Maths with Stevo

Mike Stephenson, everybody's favourite Sky Sports commentator is often ridculed for talking absolute rubbish. Aside from the stupid one liners and looking for arguments over nothing, it now seems that Stevo's grasp mathematics isn't quite up to scratch.




For those of you that arn't aware, scoring points in a game of Rugby League can be done in various ways.

By touching the ball over your opponents try line you score four points. This is called a 'try'. You can convert that into six points if your kicker kicks the ball between the posts. 'This is called a conversion'. There are two other ways in which to score. You can kick a penalty that has been awarded after a player has been penalised for breaking the rules such as being offside, or misbehaving. This is worth two points. You can also aim the ball at the posts and by bouncing it onto the ground and if you boot it between the posts, you can collect one point. This is known as a 'field' or 'drop' goal.(The RFL, Official Powergen Challenge Cup Final Programme 2006)

It's a simple concept.

So picture this scenario. You are playing for Warrington at Bradford in a play-off elimination semi-final. You are four points down with 17 minutes left and are 20m or so from the Bradford try line. What do you do?

You probably wouldn't go for a drop goal, even if a big scary bald bloke in the commentary box is shouting "go for the one pointer!"
That would still leave you three points behind, still needing a try to win. You could though score the one point and get a try later which would put you at least one point in the lead......

But wait! If you got the try, which would tie the game, you get chance to kick an extra two points anyway. Decisions decisions....

Only Stevo knows what he was thinking. We all know he loves his drop goals, as does Lee Briers, but come on Stevo, a bit of rational thinking wouldn't go amiss.

One of the all-time classic conversations in the Sky commentary box:

Stevo: "Will the Wolves go for the one-pointer?"
Eddie: "Why would they?"
Stevo: "Why not?"
Eddie: "They're 4 points down?"
Stevo: "It's still a point!"

Enjoy the Grand Final eliminator folks!

Hudson's Giant Step

Ryan Hudson is set to make his Super League comeback in 2007 with Huddersfield Giants after two years out of the game.




The former Wakefield and Castleford loose forward was sensationally suspended from the game for two years in March 2005 after testing positive for the banned steroid stanozolol, just weeks after joining the Bradford Bulls.
Hudson has always claimed that he was unaware that he had taken the substance, claiming that he acted on the advice of a nutritionist whilst in Australia yet despite this, the former England U21 captain was sacked by the Bulls and has since spent the last two years in the Rugby League wilderness.

Hudson's, who's possible move to Huddersfield had been strongly rumoured for a while, has signed a three-year deal at the Galpharm Stadium, rejoining the club for whom he made his professional debut in 1998 and has immediatly signalled his intention to right the wrongs of the past 24 months.
Hudson has already pledged to work with UK Sport and the RFL on education programmes and if today's press conference is anything to go by, his attitude seems to be exactly right.

On the playing side, Hudson was one of the games hottest properties when he moved to Odsal and there are few reasons why he can't reproduce the form that got him to the fringes of the Great Britain side. Hudson owns his own gym business so fitness and conditioning won't be a major problem and Giants fans will hope that his quick thinking with the ball and handling ability won't have waned during his lay-off.

The 27-year old has never tried to hide his mistake and this isn't as big a gamble for the Giants as people might think. The versatile forward will fit into the loose-forward role but will also provide competition for hooker Brad Drew.

Hudson was an undoubted talent two years ago and if what people say about "form being temporary, class being permanent", then coach John Sharpe has possibly got one of the finds of the season.

Great Britain Squad: Same Old, Same Old

Great Britain boss Brian Noble today selected his Great Britain squad for the forthcoming Tri-Nations tournament in Australia and New Zealand and, quite frankly, there are few suprises.



With one or two exceptions, Noble has once again gone with the players that have tried and failed miserably against the Roos in the past two tournaments as well as others who's incluson can only be described as baffling.
Ignored are the likes of Andy Coley, And Lynch, Malcolm Alker, Mark Calderwood, Lee Briers, and Paul Cooke, all of whom will have to wait for a call in the reserve squad whilst the 'tired' and tested Sean Long, Lee Gilmour, Lyon Pryce, Paul Johnson and Shaun O'Loughlin will once again get the chance to show how incapable they are of competing with the Australians.

Not only that but Noble has made calls of which I have yet to decide if they fall into the 'brave' or 'stupid' column.
Huddersfield winger Martin Aspinwall gets his call ahead of Wigan flyer Mark Calderwood and Salford's David Hodgson. St Helens hooker/half-back James Roby finds himself on the plane instead of either Micky Higham or, arguably Super League's most consistent hooker, Malcolm Alker and the fact that Gareth Hock has even been considered after spending what seems like forever on the sidelines with injury brings the selection into serious question.

Many have criticised Noble for not giving young players a chance at test level but perhaps what people haven't suggested is that those players need to be upto the task at hand.
The most disappointing omissions are those of Paul Cooke, although his November court case had probably already determined his availability, Bradford player-of-the-year Andy Lynch, arguably one of the seasons most inform forwards and Warrington's Lee Briers who will once again have to watch on whilst Sean Long inevitably fails to produce once again for the Lions.
All three of those players are deserving of a Great Britain cap and all have shown that they are amongst the best in their respective classes, yet for whatever reason they are being left at home along with the injured trio of Paul Sculthorpe, Kevin Sinfield and Jamie Langley.

There are bright spots however, Saints prop James Graham has been included and deservedly so after his performances for St Helens and for Great Britain in the mid-season test against New Zealand.

After two years of failure to break the Aussie's domination, Great Britain need a team capable of winning the Tri Nations. As wrong as I hope to be, this selection differs little from the squads of the past that have shown on several occasions that they are clearly not up to the task at hand. People within the camp will point to poor preparation as the reason for inept performances in the past but GB must learn to play with the cards they are dealt. They have shown they are capable of beating Australia on several occaisions in one-off encounters, now is the time to turn that ability into a consistent run of results. Noblle's omissions have shown that there is strength in depth but some selections also show that the GB set-up hasn't learnt from previous mistakes.

Lee Briers: GB Material?

It's been one of the longest running debates in recent times. Ever since Warrington half-back Lee Briers burst onto the scene at Wilderspool in 1997, people have proclaimed him as the answer to Great Britain's half-back dilemma.


The predicted plethora of Lions caps however, have failed to materialise. So far the Wolves captain has just one Great Britain cap to his name and will be hoping to avoid another snub as coach Brian Noble names his Tri-Nations side on Monday.

After single-handedly leading Warrington past Leeds Rhinos in Friday night's Elimination quarter final at Headingley, the calls for him to board the plane to Sydney will only increase in volume. The Welsh captain had a hand in all three Wolves tries and kicked the vital field goals in the dying minutes to snatch victory.

So why does Briers consistently get overlooked? Well despite his genuis with the ball, he is also prone to moments of madness. He is unarguably Rugby League's answer to Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde.
His temperment has always been a cause for concern, or ammusement depending on who you support and many claim that all too frequent acts of petulance towards referee's, supporters, the opposition and even teammates will be leathally exposed by the class and calmness of the Australians.

A lack of big-game experience is also often cited. Having never played in either a Grand Final or Challenge Cup Final, it's is questionable if he has the big match nerve. Friday's game did go someway to aiding his cause but the doubts will no doubt circulate as they have done around players such as Malcolm Alker, another player making strong claims for a test jersey.

But are these concerns enough to keep a player of such ability at home this November? In 2000, Briers showed that he can mix it with the best, leading Wales against Australia in the World Cup semi-final. The Welsh almost pulled off the biggest upset in the games history before the class of Lockyer, Johns and Co eventually got the Roos home and to an eventual World Cup Final victory.

If Briers' name isn't on Noble's notpad come Monday, some will despair, some won't bat an eyelid but in my view, calling up Briers is a gamble worth taking.
After dissmal performances last year, Great Britain have little to lose. Various half-back combinations have tried and failed miserably in the past and if Noble continues with the same partnerships that let him down spectacuarly in 2005 and 2004 then questions need to be asked. The likes of Sean Long and Keiron Cunningham have shown that good club form doesn't always translate into test series winning performances and these players have failed to take the chances given to them.
Should Briers start in Australia and New Zealand? Maybe not. Should he be on the flight? Most definatly.

Looking Upwards

Now that the likes of Wakefield, Wigan and Castleford have finished stealing the limelight and dragging down the rest of the league with them, we can now actually begin the play-off series and a celebration of success.

This weekend sees the games elite rightfully taking back the spotlight as the best that the engage Super League 2006 has had to offer takes centre stage, starting at Headingley on Friday night.

With the top two, St Helens and Hull earning the week off for their superior league position, it's up to Leeds, Bradford, Salford and Warrington to tough it out in the knock-out stages of the play-offs.
The Rhinos take on the Wolves at Headingley on Friday night, a side they beat by 54 points to 16 only three weeks ago and the out of sorts Bulls take on Salford, making their play-off debut after a what will be considered a superb season by all concerned at the Willows.

This years series could be intriguing to say the least. Unlike last year when the Bulls hit the play-offs running to take the Championship from third place, no team, St Helens excepted, is really hitting form.
Warrington are consistently inconsistent, Hull have lost the last two, Salford have faultered lately and could find themselves out of their depth rubbing shoulders with the countries elite, the Bulls are out of sorts and Leeds' good results against Warrington and Les Catalans sandwiched a 60-point capitulation at Knowsley Road.
As for St Helens, they look unstopable but as they found out last season, first place and a minor premiership does not guarantee a Grand Final berth and Phil Clarke's comments on Boots 'n' All that Daniel Anderson's men have a "defeat in them" has got a few analyists stroking their chins in curiosity.

For the first time in many weeks, Sky viewers should witness games of the standard that should befit the games flagship competition, not the mistake-ridden niggle-a-thons that have blighted our screens lately.
All the possible games have an element of intrigue about them. Each side is capable of beating each other and each set of supporters will be looking at how the play-offs work, believing that they have at least a small chance of making their way to Old Trafford on October 14th.

On a side-note, congratulations are due to Batley for their magnificent upset at Hilton Park to end Leigh Centurions' season.

Tigers out of the Woods?

It's been revealed today that relegated Castleford arn't going to be taking Saturday's result lying down.






The Tigers Chief Executive Richard Wright is planning to meet with Red Hall officials to discuss the posibility of expanding Super League to thirteen teams, a move which, if approved would give the Tigers a stay of execution. At present, the Tigers relegation will be confirmed if either of the competition favourites Hull KR or Widnes win the National League Grand Final in October. Only unlikely victory for Batley or Whitehaven can save Cas.

Wright believes that Castleford are an "asset" to Super League but, seeing as he's their Chairman, one would hardly expect him to say otherwise. Whilst relegation is a shame for the club and the town, Wright's comments may not endear him to the rest of the league, not least the supporters of relegation and the other 12 clubs, who would all have to take a hit in their Sky TV money.

The BBC's Dave Woods has also jumped on the bandwagon, but has gone one further by asking for a fourteen team league.
Again, the familiar line of Cas being a "traditional" club has been troted out, and the possitive attendances at the Jungle have been alluded to, but Woods is missing one major point.

Assuming each squad has 20 quality players, by virtue of the 20:25 ruling, that is potentially another 40 quality players that have to be found in the space of less than five months. Castelford's current side would need to be rebuilt even if they did remain in the league, as many players will have already signed contracts with new clubs prior to Saturday, whilst Hull KR or Widnes would have to turn a NL1 side into a Super League side in a similar timeframe.
The only way that two sides could prepare a side for 2006 would be to head to the South Pacific.
In a season where the presence of Kolpak players has already been bemoaned, Woods seems to be advocating the introduction of more. The current talent pool in Britain cannot sustain 14 Super League clubs. Top clubs want to keep hold of their Senior Academy stars and whilst the Salary Cap permits, they will. The only way to increase the talent pool is to eliminate the need for Kolpak players and encourage youth development and that means abolishing automatic relegation.

In an ideal world, Woods would be right. A fourteen team elite competition contested with the best of British with no consiquences for promoting youth development. Unfortunatly, we don't live in an ideal world. Super League doesn't have the players, the finance or the system in place to properly support two extra sides.

The Value of Relegation

Saturday's result and Castleford's demotion to the National League has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many, not least those in WF10.





Wildcats coach John Kear had led his side to safety against the odds, bringing a halt to Castleford's short tenure back in Super League after their promotion last season but the fall-out from Saturday night has only just begun.

Tigers coach Terry Matterson has been against relegation for the best part of the season and he despises the notion even more now that fate has befallen him. Many have even gone as far to suggest that relegation should be suspended, claiming that no side deserved to go down and that infact, Castleford's 19 point haul means that this years relegated club was indeed the "best" worst team in the Super League era. Only Whitehaven or Batley could create that situtation now and so Matterson can bemoan the system all he wishes.
His arguments stand up too. Relegation encourages short-term thinking. The two sides that took the field as Wakefield played Bradford last week contained just ten players from 34 who qualified for Great Britain and of Wakefield's side from Saturday, only three players were of any interest to the onlooking GB boss Brian Noble, who became involved in a heated discussion on the subject in the Sky Sports studio.
The fear of relegation creates a fear for the clubs towards the bottom of the table from playing juniors from the Senior Academy. It's no coincidence that the bulk of young British talent currently ply their trade with the top three clubs; Leeds, Hull and St Helens - sides that are free from the threat of relegation.

For the clubs clinging on by their fingernails, throwing in a 19-year-old stand-off is simply not an option. Instead it's much easier to bring in the experienced heads of Julian O'Neill, Deon Bird or in Castleford's case, Brad Davis on short-term contracts to try and get yourself out of that mess.
That may be fine from a club point of view, but talent is going undiscovered because clubs don't have the time to bring teenagers up to Super League standard.

The introduction of the Kolpak ruling, which means that players of Fijian, Tongan, Samoan, Papua New Guinean and South African desent (amogst others) are excluded from any foreign quotas, has created a loophole that many club Chairmen are all to willing to expolit, but few can blame them when the very survival of the club can depend on Super League status.

Thankfully, the RFL has seen the iceburg and the introduction of a franchise system in 2009 will eliminate the need for clubs to fill their sides to the point of bursting with overseas players. Nobody wants to see the likes of Jamie Lyon, Shontayne Hape, Lesley Vainikolo, Ali Lauitiiti and Stacey Jones end up being forced out of the competition. They are the players that fans come esspecially to see, but what fans hate is to get the impression that players who have no real affinity to the club are keeping a potential superstar who has supported the club from childhood.

Another issue for contention since last night is the merit of the Les Catalans Dragons 'experiment'. Some have objected to the move from the start, particuarly those from Widnes who had to make way for the Dragons last year but their objections don't hold much water.

The Dragons have had minimal time, just over one year, to create a team capable of competing in the league, a fanbase capable of sustaining a Super League side and the infrastructure required to pass Super League standards. Cas will claim that they had even less time, since they couldn't recruit players until after last years Grand Final but the bulk of the side remained to feature in Super League. The Tigers eventually only ended the season three points ahead to the French side, despite the Dragons having nothing to play for much of the closing stages of the season.

People also bemoan the Dragons from a financial perspective, with the small minded view that Catalans don't "bring any fans", which is a stupid point on two counts.
Firstly, the Catalans home average attendence of 6,542, which currently stand proudly of those of Wakefield (5,447), Huddersfield (5,398), Harlequins (4,917) and high-flying Salford (4,820).
Secondly, to be perfectly blunt, clubs shouldn't be reliant on visting supporters making the journey and topping up the numbers.

It was often claimed that you could get an idea of a club's true support base by their attendance against London / Harlequins, by virtue of the fact that not many people made the long trips up the M1 or M6.


So last season when the Broncos went to the Halliwell Jones, the marketing team at Warrington actually went and did some work (often unheard of in some Rugby League marketing offices) and instead of shrugging their shoulders and saying "Oh well, lets see what London bring", like Salford Football Director Steve Simms, they went out and came up with the radical idea of getting the locals through the door. The result was a crowd that bettered those against many more local sides, including rivals Widnes.
The Catalans arn't to blame and those arguing otherwise are clutching at straws. They have more home-grown payers than most British sides, they have earned the game greater expsure across the UK and Europe and they have offered the British fan something new. They arn't to blame for Castleford's demise and as I have said before, the Tigers could have avoided Saturday's finale months ago.

Only a minor miracle in the NL1 play-offs will save the Tigers and it is a shame that so many people have put in so much hard work, as opitimised by the emotion shown by captain Danny Nutley at the final whistle. It's just the men from the Jungle have been the victims of an increasingly flawed system. Sky loved this weekend. It's the kind of car-crash TV that makes TV executives rub their hands with glee, but this whole season has been focused on mediocraty.
End relegation, bring in stability and give clubs the opportunity to step up to a level playing field throughout Super League. That way we can celebrate sucess, rather than gawp at failure.

If the Pryce is Right

As we approach the end of Super League 2007, it looks like Bradford three-quarter Karl Pryce will be joining the Odsal exodus and heading down south to join Leeds centre Chev Walker in the West Country.







The brother of St Helens stand-off Leon, Karl Pryce currently leads the Bulls try-scoring charts having crossed the whitewash 17 times in Super League XI and the 6'6" 18st 7lb man mountain has attracted the attention of those at Gloucester Rugby Union.
The Kingsholm club have eyed the Great Britain International as a major addition to their back line and look set to add Pryce to the list of players currently switching codes at the end of the current season.

So far, Leeds' Chev Walker has already signed on for Bath in November whilst Salford utility player Stephen Myler will head to Franklin's Gardens to join Northampton Saints and whilst many commentators will claim that this is the start of a trend RL talent leaving the game, like in 2000, the coach-load of players predicted to be leaving Super League by the Union-centric media will more than likely materialise to just a motorcycle and sidecar.
In fact, the trend is being reversed down under, with Matt Rogers agreeing to join the Gold Coast Titans whilst Lote Tuquri is thought to be heading back to Brisbane Broncos.

As for Pryce, the loss may be minimal. The 20 year old has had the ability and the potential, but it doesn't seem to have been realised. Defensively he is suspect and whilst his try scoring record is admirable, fans have often got the impression of a player not playing to his true ability. For a player of similar build to team-mate Lesley Vainikolo, someone who he will naturally be compared to, he hasn't hit the same level.

Pryce may find himself better suited to Rugby Union. His size and strength is rarely matched by any current Rugby Union back and he could go on to be a better player than Jason Robinson. Pryce is younger, has longer to learn the game and has the attributes that Robinson lacked. Robinson was known for pace, but with slower ball and more bodies on the pitch in the 15-man game, that threat was often subdued. Pryce has the pace but, as the world learnt from Jonah Lomu in the 1995 IRB World Cup, his power is going to be a vital asset.

Even for a player of his age, Pryce can already boast to being a Grand Final winner and a World Club Champion. Rugby Union will give him a new challenge. The International aspects are well documented but there is also the opportunity for regular European Rugby and few could blame Pryce for taking up an opportunity that may only come his way once.

Preview to Survival Saturday

It was predicted a few weeks ago, but Wakefield and Castleford will lock horns on Saturday for Sky Sports' car-crash TV extravagansa.








The situation is as simple as they come and the consequences are as serious as they come. The loser on Saturday will drop out of Super League. There are no other results to consider, no complicated calculations to be done, just one game and one result.

John Kear is just 80 minutes from the great escape of keeping a once doomed Wakefield in Super League after three wins from the last five, with only a loss at St Helens and narrow defeat at home to Leeds blemishing that record.
Castleford on the other hand, are coming off the back of a defeat at Salford and despite looking safe many weeks ago, Terry Matterson's men are now the bookies favourites for the drop after just one win from the last six.

A big crowd is expected to turn up at Belle Vue for what is set to be a pulsating encounter. Mistakes are an inevitability which could determine a players career, but there will also be pride, passion and emotion in evidence for a clash which makes perfect TV before the ball is even kicked.

As for the result, Wakefield are favourites and rightly so. I predicted the Wildcats to complete the houdini act last week and I'll stick by that. Kear knows how to win one-off games and Saturday is a cup final in all but name. The Tigers have been feeling the heat and Terry Matterson in particular looks a lot more nervous than his counterpart at Belle Vue.

Wakefield will emerge victorious in a game that should be impossible to take your eyes off.

RFL Drags Super League into New Millennium

The decision by the RFL, SLE and Visit Wales to take a complete round of Super League fixtures to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff is quite possibly one of the best ideas that has been followed through since 1995.


In early May 2007, all twelve Super League clubs will head to South Wales for "Millennium Magic", a full round of Super League action spread over one weekend.

After the success of the Challenge Cup finals that were held at the same venue between 2003 and 2005, the Welsh Tourist Board and Millennium Stadium Plc have clearly seen the value of Super League and that is a real compliment to the RFL, the clubs and the supporters of Rugby League.

The RFL has never been afraid of progress, despite the objections of those that seemingly want to see the game remain a minority M62 sport. The introduction of summer rugby has changed the professional game completely and now Rugby League enjoys a much greater profile across the country and Europe with the presence of sides such as Harlequins, Les Catalans and to a lesser extent, Celtic Crusaders.
This weekend in the valleys will only enhance that. The RFL is bringing Super League to an audience which loves rugby, regardless of which code and the event will no doubt attract much increased media attention nationally. The venue itself is one which has been praised by supporters since it was first used for the 2003 Challenge Cup Final and unlike other stadia built on an industrial estate miles from the city, Millennium Stadium is situated in the heart of the Welsh capital.

The reservations about this event have been coming from various directions. A lack of hotels, suitable transport links, lack of free entry for season ticket holders and of course, the cost have dominated message boards and the League Express letters pages since the idea was first leaked in the Yorkshire Evening Post back in July.
Yes, hotels may be at a premium but Cardiff has good transport links with nearby cities in both England and Wales and the fair ticket pricing implimented by the RFL show that the cost implications have been well thought out.
The RFL have resisted the urge to give in to the narrow-minded objections of a minority and thankfully, the people at Red Hall can finally see that we live in the 21st century.

Everyone will be a winner with the "Millennium Magic" weekend.

Confirmed fixtures:
Leeds Rhinos vs Bradford Bulls
St Helens vs Wigan Warriors
Hull FC vs Hull Kingston Rovers
Warrington Wolves vs Salford City Reds
Les Catalans Dragons vs Harlequins
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats vs Huddersfield Giants

To be played weekend of Sat 5th / Sun 6th of May. Dates and times to be confirmed.

Wellens Shows his Metal

As St Helens took Leeds apart on Saturday with relative ease on Saturday to complete the fomality of the Minor Premiership, there were plenty of players who stood up and laid claim to the Man of Steel.



A hat-trick from last year's winner Jamie Lyon game put weight behind his claims, James Graham's forward runs showed why he's one of the most promising British forwards in years, Sean Long continued his Lance Todd winning form and Paul Anderson's kicking exploits weren't to be sniffed at either.

But it was another St Helens star that has caught the eye. Ever dependable full-back Paul Wellens has been the star of Super League in 2006 and will no doubt be picking up the British game's biggest individual accolade at the end of the regular season to go with a probable trio of trophies should the Saints do the expected and come out victorious at Old Trafford.

The Great Britain full-back's two tries in quick succession against the Rhinos on Saturday evening put the gloss on what has been a solid season in which he has rarely looked like showing any weaknesses.
His support play is amongst the best in Super League and playing behind the most dominant pack in Super League alongside a creative genius like Sean Long creating gaps, he will certainly add to his season tally of sixteen tries.

As for the autumn, Wellens had his seat booked on the plane to Australia the minute the team Tri Nations dates were announced. With the retirement of Kris Radlinski, the number one shirt was assured. The Kangaroo's will provide a much sterner test but if Wellens and a host of other St Helens players can maintain their form and carry it over whilst wearning a Lions jersey, Great Britain may well improve on last years dismall performances.

Last Chance for Wakefield

Tonight sees one of the biggest games in the history of Wakefield Trinity Wildcats. Defeat tonight against Bradford will condemn the Wildcats to relegation the National League.






The appointment of John Kear has lifted the Wildcats into at least a salvagable position, after looking certain to fall through the trap door five weeks ago. Victories over Castleford and Catalans have since given them at least some control over their own destiny. With teams above them in the relegation mire playing each other, a victory at Odsal tonight as well as a result against Castleford on the last day of the season will give them a fighting chance of avoiding trips to Whitehaven, Halifax and Batley next season.

The Wildcats have been odds-on for relegation for some time given their daunting looking run-in. For the final seven games of the season they had been drawn against Leeds Rhinos, St Helens and Bradford twice, whereas the teams above them have had perceivably easier games.

But tonight, past form will count for little. The basic fact is that if Wakefield lose, they will go down. They will take confidence from previous encounters with Bradford, where in 2005 they did the double against the Bulls and the men from Belle Vue are well known for raising their game against the bigger sides.
Wakefield do have a talented side. The likes of Rooney and Jefferies can create play from nothing, Ryan Atkins will want to prove a point against his old club and the Wildcats pack, containing David Solomona and Michael Korkidas are capable of holding their own against the Bradford front six.

This is sure to be a pulsating contest. Wakefield are fighting for their livelihoods tonight. I'd go as far as saying that they'll win tonight, setting up a superb last day finale.

Silly Season is Upon Us

The anti-tamper deadlines have passed so inevitably, the wild rumour spreading has begun. This year however, seems to have seen much more elaborate rumours than recent years.




Forget the 'Vainikolo to Leeds as part of a compensation pay-out' claim, this year the 'friend of a friend of a nextdoor neighbour's window cleaner' has pulled out all the creative stops for 2006.

Firstly they say that Danny McGuire, despite having a 2 year contract at Headingley is on his way to Bradford, allegedly taking Ali Lauitiiti with him in the process. Whilst suprising at first, it's not really 'earth-shattering' at first glance. But then you hear that it'll only happen if Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett and Austrailian stand-off Darren Lockyer catch the next plane to Headingley. Regardless of his well-documented family situation, the infamous "reliable source", a term that appears on message boards in practically every thread, has really pulled out all the stops here. Both Bulls half-backs, Iestyn Harris and Paul Deacon are tied up till 2008 and even if one of the two does move on past then, McGuire is unlikely to move to a club where he is likely to become third choice behind two players who have developed a working partnership. It also appears to pour cold water on the claims that Leon Pryce has had enough of Merseyside and will be leaving St Helens to head back to his home town.
As for Lauitiiti, there might be more in that, but the Bulls also rate highly the current crop of second rowers they currently have. Matt Cook, Jamie Langley, Brett Ferres will be joined by Glenn Morrison from Parramatta and Chris Feather from Leeds although the imminent departures of Paul Johnson to Warrington and Brad Meyers to Gold Coast do give that rumour some credability.

Other claims circulating around Headingley surround the supposed clear-out that could happen at Wakefield on Saturday morning. Depending on who you listen to, Ryan Atkins is "nailed-on" to go to Leeds or Bradford. Leeds allegedly see Atkins as the long-term replacement to Keith Senior, whilst Bulls coach Steve McNamara wants to see the Wakefield centre return to Odsal to replace Karl Pryce, who is thought to have been targetted by the RFU. Confused yet?
Jamie Rooney is being linked with a host of clubs, Leeds and Bradford included and Michael Korkidas is another said to be on his way to LS6, but with Leeds having already secured the captures of Jamie Thackray and Kylie Leuluai, it would appear that the door has been shut on that one whilst David Solomona is expected to sign for Hull FC rather than the Bulls.

Michael Withers is thought to packing his bags for Wigan, Paul Sculthorpe will extend his stay at the Jungle and changes are expected at Warrington. Adrian Morley and Paul Johnson are already confirmed as Wolves players for 2007 whilst the situation with Gold Coast and Brian Carney may have longer to run. As for the departures, Paul Wood is expected to sign for St Helens to replace Paul Anderson.

And that's just for starters. With the relegation situation not yet finalised there's still plenty of time to run and still plenty of gossip to change hands. Keep your eyes and ears open folks, there's some really creative deals to be done.

Two Games to Go - Who's Slipping Through the Trap Door?

Round 26 has been and gone, the results are in and those at the Jungle and the Galpharm are already breathing a huge sigh of relief.





Whilst Castleford fans, players and Molly the Dog were busy congratulating each other on a job well-done against Quins, Wakefield were recovering from an inevitable defeat at St Helens.
But were the Tigers celebrating too soon? Saturday nights scenes were more like a minor premiership victory parade than that of a side that sits three points above the relegation zone.

The current table stands as such after 26 games:

8. Huddersfield - 20pts (-140 diff)
9. Harlequins - 19pts (-290 diff)
10. Castleford - 19pts (-371 diff)
11. Wakefield - 16pts (-146 diff)

At first glance, it looks like Wakefield will be the ones plying their trade in National League 1 next season, but it's not that simple, as Wakefield will play host to Castleford on the last day of the season at Belle Vue.

Looking at the remaining fixtures, heres theonepointer's predictions.

Round 27:

• I expect a desperate Wakefield to cause an upset and win at Odsal against an out-of-sorts and unconvincing Bradford.
• Salford need to book a play-off place and they will beat Castleford.
• If Catalans turn up, they could turn home advantage into points against Huddersfield. Unfortunatly, they won't turn up and Huddersfield will win.
  
• Wigan will beat Harlequins at The Stoop.

Round 28:

• Quins will probably beat Salford. Brian McDermott will have his side fired up for a game that will keep them in Super League.
• Bradford will overcome Huddersfield.
• That leaves the Wildcats against the Tigers and to be honest, I'd be tempted to go for Wakefield. Home advantage will be key and to be perfectly honest, I rate John Kear as the better coach. The win for Wakefield for me.
  

If that turns out to be true, then that leave the following table:

8. Huddersfield - 22pts
9. Harlequins - 21pts
10. Wakefield- 20pts
11. Castleford- 19pts

So on that basis, it'll be goodbye to Castleford. I do believe it'll go down to the last day of the season and if I were a Cas fan, I would be seriously worried if they leave the Willows with nothing next week.

Matterson Feeling the Heat

It was all going so well for the Tigers. A well-fought win over Leeds five weeks ago was surely enough to complete the Super League survival act?
Not so it would seem and it sounds like the strain is starting to take it's toll on those at the Jungle.



Coach Terry Matterson's comments about the relegation situation appear not that of a man who is concerned with the general running of Super League, but more the pleas for help from a man feeling the pressure.

The Tigers haven't claimed a single point since their victory over Leeds nearly six weeks ago and after four straight defeats, Castleford go into the final three games of the season just one point ahead of Wakefield, the side they play on what will most likely be a last day relegation decider at Belle Vue.

At first glance, Matterson's comments about the relegation system seem justified and to be perfectly honest, they are not ills that haven't been pointed out before. Problems such as the uncertainty for the clubs at the bottom end of Super League and the difficulty faced by the club promoted from the National League to get together a Super League quality team in the space of just three months have been much discussed and, in that respect, Castleford have been somewhat fortuitous, being able to take advantage of the unexpected availabilities of Danny Ward and Danny Brough.

All such comments may just seem fairly innocuous but it's the timing of these comments, with just three games to go, that show that Matterson isn't just expressing a concern, but more appealing for assistance from those at Red Hall and it seems a shame that a coach who has deservedly earned great admiration for what he has done on limited resources at The Jungle should speak out like this.
The facts are simple. Castleford have been well aware of the relegation criteria since they won the National League Grand Final last October and the fact also remains that they could have ensured their survival some weeks ago.
Granted, few would expect them to be able to pick up points against runaway leaders St Helens or get something from a trip to Odsal but by the same token, they would have been expected to pick up points against fellow strugglers Huddersfield and at least get on the scoresheet at home to an 11-man Wakefield side.

With the bottom clubs all playing each other in the coming weeks and Wigan, Wakefield and Harlequins both finding some form going into the final furlong, Matterson is rightly worried. Granted, some players will return from injury for the game against Harlequins but a defeat in that game could set the Tigers on the slippery slope down to National League One.

Saints will Canter to Super League Glory

Saturday's Challenge Cup Final turned out to be a bit of an anti-climax. The build-up to the game was generally muted, the ground didn't quite fill-up and as for the game itself, the second half was meerly an exibition match for the superstars of St Helens.

Daniel Anderson's men have brushed aside all that have stood in their path this year in Super League and now that the Challenge Cup sits proudly on the Knowsley Road mantlepiece, the Saints are looking odds on for the domestic treble.

Despite the determination of Huddersfield in the early exchanges, the brilliance of a St Helens side, which could even afford to leave out Great Britain forward Nick Fozzard, shone through. Shaun Long's superbly crafted try just prior to half-time effectively turned the game in the favour of St Helens and from that point on, it was always going to be one-way traffic.

With the minor premiership effectivley in the bag, only a fool would back against Anderson's men, but the Saints fans would be forgiven for being just a little wary.
At this point last year they were also looking like Champions but ultimatly, the season ended disasterously, becoming the first minor premiers in the Super League era not to reach the Grand Final after a plethora of injuries hit star players including Sean Long, Paul Sculthorpe and Darren Albert.

This year though, the Saints look unstoppable. Daniel Anderson has created a confident team that oouses class and is by far the best British side to watch with ball in hand. Not only that, but they have a pack of forwards which can compete with the biggest around.
St Helens teams in the passed have been accused of relying too heavily on the so called 'big three' of Sulthorpe, Long and Cunningham yet that is not a criticism that could be levied at this side. The likes of Leon Pryce, Jamie Lyon and Jason Hooper are all capable of changing games through moments of individual brilliance and the emergance of young players such as James Graham and James Roby has added even more competition to an already star-studded line-up.

Whilst the likes of Hull, Leeds and Bradford will all be targetting a place at Old Trafford on October 15th, it'll be the Saints who'll be wearing the Super League crown.

Another Challenge Cup Upset?

Huddersfield Giants will be hopinbg to emulate the Sheffield Eagles this weekend as they travel to Twickenham for Saturday's Challenge Cup Final.


The Giants go into the game with runaway league leaders St Helens as huge underdogs in a clash which is being likened to the 1998 Final between Wigan Warriors and Sheffield Eagles. That year, Sheffield pulled off what is regarded as the greatest shock in Rugby League history, beating the eventual league Champions 17-8 at Wembley.
The year following that victory, the Eagles contraversially merged with the Giants, a relationship that has since been extirpated and now Huddersfield will prepare for their first Challenge Cup final for 44 years.
The odds are stacked against them. Fartown are currently ninth in the league, just two points ahead of the relegation zone whilst the Saints are four points clear at the top of the league and looking odds on for the Super League championship.
But despite going in to the game as overwhelming favourites, they would be foolish to take the injury-hit Giants as lightly as Leeds Rhinos did in the semi-final. Huddersfield became the first side to beat the Saints his season, with a 19-16 home victory back in May and coach Jon Sharp as also masterminded impressive victories over Warrington, Leeds and Harlequins.
In Robbie Paul, the giants will be led by a Cup Final veteran and Chris Thorman, should he pass a late fitness test, is capable of unlocking the best of defences. If the physical Giants forwards can get on top of the Saints then Daniel Anderson's men may not have it all their own way.

I, as do most people, expect St Helens to be lifting the trophy on Saturday afternoon but at the same time, I don't necesseraly see the walk-over that some people are proclaiming it to be.
If the Saints don't show and the Giants put on a solid, error-free performance, then we could see a repeat of 1998.

Halifax on the Brink

Next weekend is one that could turn out to be the biggest weekend in the history of Halifax RLFC.
On Sunday 3rd September, Halifax take on Whitehaven at the Shay and reports say that anything less than a 5,000 gate will fail to plug a £90,000 over spend on players wages and could lead to the club folding, taking 133 years of history with them.

It was all supposed to be so different. The dream was to have a top flight team, full of international stars playing amongst the game's elite infront of packed crowds and television audiences in a state of the art stadium. Instead, they are walking the tightrope between National League 1 and 2, playing infront of small crowds in a building site. This is certainly not what envisaged as the club stepped into Super League in 1996.

Cash problems at the Shay are nothing new. Fellow tennants Halifax Town FC are struggling with to keep the bailiffs at bay whilst the RL club, in their former guise as the Blue Sox, had to fend off the administrators at the turn of the millenium. That escapade was one of several examples that eventually led to the introduction of the Super League salary cap and it seems that the club still hasn't quite got the hang of controlling player salaries.

Since then, the clubs demise could be likened to that of Leeds's United's. In their pursuit of Super League glory, they spent money that they ultimatly didn't have and in an effort to stay afloat and players had to be shipped out.
A 16-6 defeat to Leeds Rhinos in the 1998 play-off series was their only forray into the Super League 'elite' and relegation followed five years later, as the club ended the year with just one victory - two points which were eventually wiped out due to salary cap breaches the year prior.
The year later, the club narrowly avoided a second sucessive relegation by virtue of a four point victory in the NL1 Qualifying play-off against York.

On the basis of results, the club's business plan over the last ten years is questionable to say the least. Even now, after the clubs past experiences, a £90,000 overspend suggests that they still seem insistant on chasing the dream of the holy grail that is Super League.
This makes an even more compelling argument for ending automatic promotion and relegation in 2009. In the present climate, clubs are facing a never ending struggle to compete with the elite in the division. The likes of Hull KR, Widnes and Leigh are lightyears ahead of the competition, yet the opposition still seem insistant on spending money that they simply don't have in an effort to keep up. Franchising will end that, encouraging clubs to formulate a sound business plan with will keep the club viable as a business and competitive on the field.

Relegation from Super League has effectively killed off Rugby League in Halifax. The fans and the investors left, many now likely to be found at Odsal or Headingley. The powers that were during the late 90's that chased an impossible dream have triggered a chain of events that have led to the current situation.
An emergency members meeting has been called for 11th September where the club's future will be decided. Fans of all clubs have been called upon to visit the Shay on 3rd September for the clash with Whitehaven although it may meerly be a case of delaying the inevitable. A bumper pay-day may provide temporary restbite, but as a long term solution for maintaining what little sporting profile their currently is in the West Yorkshire Town, it may be too little too late.

Cunningham Quits International Rugby League - No, Really This Time.

St Helens hooker Keiron Cunningham has this weekend announced his retirement from international Rugby League.





The news may come as a suprise to some of you in that most of you probably thought that he retired a few years ago.

Despite signing a lucrative "Club GB" contract with the Rugby Football League due to his percieved value to the Great Britain set-up, the 29-year-old has mustered just 16 caps for Great Britain after withdrawing from numerous tours and International series.
For the 2004 Tri-Nations, Cunningham opted for surgery rather than representing GB so that he could be fit in time for St Helens' start to the new Super League campaign and the Welsh international withdrew in from David Waite's GB squad in 2003.

Of the 16 caps that Cunningham did achieve, only twice was he on the winning side, the latest being a victory over a makeshift New Zealand side in what will turn out to be his last ever appearance for the Lions.

This announcement is pretty much expected even if it wasn't really needed. Cunningham for one reason or another never really tested himself against the best in the world, but seemed happy to take the plaudits at club level.

As for the future? Injuries and suspension permitting, Terry Newton is assured of the number nine jersy for the Tri-Nations whilst Salford's Malcom Alker, Wigan's Mickey Higham and Matt Diskin of Leeds will be looking to snatch the remaining seat (or seats) on the plane to Australia.

Goodbye Keiron although I doubt you'll be missed that much.

Carney Coming Back to Super League?

If Fox News are to be trusted (and usually they arn't), then Brian Carney could be heading back to Blighty before he's even set foot in Gold Coast.





Rumour has it that the Irish winger isn't enjoying his time in Australia quite as much as he anticipated he would and could be booked on the next flight home once the Tri-Nations come to a conclusion in November.

The former Wigan favourite is currently on the books at Newcastle Knights, one year before he is due to join up with new club Gold Coast Titans next year and if today's reports are true, then he could become the forth player to turn his back on deals they signed with the Queensland new-boys, with Tony Puletua, Luke O'Dwyer and Steve Turner looking to negate on deals signed with the Titans prior to next year.

As for Carney, the usual suspects are being touted as possible destinations with Wigan and Warrington being the main names on everyones lips. Carney might favour a move to his old club but even Maurice Lindsay wopuld struggle to get him under the salary cap. Warrington looks a better shout though. With Toa Kohe Love out of contract and Brent Grose reportedly heading to Melbourne Storm, they have both the need and cap space for a star three-quarter.
Leeds will be another name no doubt mentioned and with Scott Donald, Lee Smith, Danny Williams and Ashley Gibson all struggling to replace the void left by Mark Calderwood and Marcus Bai last season, Tony Smith could be leaving a few hints for Mr Hetherington.

Carney is certainly one of the games likeable characters. He's a great player on the field and a good bloke off it as well. If it does materialise, then he's most welcome back in my view.