Category: Rugby League

• Eliminator playoff: Warrington 23-22 St Helens
• George Williams’ kick sets up Hull KR semi-final

The Super League playoffs may only be 48 hours old but if this is what the remainder of the road to Old Trafford looks like, we are in for some treat: not that it will be any consolation to supporters of St Helens after this most remarkable of sudden-death ties.

For weeks, the Saints have been so brittle that many felt when they ended the year sixth – their lowest league finish since 1994 – this would be somewhat of a formality for a Warrington side who have caught the eye so much in Sam Burgess’s first season as a head coach. But anyone with even a brief history of Super League should not know you can never write the Saints off.

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Warriors have hit form at an ominous time but Hull KR, Warrington and Salford have grounds for optimism

The Super League playoffs begin on Friday but there is a very different feel this time around. Four of the six sides vying to reach Old Trafford on 12 October have yet to win a Grand Final – though to do so they will have to get past the reigning champions and undoubted favourites, Wigan Warriors.

Wigan Warriors (1st)

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Warriors are two wins away from becoming first side to win a major quadruple but unpredictable season could continue

After 27 engrossing rounds, it all came down to Frantic Friday: the night Super League’s playoff picture would be thrillingly resolved. That was how it played out too, with the lineup set after Leigh’s dramatic victory over St Helens.

But to water it all down into one night would be doing a disservice to a season full of twists and turns. For months, the suspicion was many of the big narratives would go to the wire. Now, the top six are fixed and the business end of the season begins with plenty to ponder.

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‘So much progress but we are going to lose it all,’ says coach Mike Eccles as the London club feel IMG’s cold shoulder

The sun is setting on the Super League season as next month’s Grand Final approaches and, while all 12 teams wind down for the winter, one club is facing a potentially serious situation.

With IMG’s controversial gradings system going live next month to replace conventional promotion and relegation from 2025, only the 12 highest-scoring clubs in a variety of on and off-field metrics will qualify for Super League status.

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• Warrington 16-2 St Helens
• Wolves have top-two finish in their sights with victory

Warrington Wolves and St Helens are no strangers to competing at the right end of Super League but as we approach the final fortnight of a compelling season, this contest underlined that we are witnessing two sides heading in different directions at the business end of the year.

For Warrington and Sam Burgess, this was a relatively straightforward afternoon’s work to keep their hopes alive of a top-two finish going into the playoffs. First is out of reach given Wigan’s win on Friday night against Hull KR, but the Wolves are just two points adrift of the Robins with two rounds remaining.

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