RL Comment

Well I don’t know about you but I found the first round of Super League play-offs a big turn off. Hull KR were no match in the end for a powerful second half from Leeds who look a great bet to keep hold of their crown if they can reproduce such form in the coming weeks.

Before I move on from this game, I’m sure I join everyone in Rugby League in wishing Chev Walker a good recovery from a horrific injury.

I hope those of a squeamish disposition turned away from the numerous SKY TV replays as it was certainly akin to that incident in football a few years ago that involved Coventry City player David Busst. After the first replay though, why didn’t the producers show us something different, If I wanted to watch every possible angle of a broken bone I’d tune into ER and flick it over with Doctor TV!

Saturday brought a real snooze fest with both games as bright as a damp squib in my opinion. I actually fell asleep during the Saints game at 6-2 and when I woke up some 30 minutes later it was 14-2, so I guess I didn’t miss so much. The following game between Wakefield and Catalans was a scrappy affair and proved a disappointing send off for a number of the Wildcats players who will be plying their trade elsewhere next season. I have to say though well done to the French side, even though it seems somehow wrong that they could (at time of writing) still win the competition despite losing more games than they won over the course of the season.

I feel that’s a debate for another time.

For me the best action of the weekend came at the DW Stadium when Wigan prevailed 18-12 against Castleford. Richard Owen looked class for Cas but they gave themselves too much to do after putting their game together in the last twenty minutes.

Before I move on from Super League, I can’t help but feel you’ve got to be both a member of Mensa and a relative of Mystic Meg to understand the play-off format and we’ll be subjected to the most gimmicky idea yet tomorrow when “Club-call” comes into use for the first time.

I remember when lots of rugby and football teams had a “club call” of their own when an 0891 number brought you the latest news, or at least if you were lucky a round up that was a fortnight old. It is not extortionately priced telephone numbers I’m referring too however.

There will be a press conference at Headingley on Sunday to reveal who the Rhinos will choose to play in their elimination semi-final – this is indeed the club’s call!

You can tell I’m waiting with baited breath (sarcasm mode switching off now).

It leads me onto the Championship and I’ve followed Widnes for the last two weeks with my hospital radio commitments, first they rode their luck to beat Whitehaven but that luck deserted them a few days ago when Featherstone, inspired by new Wales coach Iestyn Harris and former Vikings Andy Kirk and Andy Kain won 32-24 in a corker of a game at the Stobart Stadium. With the Vikings tumbling out it means that two more teams get an opportunity to tick a box on their Franchise application. I’ve enjoyed these games immensely.

Barrow are already there after a 35-12 win over Halifax that was convincing and could have been even worse for the Yorkshire side.

In Championship One, Keighley are into the Grand Final while Oldham and York will tough it out at the Huntington Stadium on Sunday. I think that should be a cracking game.