Focus On ... The Super 8's

Focus On ... The Super 8's

This year seems to have flown by as we’re about to embark on the seven-week Super 8’s series at the end of this month.  There are just two rounds of the regular season left in both the Super League and the Championship and the League 1 regular season culminates this weekend!

Here I’ll take a look at which teams have made it and who still has a lot to play for to remain in contention for the final fifth of the campaign.

SUPER LEAGUE SUPER 8’S

Before this weekend the top five of Castleford, Salford, Leeds, Hull and Wakefield had all secured their Super 8 spots and it was down to the five teams directly below them to try and join them.

The top five were joined by St Helens and Wigan Warriors after they both enjoyed crucial victories to book their place at the top table in two weeks’ time.  Saints overcame a Hull side which may have still been feeling the effects of their narrow defeat to Castleford a week earlier and took both points in a 19-12 victory.

The Warriors on the other hand enjoyed a fantastic win in the south of France where they returned with a 32-10 victory.  That win also sealed Catalan’s fate of having to play in the Qualifiers after the split.

Huddersfield and Warrington are the final two teams battle it out over the coming two weeks for the final Super 8’s spot.  The Giants are in pole position being three points ahead of the Wolves and, if Warrington suffers defeat to Wigan on Thursday night, Huddersfield’s place in the top eight will be confirmed before they even take the field to play bottom side Leigh the following night.

THE QUALIFIERS

Of the Super League teams, it was Widnes and Leigh who were the first to drop into the middle eight after Round 20 but Catalans will also take part for the first time after defeat to Wigan on Saturday.

Only one Championship side, Hull Kingston Rovers, had secured their place in the Qualifiers from the Championship after Round 20 and many will tip them to do very well over the final few weeks.

Joining them after Round 21 are London Broncos and Featherstone Rovers.  The Broncos cantered into the middle eight thanks to an emphatic 52-16 home victory over Sheffield Eagles whilst Rovers secured their spot thanks to a 32-14 win at Oldham.

Halifax recorded probably their best result of the season when they stole a 16-8 win in Toulouse on Sunday.  That put them into fourth, two points ahead of the French side, with two games remaining.  If they can get any sort of result away to Featherstone next week that should seal their place as Toulouse have to travel to Hull KR.  Toulouse are still the only side to beat KR this season but it will be a difficult task away from home on their current form.

CHAMPIONSHIP SHIELD

Unfortunately, this was a foregone conclusion a long time ago as to who would contest this section of the league as the top five were pulling away from the chasing pack with relative ease.

Bradford’s 12 point deduction at the start of the season sealed their fate as early as Round 1 and it would now be an absolute miracle if they finish anywhere outside the relegation zone.

Having said that, they’re not relegated yet, but with already being 11 points behind tenth placed Oldham they would need to win every game from now on to avoid the inevitable drop.

They will be joined by Batley, Sheffield, Rochdale, Dewsbury, Oldham and Swinton and one of Halifax or Toulouse in two weeks time.

As for the Championship Shield, whoever misses out on the middle eight will certainly be in that top four along with Batley and Sheffield.  This leaves Rochdale, Dewsbury, Oldham and Swinton fighting it out for that fourth Semi Final spot.

LEAGUE 1 SUPER 8’S

Runaway league-leaders Toronto, along with Barrow and Whitehaven had already secured their Super 8 spots before this weekend and it will be those three who will no doubt remain as the top three for the remainder of the campaign.

This weekend they were joined in the Super 8’s by three more clubs in York, Newcastle and Doncaster who all enjoyed emphatic victories over southern expansion clubs.  I’m particularly pleased that Newcastle secured a Super 8’s spot as I tipped them to do so after they won the League 1 Shield last year.

Amazingly, there are still five teams in contention for the last two Super 8 spots going into the final round of the regular season.  Workington are at the head of that group with 15 points and will cement their top eight finish with at least a draw at York.

Elsewhere, current eighth placed side Keighley will play Oxford at home whilst North Wales travel to Coventry.  Unfortunately for the Welsh side, Keighley have a far superior points’ difference, +117 against -79, so it would take a huge turnaround in scores for them to leapfrog the Cougars.

Of the other side’s who are still in with a mathematical chance of qualifying, Hunslet and Gloucestershire, both on 12 points, they both face home ties against sides who have already secured a top eight place – Newcastle and Doncaster respectively.

LEAGUE 1 SHIELD

Despite hopes that one or two of the southern sides could maybe ruffle a few feathers this season after the success of London Skolars, all five sides now guaranteed to be in the League 1 Shield are southerners.

Barring an absolute miracle of results hugely going their way, Skolars won’t contest a second successive Super 8’s campaign.  They lie in twelfth place with 11 points, still only two points behind Keighley but it would take everyone immediately above them to loose and enjoy a 111 point swing in their favour against Keighley’s result ... and that aint gonna happen!!

Oxford, Coventry, South Wales and Hemel are the bottom four who will try and avoid being handed that dreaded wooden spoon at the end of the year.