, as Terry Matterson’s team only chalked up four home wins during last season’s league campaign. On the other hand Kevin Walters will want an all round improvement as his side were comfortably beaten at the weekend away to Warrington 40-6.

Castleford have no more injury concerns after their win against Salford, although Catalan’s Cyrille Gossard will miss the trip to Edinburgh after sustaining a sprained ankle during the Dragon’s loss at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. The Dragons did receive some good news as Jean Philippe-Baile will not be charged with fighting against Warrington’s Chris Riley by the RFL disciplinary panel, and is free for Sunday’s game.

Huddersfield Giants V Wigan Warriors – Sunday May 2, 4pm.
Huddersfield have been dealt the news that fullback Brett Hodgson will be out for at least a month after picking up a thigh strain. The Giants captain rejected a 12 month contract extension and is rumoured to be signing for Warrington in time for 2011. However, Nathan Brown was given good news as Shaun Lunt will be back a lot sooner than expected. Lunt has an Achilles injury, and should be back on the pitch in two or three weeks. Brad Drew’s return from injury is also imminent, and should give the Giants a boost ahead of their game against third place St Helens who are just above Huddersfield in the league.

In what is arguably the game of the round, Wigan will be looking to put their 38-26 loss at home to Harlequins behind them. Wigan have lost only twice in 2010, and on both occasions they threw away a healthy half time lead. Wigan’s injury concerns are minimal, with Martin Gleeson expected to return after suffering a calf injury in the week leading up to the Quins game. Thomas Leuluai will be out of action for a further two weeks while Harrison Hansen will be out until June at the earliest.

Hull KR V St Helens – Sunday May 2, 6pm.
In the final game of the Magic Weekend both teams go into this game in opposite for to each other, with one team conceding 40 points last weekend, the other scoring over 40. After a disappointing loss to Bradford, Hull KR will be hoping to close the gap between them and the top six, which includes overtaking their city rivals. Justin Morgan will want to see an improved disciplined performance after conceding 14 penalties against Bradford on Sunday.

St Helens will be flying high after a comfortable win over the champions, which included a team of lesser known young players proving that Saints have huge strength in depth. James Foster made his debut for the Saints on the wing, and despite the presence of Kyle Eastmond, was able to convert eight goals from eight attempts. Saints were able to rely on youngsters Andrew Dixon, Gary Wheeler and Matty Ashurst, who stepped up to arguably their biggest challenge in their careers and succeeded proving the production line is still open for business at St Helens.

Round one completed.

Super dooper league is back in full swing.

There were some shocks in the first proper round of Super League to begin 2010. Castleford came from 10-6 behind at half time to leave the Champions pointless in the second half and go on to win 24-10. Leeds seem to be focusing on their World Club Challenge match against Melbourne as it is idiotic for any team to think that at 10-6 up they can waltz away with victory. The players are out to regain their world title crown and in doing so, they are sacrificing the opening league games in order to prepare for the big game. That said, look out Wakefield next week. You could be in for a bumpy ride with players to prove two weeks before the big day.

Huddersfield played very well against Bradford, in a game I was expecting Matt Orford and Heath L'Estrange to tear the Huddersfield defence in two. It does pile pressure on Steve McNamaram early in the season after a dire performance and dissatisfaction from the fans stretching as far back as 2008. Bradford play St Helens next week at Odsal. More on that game later in the week, which could spell the beginning of the end for one coach.

Wigan brushed Crusaders aside in a thrashing that will spell concern for Brian Noble. After a promising start, this defeat could be bump back to reality as it shows the club and playing staff will have to dig deep in order to gain lost respect this season.

Hull KR beat Salford comfortably at New Craven Park, while Wakefield just got past Catalan in a competitive eight point win against the French side, who were missing star-man Thomas Bosc. Warrington also put 58 points past Harlequins, who must be wondering what happened to them as they failed to score even a point leaving them bottom of the table at this early stage.

The game of the week was difficult to see, but that was mainly thanks to an awful lot of fog at Knowsley Road on Saturday night. However it was a pleasure to see Saints defeated so comfortably as the opening game went from bad to worse for last year's beaten grand finalists. Hull FC made the best of the awful conditions, and outplayed Saints in every department for over an hour. Mick Potter said after the match that his side didn;t make the most of their chances. The truth is, Saints didn't create any chances and sufferend in a humiliating defeat.

Pity nobody saw it.

Super League XV preview.

Its that time of year again. The Super League season finally kicked off in Wrexham, the first time the season has kicked off outside of England since Paris St Germain did the honors in 1996, and I for one am looking forward to what must should be a ground breaking season in all three divisions of professional rugby league in the UK and France.

The focus off attention off the field will be on both the Crusaders RL (I'm still going to call them Celtic) and South Wales Scorpions (the scorpions bit wont be written ever again.) Both teams came under the spotlight after Celtic moved from their home in Bridgend to move to Newport, then without playing a game and in the space of a few weeks got sold off and moved up north to Wrexham to provide the football club with an extra source of income.

On the field its a case of somebody stopping Leeds making it four straight Super League titles, and becoming the most successful team to date in the Super League era. It'll be a tough ask for the remaining thirteen teams, as Leeds seem to be getting better on paper each year. They have made some enormous signings, and have a tendency to back up all the pre-season hype with some tremendous performances over the course of the season. The only domestic title eluding them is the Challenge Cup, which they haven't won since 1999 which non of the current Leeds squad.

St Helens will have every intention of avenging their previous three Grand Final defeats, and the signing of Sia Soliola will boost their chances of a fifth straight appearance at Old Trafford. But overall I feel the Leeds/Saints GF partnership will finally be broken in 2010 and its Saints that will break up the marriage. They didn't look the same team in 2009 under Mick Potter as his first year as head coach, and the old guard of Leon Pryce, Paul Wellens and Keiron Cunningham didn't look the same as they did in the three years before 2009. There wasn't the same spark or cohesion that Daniel Anderson managed to install into the side, and I think Saints' reign in the top two is coming to an end.

But who will replace them and challenge Leeds for the title? Wigan? Warrington? Hull KR? If I had five pounds, my bet for 2010 dark horse would be Catalan. They have signed some very useful talent to add to their already good side. The signing of the year would have to be Dallas Johnson. He will challenge Malcolm Alker for the most tackles in a season, as he regularly makes over forty tackles a game in the NRL and State of Origin. Throw in their other signing of former New Zealand centre Setaimata Sa and they have a side that can go one better in 2010. They're the type of side that could seriously give Warrington a run for the Challenge Cup come August.

Speaking of Warrington, they should also have high aspirations of challenging for Super League as well. The signings of fringe England players Richie Myler and Ryan Atkins shows that Warrington can attract not just older and experience talent, but they can attract and invest in the long term. Now they have achieved their goal of winning the Challenge Cup after seven years building the foundations, they can become another Leeds or Saints of 2006 two or three years from now. Looking towards the start of 2010, the added signing of David Solomona will give Warrington added bulk into their already strong looking pack of Adrian Morley, Paul Wood and Gareth Carvell. I expect them to make the top four along with Leeds, St Helens and Wigan.

Wigan have high expectations every year, and for the past five years have failed to achieve those ambitions. They are the most successful British club, and with such a tag the coaching job can be even harder than at any other club. In my opinion Brian Noble was unfairly treated last year, and his replacement, Michael Maguire, will have to be careful as to not upset the board behind the scenes. They have brought in Paul Deacon, no doubt as a master the the young apprentice called Sam Thomkins. They are always a threat and very intimidating, but they need to stop losing big matches in order for the glory to return to the cherry and white.

From Lancashire to Yorkshire, and as you cross the pennies on the M62 the first town you come to is Huddersfield. Under Nathan Brown last year they were sensational. Finished third in the regular season but just couldn't handle the pressure of a massive knock-out match. They lost the Challenge Cup final, and unexpectedly bowed out of the play offs early in week two to Catalan. This year they'll want to go one better, and they haven't recruited too badly in order to achieve that goal. Their star signing is David Fa'alogo, the former New Zealand and South Sydney player. They also welcome back Brad Drew, who carried Huddersfield to the play offs in 2007. After two years at Wakefield he has returned to see the town which gave birth to rugby league achieve more success. Except they won't make the top four having narrowly over achieved last year.

Further down the M62 you pass Bradford. Steve McNamara is standing tall after some major signings that easily could change the face of Super League. Considering they have been on the slide since Brian Noble left in 2006, they have attracted Matt Orford, Heath L'Estrange from Manly and Brett Kearney from Cronulla. L'Estrange will add a bit of aggression and bulk into the Bradford back row and is a direct replacement for Sam Burgess, while Orford in his prime was better than Paul Deacon ever will be. While I don't think you will see a better Matt Orford than when he was at Melbourne and his early career at Manly, but I do think he is more than capable of single handedly guiding McNamara's side into the top five or six.

Bradford to Wakefield is the route Terry Newton has travelled this winter, and I can't help but think it'll be business as usual for Wakefield this year. Last year they had two people to play for in Adam Watene and Leon Walker who both tragically died doing what they loved, and when I say business as usual, I mean they'll be struggling at the bottom half of the league. I do rate John Kear as a moderately successful coach, who has transformed countless clubs around with small finances. However their squad this year looks like a whos who of players past their prime and top four rejects. Only Danny Brough looks capable of shining, but he on his own can't transform Wakefield's woes this year.

Swiftly moving onto Castleford, and it'll be a similar story at Whelden Road. Terry Matterson has only brought in two players in Paul Jackson and Steve Snitch, who were average at best for Huddersfield and Wakefield respectively. Michael Shenton and Joe Westerman both need good years this year, as I though Westerman was a little too quiet for my liking and failed to get a game for England after such promise two years ago. Shenton on the other hand had a decent season, but is probably wasted in a team well below his standards.

Lingering below both those two sides will be the cockneys. Harlequins are often questioned along with Celtic as to why they are in Super League, never mind being in existence in the first place. Many people believe they bring nothing to the sport after thirty years, originating as Fulham and playing at Craven Cottage. I expect their performances to be a little below par this year yet again. They seem to have been struggling to attract any half decent players from up north, while focusing their attentions in developing players down south. While that's good for the longer term, short term their star signings for this season seem to be Ben Jones-Bishop, Oliver Wilkes and Andy Ellis. They won't improve under Brian McDermott, in fact they might be standing still if he is in charge for a few more years.

From one expansion club to another, and Crudaders/Celtic will have to do it even tougher this time round. I'd say there were a few more signings yet to come, and they have already played one game so need to get pen to paper pretty quickly. But there are promising signs. Their performance against Leeds was fairly good for an hour, while they do have promise in Michael Witt and experience in Gareth Raynor and Jamie Thackeray. It'll be interesting how they perform on and off the field, with a close eye on their attendances and marketing efforts to attract the nice folk from north Wales. If they can perform the way they did against Leeds for the rest of the season, they will give a few teams a mighty shock or two.

Salford promise progression and improvement every year, but I can't help but think they're on a hiding to nothing. While they did managed to beat more teams other than Celtic last year, they will do even better to move up a position in the league. An unlikely task in my opinion. They no longer have Richie Myler, but the progress of Stefan Ratchford should see him being touted as a future star, obviously not at Salford. They seem to be a dumping ground for fringe players in other teams to learn what Super League is like. Both Matty Smith and Steve Tyrer are on loan from St Helens and can't be far from pulling on that red vee shirt themselves. I'm fairly confident an academy side could beat their first team, and confidence is something Shaun McRae will have to be stocking up on to have any hope this season.

Last but by no means least, we have the two Hull teams. I'd like to end on a positive, so its best to start with Hull FC. Richard Agar is on his very last legs. If he can't get this side playing together then his time has to be up. However despite all the experience in Shaun Berrigan, Sean Long, Mark O'Meley and the one and only Craig Fitzgibbon, all of these players will soon be cashing in their pensions. It'll be difficult to keep these four players on the pitch at the same time without arthritis playing up on them. But in all seriousness, if Agar can pull them together and wrap the four older players in cotton wool on a weekly basis then they can make the top eight. It's fielding a consistent side every week that will be Agar's problem, and good luck to him because it's only a matter of time before he is out of the door.

Across the river Hull and we come to east Hull, twinned with Basra, Iraq. It's also the home to Hull KR who should be aiming to improve on 2009. In my opinion, they struggled to come to terms with their extra time loss to Warrington in the Challenge Cup, and lost the following five out of seven games. Other than that, it was a terrific season and one they can really bounce onwards from. They have kept all the key players that did so well for them this year in Shaun Briscoe, Michael Dobson, Ben Galea and Kris Welham. Justin Morgan is a great coach who has learnt a lot in a short space of time since joining the club from Toulouse in 2005 and would be my pick for the next England coach.

Finally here is how the league will look come September, if all is predicted well. Which it wasn't!

Leeds
Wigan
St Helens
Warrington
Catalan
Huddersfield
Hull KR
Bradford
Hull FC
Wakefield
Castleford
Harlequins
Salford
Crusaders RL

Laziness is a terrible sin - a flashback over the past six weeks or so.

Manly won the World Club Challenge in a very physical game against Leeds. Jamie Peacock, it seems, needs to learn how to control his temper after being sin binned for the second time in the space of three weeks.

Tony Smith took up a rather fancy role at Warrington. He is not officially a coach, but indeed much higher than that in some sort of capacity, despite still calling the shots. James Lowes therefore, is still 1st team coach, despite being under Smith. To cut through the bull, Smith is coach, Lowes is assistant but yet Lowes still has an assistant. Don't ask! Still, its good news in some ways for Warrington, having won three out of the last five league games. A much better record than when Smith joined the club.

Leon Pryce and Stuart Reardon go up in front of the judge who said they may go to jail soon, for the assault of Mrs Reardon and her boyfriend. Stuart Reardon has since left Warrington to go to Hull FC. They like criminals there, you see. Ben Cockayne was also up in court recently for assault.

Canterbury were docked two points for having fourteen players on the field late on during their 28-26 win over Penrith. The fact that the fourteenth man was on the field when the winning try was scored has seen the appeal turned down. Its nice to see that NRL officials are strict on such offences. In Super League over the years, Saints got away with a 13th interchange and Bradford have also felt the need to field 14 men against Warrington back in 2004. Both teams were 'fined'.

Martin Gleeson has felt the affect of Tony Smith's wrath and has moved to Wigan. Richie Mathers and a reported £100,000 go the other way, putting an end to specualtion that Gleeson will move to the NRL. Rumours are floating around Warrington as to who will be next to go. Favourites include Matt King, Michael Monaghan, both Anderson brothers and Lee Briers.

I love Easter.

Over the period of five days there has been a feast of Easter rugby league action that I for one have tucked into without a moments hesitation.

On Thursday there was the Wigan V St Helens match at the JJB Stadium. Usually saved for Good Friday, this match saw Kyle Eastmond score a massive drop goal to win the game for Saints 19-12.

On Friday I saw three matches played one after another. There was the 207th Hull derby which was won by Hull KR. Hull FC were down 18-4 early in the second half, and fought bravely to come back 18-14. I watched that game at The Willows ahead of the Salford V Warrington clash, in which Warrington played badly, but got to within six points before Ben Westwood scored in the final play of the game. Chris Hicks handed Salford the win after missing the conversion. Finally it was back into Manchester and onto Walkabout for the West Yorkshire derby between Bradford and Leeds. It wasn't a particularly high scoring affair, but a gripping one nonetheless as Bradford shocked the Champions 10-6. The controversy came on the hour when Rob Burrow put in Brent Webb for a try in the corner, only for it to be disallowed. The reason? Brent Webb was in an offside position. I didn't know you could be offside as an attacker, but you can apparently.

The following day I was at Wilderspool as 18th man for Warrington Wizards against Bramley. We lost 18-36 in what was anticipated to be an exciting match.

Sunday was a rugby free day so onto Easter Monday where Castleford defeated Warrington at the Halliwell Jones. Cas played reasonably well and didn't really let Warrington into the game winning 28-6. After 33 minutes of non scoring action, Cas put points on the board first and never looked back. Its business as usual for Warrington. I make no effort to mask my support for the primrose and blue, so it was with great delight that I later saw Catalan defeat Wigan in one of the many familiar pubs surrounding the stadium that evening. Leading 14-4, it was the perfect remedy as Wigan threw the game away and lost 40-24 in Perpignan.

That was a grand total of seven games in a five day period. I'm very happy the Romans killed Jesus!

Super League XIV preview

OK, lets get serious for a change. With the season beginning in a few days time, its time for A Tap on the Twenty to assess the 14 teams competing in this years competition.

Bradford
For the past two years I have been adamant that Bradford will under perform and are slowly back tracking from the great side they once were. Ever since Brain Noble left, they have never reproduced the form they once had. Back then they had the biggest and most fearsome pack in the competition. Since then, they seem to have done a Fern Britton and lost more than a few pounds. having said that, this year they seem to have made it up with speed in the backs.
Prediction: 6th

Castleford
Surprised a few teams last year and I believe that it set the foundations for a promising year in 2009. Signings look promising, while a bit of deadwood has been shifted in the likes of Luke Dorn et al. They won't make the play offs, but with an extra two teams added to the competition, they should be looking for a few more wins.
Prediction: 13th

Catalan
Its easy to say Catalan overanchived last year, but I can see them repeating that feat this year as well. Its never easy to go to the south of France and take points away. In fact last year, Catalan did the basic thing in achieving success and thats win your home games. Only ten points were taken away from Perpignan last year in total, turning their renovated home ground into a mini fortress. They will miss Mick Potter, but if they make playing in the south of France difficult for visiting teams again, they will go far.
Prediction: 3rd

Celtic
The new Welsh side have it all to do this year. Many Championship sides feel done over by the licensing that allowed Celtic into Super League, but overall few will be complaining if the back room staff make a success of the club. In fairness, they have recruited pretty well. Mark Bryant, Stephen Tyrer and the promising Matty Smith is mixing youth with experience in a side that is by far and away looking to the future.
Prediction: 14th

Harlequins
I worry for Harlequins this year. They don't seem to have made any improvements to their side and seemed to be thankful for finishing 9th last year. Brian McDermott has been talking up Harlequins' prospects of a good season by claiming they can make the Grand Final. I personally can't them coming close to the play offs. They have lost a lot of pace and don't seem to have replaced it.
Prediction: 10th

Huddersfield
New coach, Nathan Brown, is not afraid of mincing his words when it comes down to the nitty gritty. Last year as coach of St George-Illawarra, he led an outburst that criticised Melbourne's style of play. It will be tight but they can make the play offs. I think Brown will make sure they do, with his key signing Brett Hodgson. Had Todd Carney been granted a visa, they would be looking for a top six finish giving them home advantage in the first play off game.
Prediction: 8th

Hull FC
You know, I could have sworn I rated this team highly 12 months ago. A total self destruction hampered their league season, but showed they have what it takes to make a major final by travelling to Wembley. I think Shaun Berrigan can step into the form he had at Brisbane this year. Chris Thorman adds a different dimension compared to Adam Dykes while Tongan star, Sam Moa adds size to the pack in the absence of Gareth Carvell.
Prediction: 7th

Hull KR
While writing a draft for this piece, it was really difficult trying to support an argument for Hull KR to make the play offs. But thats not supposed to be a criticism, believe it or not. They have one of the best coaches in the league, their fair share of international players and fans that deserve to see their side reaching the hights to Super League. But the writing doesn't seem to be on the wall for KR to make the eight. For me, theres something missing that can change KR from a play off contender, to a really dominant side. If I know what it was, I'd tell you.
Prediction: 9th

Leeds
Once again, and to the surprise of many, Leeds go into their new campaign as re-crowned champions. Two weeks after their first play off game at Saints, it looked like the home side would run away with the trophy at Old Trafford as well. To make things worse for the rest of Super League, they seem to have recruited very well. Greg Eastwood would be their best signing of the off season had they not snapped up Danny Buderus as well. Eastwood is a straight swap for the departed Gareth Ellis, while Buderus is likely to restrict Matt Diskin's playing time. If they can reproduce a Cunningham-Roby partnership, Leeds will have no trouble becoming the first side to win Super League three times in a row.
Prediction: 1st

Salford
Last years National League 1 winners, and in dramatic style against their Welsh Super League opponents this year. It seems as a result, Shaun McRae has recruited extremely well. He has picked up workhorse Rob Parker, Saints supreme scorer Willie Talau, Ray Cashmere and Jeremy Smith. Although I'm pretty sure McRae signed the wrong Jeremy Smith, this one came from South Sydney. Either way, with the experience of Robbie Paul and the youth of Richard Myler, Salford could be looking to challenge for a play off spot.
Prediction: 10th

St Helens
Nothing gave the rest of Lancashire more pleasure than seeing Sainst fall to Leeds for the second time in a row when they were odds on favourites to take Super League. This year Sainst will not dominate the year like they are used to. Paul Sculthorpe has left for good and cannot influence the dressing room, while the dangerous left hand partnership between Francis Meli and Willie Talau has been broken up. Fozzard loses them go forward, although that has been replaced by Tony Puletua. A new coach may also take time to used to, especially with a brand new squad.
Prediction: 2nd

Wakefield
I hate to bring this up, but how will the death of Adam Watene affect the rest of the squad? As professional sportsmen, it will make sence for them to dust themselves off and really give it a go in his memory. On paper, however, they don't look like a team capable of achieving a play off place despite falling a few rounds short mathematically.
Prediction: 11th

Warrington
They still have their disapponting big name players in Matt King and Michael Monaghan, but this year there has been very little noise coming from the players and coaching staff this year. Maybe all the energy is going into preperation instead of bigging themselves up like they have done for the past two seasons. The major loss is Rob Parker, but he has been replaced by Gareth Carvell. At the same time, Mark Gleeson's replacement is the critially accliamed Micky Higham. Wigan fans were really disappointed to see the hooker go, but what is Wigan's loss is surley Warrington's gain?
Prediction: 5th

Wigan
A number of Wigan's key players need to stand up and be counted this season. Stuart Fielden is one noticable example. His last two good performances were against Wests in the 2006 WCC and in his Wigan debut the same year. Since then, he has lost his international shirt and become the subject of a large amount of riddicule since being hit in the face by Willie Mason. Gareth Hock and Sean O'Loughlin have never really lived up to their big name status either. Brian Noble must get the best out of these players, or new signings Mark Riddell and Amos Roberts must be wondering what they have signed up for.
Prediction: 4th

The End of Term Report - Part One

After twenty-seven rounds, the season has ended for six unlucky teams. These six teams will not feature in the play offs and the players will no doubt have a nice rest before pre season starts again in November (for those not playing in the world cup). Below are my views and opinions as to how these six teams went throughout the season and why they didn’t add an extra week onto their season.

Hull KR
Paul Cooke has been a major figure in this side since he joined last season. I say that in off-field terms, as his on-field achievements haven’t exactly reached the highs of when he played across the other side of the river. In fact, even his off-field record isn’t exactly clean. Considering the whole squad has had to react to his behaviour for the past eighteen months, they have done exceptionally well to finish seventh. His suspension for leaving Hull FC until the Easter weekend did nothing to help team morale. Added to the fact he was dropped for no reason for a lengthy period of time towards the back end of the season, it’s a wonder Justin Morgan has kept the side together and stayed on target for a play off spot, which they were unlucky to miss out on.

Wakefield
To me, Wakefield were never within a shout of a play off place. Yes, league positions show they were fourth with nine games to go, but they never played any Rugby League that justified that position. However, the light at the end of the tunnel is that they have a player worthy of his world cup place, despite it being in a side that won’t eclipse the achievements of England. Danny Brough has been a godsend for a side that twelve months ago, was a serious contender for another taste of play off football. But Wakefield have been hit with some serious injury worries this year. Brad Drew, Jamie Roony and Jason Demetriou have not had as much game time as John Kear would have liked and their impact has been missed throughout.

Harlequins
Started strongly, but then just seemed to fade away as the season progressed. Stats show after five rounds, Quins were second in the league. By the time Quins played Catalan again in Cardiff, they were ninth. After which their form showed consistency that remained average. Brian McDermott has a long way to go, but signs are good. Home-grown heroes, Rikki Sheriffe, Joe Mbu and Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook all look promising individual international potentials. But overall, the squad just didn’t have the quality to improve their league position from 2007.

Huddersfield
Its not been the best of seasons for Huddersfield fans. For the second year in a row, the team that has tasted play off football for the first time the previous season has not achieved the expectations to improve and become a decent outfit. In fact, the loss of Brad Drew is one the club will no doubt be reeling over as his form alone catapulted Huddersfield into the play offs last year. Kevin Brown and Luke Robinson have not had the impact that was required whereas Chris Thorman is a shadow of his former self.

Hull FC
I can’t begin to understand what went wrong here. One minute the club was shocked to be out of the play offs thanks to sixth place Wigan, next thing you know they struggle to replicate any of the past three or four years of very good rugby that we had become used to see from the black and whites. Theres little doubt these players under performed and without Richard Horne for the majority of the year they have struggled to play any decent form of attacking rugby. Shaun Berrigan was due to be one of the reasons Hull FC would be nearer the top of the table than what they achieved. However, I also think the loss of Shaun Briscoe had something to do with their downhill spiral.

Castleford
Never in the history of Super League have I respected a team finishing bottom of the ladder than what I have with this Castleford outfit. It’s been a rocky roller coaster that’s not gone without controversy. The trial of athlete Dwain Chambers is one that will go on living in people’s memories for a long time. As the announcement was so close to April Fools Day, even I had trouble believing such a thing had occurred. But this hasn’t derailed the team from playing when it matters. Wins against the top six four times, plus a draw shows that they are a team that can play when they have to. Its just they haven’t played when they weren’t massive underdogs and when they limelight wasn’t on the team that could ship in seventy/eighty points. They have three years to build on this season, but all the signs are there that they can produce decent rugby league football.


So how well have I done in predicting the final league ladder? Well, going off my first ever blog post on here, I predicted the bottom six would look like this;

Wakefield
Hull KR
Huddersfield
Catalan
Harlequins
Castleford

The only team I got right was Castleford, even my pre-season analysis wasn’t that far off. However without blowing my own trumpet too loudly, I wasn’t far off with Wakefield and Hull KR and I was only one place away from getting Huddersfield right as well. However, I seem to have completely mis-judged Catalan and Hull FC. One has done the complete opposite to the other and that to me comes as quite a shock.

The fourteen licensed teams are announced.

From next year until 2011, the fourteen teams that will compete in Super League are;

Bradford

Castleford

Catalan

Celtic

Harlequins

Huddersfield

Hull FC

Hull KR

Leeds

Salford

St Helens

Wakefield

Warrington

Wigan

Realistically, there are no surprises. Despite the ideal solution of dropping Wakefield and Castleford, speculation was right about the current twelve Super League clubs being granted a license. However, the big news is that Celtic and Salford will also join the current crop of teams as of next year and are guaranteed to be in the top flight for the two more years after that.

More reaction and opinion to the announcement will follow, only at A Tap on the Twenty.

Who will make the six, and who will win The Grand Final?

With seven rounds remaining in Super League XIII, we are approaching the final straight. The hard work begins now for teams that believe they can make the play offs all wanting a good run of form before the play offs begin. For the top three in Saints, Leeds and Catalan; all three can be assured of a top three placing. In which order is yet to unravel itself, but I would be very surprised if any of these three dropped into fourth. The remaining three places are likely to be battled over four teams in Wigan, Warrington, Bradford and Wakefield. With the south Yorkshire club’s form having dipped of late in the build up to their cup semi final match with Hull FC, they could be the side to miss out. And finally, mathematically every single team can still make the play offs. Looking at the table, and with six games left, bottom club Castleford need eleven points out of the remaining twelve possible to make the six. They can do it providing every single result between now and the final league game goes in their favour. It would be an astonishing achievement that happened, but realistically I very much doubt it will. In fact, I would be prepared to bet all my personal possessions against any fool who thinks otherwise.

With seven games left (eight for Wigan and Huddersfield) the remaining fixtures and their order are very important for every side if they are to make the play offs. Looking at the top three, Leeds have to play Wigan and Catalan once more. The big factor is that they are away from home against the French which is proving no mean feat for any English club this season. Catalan are also up against Wigan once more in Perpignan, so there is potentially four points there already. The big issue is that they are both against teams above and below them in the standings. Saints however, have tough fixtures against Wigan (twice), a regenerated Warrington at home and one final long journey to London. Although having just beaten Quins heavily to go top, I doubt they will be much of a threat now than what that fixture on the seventeenth of August could have been a few weeks ago. Back to Leeds, and if Warrington’s form continues into next month at the same time Leeds’ is falling faster than the Titanic, that could be a banana skin match waiting for the west Yorkshire club at the HJ Stadium. Although with that match coming straight after the semi final encounter with St Helens, it would be very hard to predict what sort of motivation Leeds will have for their following Super League game. If they lose, Warrington do not have a hope in hell. If they win then their confidence will rise and Warrington will struggle at home and in front of the Sky cameras. So apart from the matches highlighted, all three sides face a smooth ride into the play offs. But don’t be surprised if Catalan overcome Leeds and win their remaining games to go top. Their form is excellent at the moment, the only question is whether a week off for the semi finals will take away their momentum. Leeds could easily lose to the French side and Wigan to suffer more loses, but Saints have three potential banana skin games in Wigan twice, and Warrington at home. However, Saints are another side on form having just rediscovered it in time for the business end of the season. But I can see them losing only one more game before the play offs.

Looking at the scrap for the three remaining places, as mentioned, four teams are looking likely to contest them. Wigan have a game in hand against Huddersfield which should be slim pickings for them. However, they play and in-form Saints twice. The likelihood is Wigan will lose both, but it is not uncommon for them to win at least once against their rivals. Wigan also have to travel to sunny France again, which is another difficult game and one they can easily lose. And having beaten Leeds in a close game last weekend, their penultimate opponents will be out for revenge. Warrington have three big tests left, starting with Bradford on Friday. After which they face Leeds after the semi final, and then Saints the week after. Just how much will the Leeds game take out of them the week before? However, neither games are they expected to win so they wouldn’t be dropping must win competition points. Bradford are a team on the slide recently. Having won only four of their last ten games, the pressure is on Steve McNamara to turn things around. In games they should be winning, they haven’t and this run could cost them a play off place. With big games of only Warrington and Leeds remaining, they should without a doubt be making the top four when you compare the remaining fixtures of other clubs. However, not only do Warrington and Leeds possess a threat in their current run of form, but so do Hull FC, Wakefield, Quins and Hull KR. Its nervous times for the team with seven games left. And Wakefield are not exactly challenging to rule the roost at the minute. Having struggled in three of the last four games, losing two the last two, they clearly have an eye on the Challenge Cup semi final against Hull FC which could knock them back a few points giving Harlequins and Hull KR half a sniff for a late challenge. With them needing to win on Saturday against their Challenge Cup opponents, they could still be in with a shout, but don’t write them off just yet. Although having said that, five of their final six games include Bradford, Saints, Wigan, Catalan and Leeds. Their only real chance is the cup. Finally, Wigan and Warrington will battle it out of fourth place, Wakefield will fall by the wayside leaving Bradford to close the door on them and the rest of Super League.

And so, we have the bottom five left. These teams shouldn’t really be pushing for a play off spot, however stranger things have happened with Bradford’s poor run of form and Wakefield’s unbelievably hard run of final fixtures. And even if they do lose out, there is only Harlequins and Hull KR who actually have a chance. With a two point gap currently between KR and Huddersfield, I can’t imagine the birthplace of RL making the last play off spot by any means possible. The same can be said for Hull and Castleford. Although Hull still have to focus on the Challenge Cup, and Castleford are showing some real determination not to finish last, brace yourselves for an unlikely Giant-killing.

So with that all done and dusted, who will win the League Leaders Shield. Well copied the current table and entered it into my very own simulator, a spreadsheet. I then typed in what I believe to be the results for all the remaining fixtures and the possible final league standings are shown below.

Team	Played	Wins	Draws	Loses	PTS
Catalan	27	21	1	5	43
Saints	27	21	0	6	42
Leeds	27	21	0	6	42
Wigan	27	16	1	10	33
Warrington	27	16	0	11	32
Bradford	27	15	0	12	30
Wakefield	27	11	0	16	22
Harlequins	27	10	0	17	20
Hull KR	27	9	1	17	19
Huddersfield	27	8	1	18	17
Hull FC	27	7	1	19	15
Castleford	27	4	1	22	9

Catalan will not lose another game, Saints will drop only one game, most likely against Wigan while Leeds will lose only to Catalan. There will then be a huge gap between sixth and seventh as Wigan, Warrington and Bradford battle it out to see what order they will face Saints or Leeds depending on points difference.

So finally, out of those six who will win The Grand Final? Well it won’t be Catalan. Having never played intense play off rugby before, I just cannot see it happening. However, they might make Old Trafford when they have to play in the final eliminator against Leeds in Perpignan. That means St Helens will once again be crowned Super League champions once again.

Its a cruel old game, isn’t it.

Unofficial exclusive – James Lowes is new Warrington coach.

After witnessing another Warrington win for the second week in a row, I have to say I am rather impressed with how the team have taken to life with James Lowes. And, unsurprisingly, I don’t think I’m the only one. After the game yesterday against Hull KR, Lord “Call me Doug” Hoyle was seen on the pitch shaking Lowes’ hand and patting him on the back. Maybe I’m jumping the gun, but it’s not everyday a club chairman walks onto the pitch after the game. So while it may seem Lowes will get the job, which won’t be announced until the local rag go to print, is it the right choice?

Possibly, maybe we should give him until the end of the season and then see where we stand. Then bring in a coach who Jimmy can work under, learn more under a coach who has proved himself, and then give him back the top job. I still have questions about his mentors and how Lowes will cope being surrounded by players with high reputations. But so far he is proving his worth. Unusually, he has a relaxed attitude for a coach and isn’t fazed with the pressure of coaching a potentially successful team.

But while performances have improved tenfold, there are still improvements to be done. Concentration and playing for eighty minutes are still one of them. Against Harlequins and Hull KR we conceded tries on the back of some terrific rugby. In London, we allowed Quins to claw back into the game while being a few scores ahead. And against KR, we lost concentration after fifteen minutes of the most organised rugby I’ve seen us play this season. But I’m not pointing the finger at Lowes on this one, don’t get me wrong. This is a problem Warrington has ALWAYS had, and is probably something we fans should be used to. It is something Lowes has to address though if he believes he is capable to take on the reins as head coach of a very valuable, if underachieving, rugby league club.

By the way, I’ve no idea what an unofficial exclusive is, but I just thought it was a different way of, not so much spreading a rumour based on possible truths, but predicting something that has a high chance of happening.

Super League Applications - winners and losers revealed.

The list of applicants for Super League XIV was finally announced on Tuesday. Nineteen clubs have applied for a license to participate in Super league next year including the current twelve. Six clubs have applied from the National Leagues while Toulouse Olympique have also forwarded their application. The full list is:

Bradford Bulls
Catalans Dragons
Castleford Tigers
Celtic Crusaders
Featherstone Rovers
Halifax RLFC
Huddersfield Giants
Harlequins RL
Hull FC
Hull KR
Leeds Rhinos
Leigh Centurions
Salford City Reds
St Helens
Toulouse Olympique
Warrington Wolves
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats
Widnes Vikings
Wigan Warriors

So who are definite candidates for Super League, and who will suffer disappointment in waiting three years before being allowed back in? Well I intend to find out by briefly running over each clubs chances based on the actual criteria outlined. For arguments sake, all clubs will be solvent, while other criteria may be based on guesswork such as estimating if a club has enough turnover or an average attendance.

Bradford – They have the capacity and most likely have the required 10,000 average attendance, which means they have the stadium operating at 40% capacity. But they fail on having a premier standard stadium as the majority of the ground is uncovered and standing. Financially, it was reported last year that the club were struggling and this showed in the fact they broke the salary cap during the 2006 season. But they have a firm junior development system in place and the first of many players are rolling onto the pitch. Sam Burgess is just one example. Therefore I predict Bradford making B grade status.

Catalan – Catalan should be set for a place in Super League. Their facilities and attendances achieve top marks; they also gain a bonus point for not being within 20 miles of any other club. This is despite being in the heartlands of French Rugby League. I imagine they are turning over £4m (or should it be Euros?) due to the amount of interest generated in Perpignan and the Catalan region. I am less knowledgeable on the club’s junior development, but they meet this criterion by already having enough French players already in their squad. They have not made a big contribution to the competition however, having only been in existence for two seasons previous to the current one and having not finished above ninth place in any if them. Therefore, I still expect Catalan to gain an A grade licence.

Castleford – Cas do not have the capacity, average attendance or stadium standard to gain any points in that department. They are operating at 40% capacity though. But despite that, the only other points they will earn is through junior development, sticking to the salary cap and being solvent. They are not making £4m, and have barely any contribution to the competition due to being relegated so many times in the past few years. Therefore, this gives them a C grade status.

Celtic – Difficult to judge because I have never been to their ground or seen any of the setup there. I hear the ground only has 1,000 capacity, so therefore the club would have to move. They gain an extra point due to being no more than twenty miles within another club as well as not being able to break the salary cap in their three year existence. I’m unsure of the junior development that currently exists down in the south of Wales, but all the news coming from the valleys is positive. As for it being good enough, thats a different matter. Therefore I expect Celtic to earn a C grade.

Featherstone – “No chance” is the phrase you are looking for. They may have youngsters coming through a limited academy system but I expect the club are pushing for a place in 2011 rather than getting their hopes up for next season. Although this application set up is a good idea for a club to see where they are currently and how they can expand for the future. Therefore they will earn a C grade status.

Halifax – See Featherstone. A half constructed main stand is never good for business and doesn’t show any professionalism within the club. Despite it not being the clubs fault though, it still is an eyesore and therefore lacks any possibility of The Shay becoming a premier standard arena. Therefore Halifax will earn a C grade.

Huddersfield – As I write this, I have just seen the Sky Sports report by Angela Powers on Boots ‘n’ All. While I no arguments in how the scoring of their application was made up and calculated, it shed some light onto how little support the club receives compared to the quality of their stadium. Apart from attendances, the club fared well having a good junior development, no breaches of salary cap and they are solvent at the very least. Therefore they should receive a grade B licence.

Harlequins – They will be one of the few sides to earn a SL place based on a C grade licence. While their stadium meets the criterion, their attendances certainty does not. I doubt they are making enough money for the £4m turnover, but there is reason to suggest they are solvent because of the relationship with their union counterparts. As well as that, their junior development is promising but I don’t think it reaches the right standard just yet. Therefore, as mentioned, they will get C grade status.

Hull FC – Apart from the pointless criterion of not having another club within a twenty mile radius (Hull would struggle with a twenty metre radius) they should earn top marks. The stadium is of quality standard, attendances are high and they surely are making enough money for a big turnover. Matt Dale can be seen as an example of junior development being bred at the club and their contribution to competition is highly valued. Therefore the west side of Hull should earn an A grade licence.

Hull KR – Their stadium does not meet the standards of premier facilities. It is not even 10,000 capacity (although building work is currently in place to sort that out), but their attendances are reasonably close to capacity. Their contribution to the comp is poor, with this season only being their second in SL. But at least they haven’t over spent on player salaries and their junior development is well established. Therefore Hull KR should get a C licence.

Leeds – Their stadium, I feel, does not meet the requirement for premier standard. They have one good stand which stands out like a sore thumb. But their capacity is high and the club are averaging well over 10,000. They haven’t broken the salary cap and are one of the biggest contributors to the competition. Therefore I think Leeds will earn a B licence.

Leigh – Of all those teams currently in National League One competing for licences, I firmly believe Leigh are the front runners and deserving of a licence. While attendances will be based in their current stadium, the facilities and stadia currently built are of a premier standard. It is open to debate whether to allow them in as they are not inside these facilities at the time of submitting their application. However, these remarks are being made by Salford and Widnes corners who will not have a premier stadium ready until 2010 and who have financial trouble respectively. However, i would give Leigh a B licence.

Salford – Have successfully got planning permission through a public enquiry for a new stadium next to The Trafford Centre shopping complex. However, this stadium will not be ready until 2010, 2011 at the latest. While their financial situation is fairly good and junior development fairly established, they lose points on their stadium and attendances. I wouldn’t say their contribution to competition was that good either having only made the top six once in the past three years. Therefore I would give Salford a C licence.

St Helens – Let us start with the positives. They have the junior development and contribution to competition already in the bag. They also have over 12,000 capacity stadium, averaging 10,000 on a regular basis and operating at 40% capacity. What they lack is a premier standard stadium, a turnover of £4m and a clean salary cap record. Therefore Saints will earn a B licence.

Toulouse – Little is known about the Toulouse application. They will have the geographical point but as for stadium and finances, I don’t know much about them. I doubt they will have an average of 10,000 and judging from their stadium when I saw the team beat Widnes in the 2006 Challenge Cup semi final, I doubt it holds 12,000 (but that is only from memory). I can see Toulouse earning a B licence though and another trip to France for the Super League faithful.

Warrington – It has been accounted well in the press that teams have submitted over 600 page documents for the RFL to work their way through. Widnes have reported sending a 2000 page document as well as a DVD. However, Warrington are one of only a few clubs that can send in a postcard through second class Royal Mail and still get in for 2009. Without being biased, the stadium is perfect, attendances are high, turnover is fantastic and players are being developed like there is no tomorrow. An A class all the way. In other words, A grade licence.

Wakefield – The stadium fails to hold 10,000 so therefore they cannot average that figure. Their finances are unsettling and I’m guessing they are just solvent. They have made little contribution to the competition but haven’t broke the salary cap and they have a decent junior set up. Therefore I would give them a C grade licence.

Widnes – Their stadium is established but still of a good standard, they regularly had good attendances in Super League but since their relegation I’m unsure of their gate figures. Their main reason for not getting a licence is their financial situation. While the club seem to have a new policy of letting supporters have their say and giving them an insight into how the club is run, their financial trouble at the end of last season will surely count against them. Their supporters will argue that the old rouges that lead the club into administration are now gone, but it hasn’t been twelve months since they left and the new owners must still be recovering the losses made beforehand. Therefore I would give Widnes a C licence.

Wigan – See Warrington and Hull FC. The only thing that will count against them is the salary cap breach and the 20 mile radium criterion. Added to Wigan’s application but not evaluated is the history the club hold. Super League without Wigan was once a possibility only a few seasons ago, but they bring so much to the competition because of their past. Therefore they will earn an A grance licence.

So that’s all nineteen clubs evaluated briefly, who will get the lucrative places? Well here lies the problem. The RFL have yet to announce if Super League will have fourteen or twelve clubs next year. There is a possibility it could have more but realistically and if the quality across the board is good enough, Super League will see fourteen team battle it out. So I’ve listed twelve teams who I believe will get in straight away. Then I have listed another two below them to make fourteen. After that, I have listed the remaining five teams in what I believe to be order of priority should the RFL include more than fifteen teams or more.

So in alphabetical order, the first twelve teams into Super League 2009 should be;

Bradford Bulls

Catalan Dragons

Huddersfield Giants

Harlequins RL

Hull FC

Hull KR

Leeds Rhinos

Leigh Centurions

Salford City Reds

St Helens

Warrington Wolves

Wigan Warriors

The next two teams, making what will no doubt be a fourteen team Super League XIV should be;

Celtic Crusaders

Widnes Vikings

Now the next five teams in priority of making Super League after the first fourteen teams.

Toulouse Olympique

Wakefield Wildcats

Castleford Tigers

Halifax RLFC

Featherstone Rovers

Please bear in mind this is what I feel should happen next year for good expansion as well as getting rid of clubs dragging the club down as a competition and as a sport. I feel going sown to the south of France again will put a burden on supporters to visit France twice and should be avoided. I also feel getting rid of Castleford and Wakefield is a necessity as their stadiums and finances don’t make pretty reading. As for Halifax and Featherstone, well they don’t come close but by applying they have seen what state their own house is in and should start to progress in correcting this. I look forward to their applications in 2011 and seeing how far they have come since.

How are we all doing?

Well Easter has come and gone for yet another year. The chocolate eggs have been scoffed and the hot cross bun wrapper is at the bottom of the bin, and that’s just in Terry Newton’s household. Seriously though, we are eight rounds into Super League XIII which is roughly a quarter of the season. So how is everybody shaping up? Well I’ll tell you what, lets start from the top shall we and move on from there. That way, things can only get worse.

Leeds have started like a house on fire. In the past three games against Harlequins, Bradford and Hull FC they have only conceded six points. Their success against Melbourne in the World Club Challenge has spurned them on to greater things. I honestly believe they are playing better rugby now than what they did against the Australian club. Their loss to Castleford was kind of expected in a way. The WCC forced out two key players for long periods of time, with several more picking up minor injuries. Brian McLennan rested key players for that game against Castleford, especially Jamie Peacock who is their sole leader on the field which is funny because they lacked leadership that day. However they currently can’t complain. Top of the league and four points ahead of Saints and Wigan would have been something they could only dream about at the beginning of the year.

So how long before Warrington blow it? As a fan myself, I cannot understand how we are in the position we are in. If you’d have said to me in February we would be in this position after Easter I’d have either laughed in your face or told you to get off the happy pills. I would be happy with our second placed position if I believe we had deserved it. I personally don’t think we have got out of second gear for most of the season. There were times against St Helens when we really took the game to them and played some good football. I also thought we played absolutely amazing for forty minutes against Hull KR, going into half time twenty eight points ahead. But apart from that, there is nothing to suggest we are title contenders or probable finalists this year. We have the squad for it, so lets see further into the season how well we do.

St Helens are not the side they used to be. Twenty four months ago they were out of this world setting the competition alight in the same way Leeds are now. Today they have lost against teams you would not normally expect them to lose against such as Hull KR, Huddersfield and Catalan. I know Kyle Eastmond would probably disagree, but the squad is ageing now since the glory days of 2006-2007. Also, I think the players are getting complacent now knowing Daniel Anderson is set to leave the club. They know they don’t have to play at their best because they’re not playing for a contract that Anderson will give them. The sooner the Saints board announce next season’s coach (or just announcing Wayne Bennett will do the trick) then the players might get some urgency about themselves and perform to a standard expected of that Knowsley Road crowd.

Wigan started brilliantly and have kept up their form, despite losing to Warrington, scraping a win against Huddersfield and losing heavily to Saints. This season they are undoubtedly top six material and Brian Noble seems to have got the squad playing with pride in their jerseys. Its been a difficult few years for the Wigan Loyal being starved of regular success for so long and missing out on the play offs for two years straight in 2005 and 2006. Their attitude and determination has rubbed off onto this season after losing to Leeds in the Final Eliminator last year.

It’s all gone pear shaped in Humberside recently. For once the red and white side of the River Hull seems to be outplaying the black and white side of the river. Their fifth position in the league is no fluke. From what I’ve seen they are doing enough against sides who are falling down to KR’s powerful front row. Added to the pace and excellence of Jake Webster and brilliance of Shaun Briscoe, its no wonder they are where they are. And fully deserved too.

Harlequins RL really have slid down the slippery slope in the past couple of games. While everyone tipped them for finishing near the bottom of the league (me included) they have performed well enough to be in the six presently, even second in the league at one point. However since they were hammered by Leeds 48-0, they have lost three in a row which has put them in sixth place and looking edgy to saw the least. Their next three league games don’t improve their chances of climbing higher. While Saints and Warrington should beat them (jinxing my own team again), Hull KR will prove to be a tough test. After which it’s the Challenge Cup tie against Castleford, which should see them go through. However as it’s the only all-SL tie of the round and with both teams expected to lose their next few games leading up to the match, it should be a cracker.

Speaking of teams going downhill, Bradford couldn’t be in a worse position considering the hype that was built up before they kicked off. I’ll admit injuries haven’t helped them, but they can’t be in a position to moan after watching Hull FC struggle to make eleventh spot. They’ve had a few good wins but they don’t seem to be pushing themselves. Teams that do get beat by them seem to be playing to their strengths, which is challenging their forwards down the middle. Once they’re on top of the opposition defence they then proceed downfield until the opposition concede a penalty and Paul Deacon nips one over crossbar. Not very expansive and attacking if you ask me.

The French outfit seem to be another side on the up and it seems home advantage is paying off after three years in the top flight. In 2006, their debut season, they were never welcomed by their rugby union counterparts at the Stade Aimé Giral. Teams were consistently beating them in England or in France and the result is a bottom place finish meaning Castleford were to be relegated from eleventh. A move across the town of Perpignan to the Stade Gilbert Brutus meant thay had an established home that provided the club with a better identity. But as it’s their own ground, they have full use of the facilities that nay other Super League club would have when they are at home. Also, I think the novelty of playing in France has worn off a bit for the players and there is less motivation to win away on foreign soil. That is why I believe Catalan are in the position they are in, and why they have currently a good home record this season.

I’ll be honest and say Huddersfield are the worse side I have seen play this season, not including Penrith in the NRL though. I think there is too much hype that surrounds Luke Robinson. He is still living off his six month glory as a Wigan youngster in 2003. Eorl Crabtree is not the same player he was previous when he was tipped as a potential GB regular and Stephen Wild is just so overrated it’s not even funny anymore. Things can only get better for the birthplace of Rugby League’s hometown club. I’d start with Jon Sharp.

Wakefield were crippled severely against Harlequins at The Stoop and seem not to have recovered. A further recent loss to Danny Brough is only adding to Wakefield’s despair. Brad Drew and Danny Sculthorpe were also out for long stretches. Maybe a half decent cup run could add a bit of glamour to their already spoiled season.

If ever a side were unlucky through injury, Hull FC would be the place to go. Recent reports are suggesting the waiting time for the doctor’s room in the KC Stadium is similar to that of an NHS A&E ward. Over the course of the season they have lost Raynor, Berrigan, new kid on the block Matty Dale, Kirk Yeaman. All of this is happening while Richard Horne is yet to make an appearance. (As of 30 mins into the Hull/Leeds match yesterday) I can see Peter Sharp being the first coach to be shown the door as the Hull board are about as inpatient as a four year old in a chocolate factory.

Judging by yesterday’s performce against Warrington, I’m struggling to see how they are bottom. They outclassed Leeds as well, although their return to SL could have gone better. In that game it was a case of whoever knocked on the least would win and in the Huddersfield game they might as well not have taken to the field. So it seems to me they are unable to finish off teams when they play well, but struggle to compete on off days. No wonder they’re bottom.