The Play-offs Part 4 - Super League Semi Finals

The Play-offs Part 4 - Super League Semi Finals

So the season is almost over, we’re down to the final four teams to battle it out for the right to be crowned the 2016 Super League Champions.

Warrington Wolves, St Helens, Wigan Warriors and Challenge Cup winners Hull FC are the teams in contention in this weekend’s Play-off Semi Finals.  A coveted place at Old Trafford is the prize for the two victors but I think we could be in line for two very tight games.

Warrington and Wigan are the bookmakers’ favourites to meet in next weekend’s Grand Final.  I think they will probably be right but with the way each team’s forms are at the moment we may see one or two surprises.

SUPER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL – WARRINGTON WOLVES vs ST HELENS

(Halliwell Jones Stadium, Thursday, 29 September – 20:00pm)

Warrington Wolves

Since losing out in the Challenge Cup Final to Hull FC Tony Smith’s Wolves are on a mission to restore some pride back into the changing rooms of the Halliwell Jones Stadium and since that defeat on August Bank Holiday weekend they are half way there.

In fact after losing narrowly by two points to St Helens in Round 1 the Wire have been on a run which has seen them win five of their final six Super 8’s matches – the only disappointment being the seven points reverse at the hands of Wigan, which could prove telling if it’s those two sides that meet again at Old Trafford.

But three away victories during that time, culminating in the 23-6 drubbing of their Challenge Cup victors Hull last weekend, has seen Warrington claim top spot in the final table and the League Leaders Shield to boot.

Thursday night’s Semi Final against a resurgent Saints side will be a tough game to call but with the Wire hoping to make it third time lucky at Super League’s showpiece event at Old Trafford I wouldn’t bet against them winning this one in front of their home crowd and creating their own memories at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.

SUPER 8’s RESULTS:

Round 1 – Warrington Wolves 18-20 St Helens

Round 2 – Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 10-38 Warrington Wolves

Round 3 – Warrington Wolves 14-11 Castleford Tigers

Round 4 – Catalans Dragons 22-26 Warrington Wolves

Round 5 – Warrington Wolves 30-12 Widnes Vikings

Round 6 – Warrington Wolves 28-35 Wigan Warriors

Round 7 – Hull FC 6-23 Warrington Wolves

St Helens

Saint Helens are one of those teams that you can never back against.  It’s been said all season that they’ll come good in the end and it seems to be true as they have hit good form at just the right time.  Six victories in their seven Super 8’s matches have seen them comfortably cement fourth spot and a place in the Play-off Semi Finals.

Even after being ‘nilled’ by Wigan in Round 3 their place in the Play-offs was never really in doubt as Keiron Cunningham’s men finished a whole nine points clear of fifth placed Castleford and level on points with cup winners Hull FC and are the form side coming into these Play-offs after four straight victories.

The Saints also have the slight advantage of knowing they have already claimed two narrow victories at the Halliwell Jones this season and will be intent on adding a third.

I think they have a real chance of upsetting their hosts on Thursday night despite finishing three places below them.  They’ve cantered along throughout this campaign keeping in touch with the top three and are now striking while the iron’s hot.  As I said above, right them off at your peril!

SUPER 8’s RESULTS:

Round 1 – Warrington Wolves 18-20 St Helens

Round 2 – St Helens 39-16 Catalans Dragons

Round 3 – Wigan Warriors 25-0 St Helens

Round 4 – St Helens 31-10 Hull FC

Round 5 – St Helens 40-16 Castleford Tigers

Round 6 – Widnes Vikings 8-21 St Helens

Round 7 – St Helens 32-12 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats

MY PREDICTION – Warrington to win by 4+ points

SUPER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF SEMI FINAL – WIGAN WARRIORS vs HULL FC

(DW Stadium, Friday, 30 September – 20:00pm)

Wigan Warriors

The Warriors have never really had it all their own way in the Old Trafford Grand Finals in the past.  Having won the first in 1998 it wasn’t for another 12 years that they managed to get their hands on the trophy for a second time.

Now going for a fourth consecutive Grand Final appearance, and ninth overall and only a fourth victory, they have to continue their good form which has seen them sneak into second place on the final weekend and win the right to host this Semi Final.

Wigan won all their matches against the other top four teams in the Super 8’s and for me are slight favourites to overcome Hull in this tie.  Shaun Wane seemed to enjoy telling everyone throughout this campaign that his side haven’t hit their top form yet and didn’t have their full strength side out.  Maybe now is the time for action.

The disappointment of losing both Sam Tomkins and Sean O’Loughlin for these Play-offs could have an impact on the dressing room but Wigan should have enough in the locker to get past an out of form Hull side.

SUPER 8’s RESULTS:

Round 1 – Wigan Warriors 60-12 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats

Round 2 – Castleford Tigers 36-22 Wigan Warriors

Round 3 – Wigan Warriors 25-0 St Helens

Round 4 – Wigan Warriors 6-8 Widnes Vikings

Round 5 – Hull FC 12-18 Wigan Warriors

Round 6 – Warrington Wolves 28-35 Wigan Warriors

Round 7 – Wigan Warriors 48-24 Catalans Dragons

Hull FC

The East Yorkshire side have impressed me this year.  They came into the Super 8’s as the top team in Super League and despite a slip up to Castleford Tigers in Round 1, they set themselves up perfectly for their Wembley appearance with two consecutive wins to nill.

Widnes Vikings and Catalans Dragons were the victims prior to that Wembley showdown with Warrington and after witnessing them win that match, and seeing what it meant to the players, back room staff and supporters, I thought that they could push on and do a Leeds by claiming the treble.

But, we saw last season how Leeds struggled with a Wembley hangover and even though Leeds overcame theirs, Hull might still be suffering from one.  Three defeats from the four remaining Super 8’s games have seen them not only lose out on claiming the League Leaders Shield, but slip down to the third and lose the opportunity of a home Semi Final.

I feel that, despite their post-Wembley prospects, this could be a game too much for Lee Radford’s team and Hull could lose out on only their second Grand Final appearance at the hands of Wigan.

SUPER 8’s RESULTS:

Round 1 – Hull FC 16-30 Castleford Tigers

Round 2 – Widnes Vikings 0-38 Hull FC

Round 3 – Hull FC 44-0 Catalans Dragons

Round 4 – St Helens 31-10 Hull FC

Round 5 – Hull FC 12-18 Wigan Warriors

Round 6 – Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 12-18 Hull FC

Round 7 – Hull FC 6-23 Warrington Wolves

MY PREDICTION – Wigan to win by 8+ points