Super League Round 23 Preview

As the business end of the Super League season draws closer, round 23 has the potential to make the race for the top eight the closest in the competition's history.

Tonight's game sees champions Wigan host Salford with the focal point of the game being the potential meeting of the Tomkins brothers.

Wigan come into the game on the back of a shock loss away to Bradford but with three wins from their last five games and still have hopes of securing the League Leaders Shield after successes in 2012 and 2014 and will look to go into their two week break on a high.

Salford come into the game in similar form to their hosts as they come off the back of a narrow loss to Leeds and after a mixed first half of the season, have bounced back and put themselves in contention for a place in the top eight but may be hampered by suspensions and injuries.

Last season's meeting at the DW Stadium saw Wigan romp to a 46-6 victory but the reverse meeting earlier this season will be remembered for eight video referrals before Wigan triumphed 25-4 and are on course for a double over the Red Devils.

The two sides have many links on the pitch and a focus for tonight is the potential for a sibling rivalry on the pitch as Joel and Logan Tomkins will play for Wigan and Salford with Logan currently on loan at the Red Devils from Wigan and Joel likely to make his second debut for the Warriors.

Wigan include Joel Tomkins for the first time since his re-signing with Anthony Gelling replacing Darrell Goulding and Gil Dudson returning from suspension while Kevin Locke is included in the Salford 19 in an otherwise unchanged squad.

Wigan Warriors: John Bateman, Matt Bowen, Josh Charnley, Tony Clubb, Dom Crosby, Gil Dudson, Liam Farrell, Ben Flower, Anthony Gelling, Jack Hughes, Jordan James, Dom Manfredi, Sean O'Loughlin, Sam Powell, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Scott Taylor, Joel Tomkins, George Williams.
Salford Red Devils: Matty Ashurst, Mason Caton-Brown, Rangi Chase, Niall Evalds, Theo Fages, Darrell Griffin, Josh Griffin, Harrison Hansen, Greg Johnson, Tommy Lee, Kevin Locke, Adrian Morley, Tony Puletua, Steve Rapira, Junior Sa'u, Lama Tasi, Logan Tomkins, Jordan Walne, Jason Walton.

I think the return of Joel Tomkins will spur Wigan on to a win so Wigan 36 Salford 16.

Friday night sees three ties with the televised game coming from France as Catalan host Warrington.

Catalan will be glad to be back at home after a 38-16 defeat to Huddersfield left them still with the potential to fall out of the top eight but aside from the defeats to Wigan and Leeds, The Dragons have an otherwise perfect record in Perpignan and will look to improve on their run of two wins in five games.

Warrington come into the game on the back of successive losses to Widnes and Wakefield after and eight game winning streak which has seen them win only three of their last five games but still leaves them with a reasonable chance to claim top spot and a top four place.

Last season's meeting in France saw Warrington secure a narrow 14-12 win as part of a double over the Dragons and the reverse meeting earlier this season saw the Wolves win 42-10 meaning thay are halfway to a third successive league double.

Catalan welcome back Greg Mounis from susupension in place of Benjamin Garcia while Warrington are without Matty Russell meaning Stefan Ratchford will slot in at full-back and Michael Monaghan, Trent Waterhouse and Simon Grix return to the 19.

Catalan Dragons: Escare, Pryce, Pomeroy, Oldfield, Bosc, Henderson, Lima, Taia, Anderson, Mounis, Maria, Pelissier, Whitehead, Millard, Simon, Bousquet, Paea, Baile, Williams.
Warrington Wolves: Asotasi, C. Bridge, Currie, Dwyer, England, R. Evans, Grix, Harrison, Hill, Laithwaite, J. Monaghan, M. Monaghan, Myler, O'Brien, Ormsby, Ratchford, Waterhouse, Westwood, Wood.

This could be a close one but I think the Dragons home advantage will pay off so Catalan 32 Warrington 28.

Hull host St Helens in the second leg of the Steve Prescott Cup in tribute to the late legend who passed away last November.

The two sides will compete for the cup annually and the team with the highest aggregate score over the two games will claim the trophy so tomorrow will be the first time either captain can lift the trophy.

Hull go into the game with no wins in their last five games but have drawn twice and as a result still have a chance of reaching the top eight and the play-offs while also hoping to finish above their city rivals, Hull KR.

St Helens go into the game on the back of three successive wins as part of four wins in their last five games and are edging towards the League Leaders Shield after opening up a gap on their rivals in the previous round with a comfortable win over Widnes.

Last season's meeting at the KC Stadium saw St Helens win 38-12 while the reverse meeting earlier this season which formed the first leg of the Steve Prescott Cup saw St Helens secure a 34-22 win which puts them on course for a double over the Airlie Birds.

Hull are without Jordan Rankis but are boosted by the return of Richard Horne and Jordan Abdull' recovery from injury with Aaron Heremaia replacing James Cunningham while St Helens include former FC full-back Shannon McDonnell with Greg Richards and Luke Thompson making comebacks.


Hull FC: Abdull, Bowden, Ellis, Green, Hadley, Heremaia, Horne, Houghton, Lineham, Paea, Paleaaesina, Sa, Shaul, Talanoa, Thompson, Watts, Westerman, Whiting, Yeaman.
St Helens: Makinson, Turner, Jones, Masoe, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Soliola, Manu, Laffranchi, Flanagan, Amor, Wellens, Walmsley, Percival, Wheeler, Dawson, Richards, Thompson, McDonnell.

An exciting game on the cards but I see St Helens coming out on top so Hull 18 St Helens 28.


The third game on Friday's programme sees a Yorkshire derby between Leeds and Bradford which will be the last Super League meeting between the sides after an exciting history.

Leeds come into the game in mixed form with three wins from their last five games including a narrow win over Salford in the previous round and despite their mixed form they are still in contention for the League Leaders Shield.

Bradford shrugged off their relegation woe and a poor losing streak to stun Wigan with a 16-8 win in the previous round and the chances of a shock in their last visit to Headingley for a while have vastly improved as they prepare for life in next season's Championship.

Last season's meeting at Headingley saw a thrilling 18-18 draw but the reverse meeting earlier this season saw Leeds triumph in a 46-6 win which put them on course for a league double over the Bulls.

Leeds may hand a debut to Ash Handley as they are without Joel Moon, Carl Ablett, Jamie Peacock, Kevin Sinfield and have rested Kallum Watkins and Ryan Hall while Bradford include Dale Ferguson, Nathan Conroy in place of Jamie Foster and Brett Kearney with Danny Williams keeping his place after extending his loan from Salford.

Leeds Rhinos: Hardaker, Jones-Bishop, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Aiton, Jones-Buchanan, S. Ward, Delaney, Bailey, Kirke, Achurch, T. Briscoe, Sutcliffe, Singleton, Minchella, Walters, R. Ward, Handley.
Bradford Bulls: Blythe, Pitts, Olbison, Kear, Gale, Williams, Donaldson, O'Brien, Mellor, Henry, Baldwinson, Arundel, Ferguson, Conroy, Addy, Gaskell, Sidlow, Manuokafoa, Fakir.

Despite Leeds missing a number of stars I see them just edging a win so Leeds 24 Bradford 20.

Sunday features three games with the standout tie being the game between Widnes and Hull KR with fighting hard for the final place in the top eight.

Widnes go into the game on the back of a defeat to neighbours St Helens and with only two wins in their last five games are in danger of slipping out of the top eight but also have a slight focus on next week's Challenge Cup semi-final against Castleford.

Hull KR go into the game in simiar form to their opponents with two wins in their last five games but come off the back of a crushing win away to London and the final run-in of fixtures favour the Robins in the chase for the final play-off place.

Last season's meeting at Widnes saw the Vikings secure a 36-22 win and the reverse meeting earlier this season also saw the Vikings triumph in a 34-29 win and put them on course for a double over the Robins which would boost their top eight hopes.

This will be a cracker of a game and I will edge for a Robins win so Widnes 22 Hull KR 30.

Wakefield take on Huddersfield in a Yorkshire derby that could have a big impact on how both sides will finish the season.

Wakefield go into the game with three wins in their last five games and on the back of a stunning win away to Warrington which boosted their chances of a top eight finish and with them back at home after two tough away trips, the chance to extend their fine home run over James Webster is a possibility.

Huddersfield are in similar form to their opponents with three wins in their last five games and have won the last two meetings between the sides but Wakefield have won three out of five and the Giants need a win in order to keep up their hopes of retaining the League Leaders Shield.

Last season's meeting at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium saw Huddersfield secure a narrow 18-16 win and in the reverse meeting this season came out on top in a 36-16 win but their hopes of a double will be tested by the Wildcats' home form.

This one could be close on recent form but I will take a gamble and tip Wakefield so Wakefield 24 Huddersfield 22.

The final game of the round on paper looks to be an easy win for Castleford against London based on the polar opposite of the form for the two sides.

Castleford go into the game unbeaten in their last five games which three wins ans two draws and ahead of next week's Challenge Cup semi-final against Widnes are in good morale and are still in contention for the League Leaders Shield which is in stark contrast to their fight near the bottom just a year ago.

London come into the game still without a win in 2014 and with only five games left including this weekend, the chances of a winless season is becoming a likely outcome but the unpredictable nature of this season could see them end their streak on Sunday.

Last season's meeting at the Jungle saw London win 26-12, a repeat of which would go down very well with the Broncos faithful but the reverse meeting earlier this season will dent such hopes after Castleford stormed to a 54-6 win.

Despite my regular gambles for the underdog, this game I can see nothing but a Castleford win so Castleford 40 London 16.

Top Eight Hunt Hots Up

Super League XIX has been one of the most unpredictable seasons in the game's history and that tradition continued in round 22 with three of the bottom six stunning their trio of opponents who sit in the top five.

Clare Double Saves Tigers
After staging a late comeback at Leeds in the previous round, Castleford repeated their battling spirit  with a late double from Clare earning them a vital point at Hull.

 Hull went into the game with hopes of boosting their play-off chances and made a good start as Fetuli Talanoa crossed for the opening try in the 16th minute and with Jordan Rankin converting the hosts led 6-0 but Castleford responded well with Michael Shenton crossing in the 24th minute to reduce the deficit to 6-4 which remained after Marc Sneyd failed to convert.

Hull regained their six point lead when Jordan Abdull crossed for a try on the half-hour mark and with Jordan Rankin successful for a second time, Hull led 12-4 and held the strong lead into the interval. However, Castleford fell further behind just three minutes into the second half as Kirk Yeaman crossed for the hosts and with Jordan Rankin maintaining his 100% success with the boot, Hull were in control at 18-4.

Castleford gave themselves hopes of a second successive comeback as Marc Sneyd scored a try in the 68th minute and converted his own effort for an 18-10 score but Hull were soon stunned by two tries in three minutes from James Clare who crossed in the 74th and 77th minutes but Sneyd's failure to convert either left the score at 18-18 as both sides claimed a point. An incorrect result and failed prediction of 20-38.

Rhinos Edge Out Red Devils
Salford's play-off hopes suffered a dent as Leeds improved their chances of claiming the League Leaders Shield in a narrow on Friday night.

The Red Devils started the better of the two sides as Junior Sa'u crossed for the opening try in the 13th minute which despite a video referral was awarded and with Josh Griffin converting successfully, Salford led 6-0.

Leeds responded well and soon drew level as Zak Hardaker crossed for the Rhinos in the 21st minute and after a video referal, the try was awarded and Hardaker was able to convert his own effort for 6-6. Leeds went ahead just two minutes later as a nice move ended with Kallum Watkins scoring a try and Zak Hardaker converting for a 6-12 lead.

However, the two sides went into the half-time interval level after Theo Fages scored for the hosts just a minute before the hooter and with Josh Griffin converting the score became 12-12. Two tries in seven minutes from Leeds put them in control as Carl Ablett and Stevie Ward both crossed and with Zak Hardaker converting once from two attempts for a 12-22 lead.

Jordan Walne reduced the deficit for Salford just before the hour mark with a try that Josh Griffin successfully converted to bring the score to 18-22 and it seemed to unnerve Leeds as when they were awarded a penalty in the 67th minute, Zak Hardaker elected to kick for goal missed ensuring a tense last 13 minutes.

Leeds were able to hold on and claim the win but Salford came so close to recording a third successive win and surely must be a contender for the final top eight spot. A correct result and came close with the 18-36 prediction.

Saints Charge Dents Widnes Hopes
St Helens maintained their hopes of claiming the League Leaders Shield with a comfortable win over neighbours Widnes.

Saints made a superb start with Mark Flanagan opening the scoring after only six minutes and Mark Percival converted for a 6-0 lead which became 10-0 when Tommy Makinson added a second try in the 18th minute.

Two tries in ten minutes from Mose Masoe put the Saints in firm control with Mark Percival converting once from two attempts for a 22-0 lead which had the potential to increase just before the break when Magraff Leuluai was sin binned after a team warning but Widnes held Saints out until the interval.

However, Widnes' 12 men conceded two tries in the first four minutes of the second half as Tommy Makinson crossed for his second try ahead of a score for Jordan Turner with a single conversion from Mark Percival creating a 32-0 lead.

Widnes hit back in style with three scores in four minutes as Cameron Phelps crossed twice before Stefan Marsh scored Widnes' third try of the game and two conversions from Danny Tickle reduced St Helens lead to 16 points at 32-16.

The fight back from Widnes seemed to hit Saints hard as they thundered back with two scores in four minutes with Tommy Makinson claiming his hat-trick ahead of a try from Willie Manu and with Mark Percival converting both, the lead increased to 44-16.

Widnes had the last say on the game despite the inevitable defeat as Rhys Hanbury scored a try nine minutes from the end and with Danny Tickle converting, the score became 44-22 which lasted until the hooter and ensured St Helens maintained their place at the top while defeat for Widnes meant their rivals for eighth place could capitalise later in the round. A correct result and close prediction of 36-18.

Rampant Robins Rout Broncos
London's search for a win in 2014 was extended to 22 games without a victory as Hull KR's 11 try haul boosted the Robins play-off hopes.

Josh Hodgson crossed after nine minutes to open the Robins account and with Travis Burns converting for 0-6, London had to comeback from behind once again but Greg Eden handed them a tougher task with two tries either side of a Kevin Larroyer score and with Travis Burns converting all three, Hull KR raced into a 0-24 lead which became 0-26 just before the break after a Travis Burns penalty.

London failed to hold out for more than four minutes of the second half as Liam Salter crossed for a try and despite no conversion from Travis Burns, the Robins reached 30 points but London did respond with a try from Jordan Atkins for 4-30.

However, Hull KR resumed their scoring charge as Michael Weyman and Ade Gardner crossed for tries just before the hour mark with the Travis Burns converting once from the two attempts for a 36 point lead at 4-40.

Adam Walker continued the Robins scoring spree in the 63rd minute and with Travis Burns adding the conversion for 4-46, London's hopes of a win seemed to be at an end but they did give themselves hope as Jordan Atkins scored his second try of the afternoon three minutes later and Oscar Thomas converted for 10-46.

However, Hull KR stormed over 60 points with a late trio of tries with Michael Weyman and Liam Salter crossing for their second scores of the game before Greg Eden sealed his hat-trick in the 80th minute with the first two converted by Travis Burns. Despite missing the third effort, Burns finished with a personal tally of 18 points as the Robins won 10-62. A correct result but wide with the 18-26 prediction.

Bradford Treble Stuns Wigan 
Against a backdrop of glorious sunshine, Bradford and Wigan faced off in a stunning and memorable 80 minutes that sadly for the travelling Warriors had more negatives that positives.

Both sides had mixed starts but Bradford came closest to opening the scoring when Luke Gale's grubber kick out to the wing looked to worry the Wigan defence but they held firm and even responded well enough to take the lead themselves.

A fine pass from Matt Bowen saw him pick out Dom Manfredi out wide who raced down the wing to cross for the first try of the afternoon but a tough touchline kick from Matty Smith missed and meant Wigan led 0-4.

Wigan continued to pressurise the Bradford defence and did well enough to force the Bulls into a succession of goal-line dropouts but were unable to convert the opportunities into an end product but nearly paid for the lack of end product.

A superb set down the middle for Bradford resulted in Elliot Kear looking to have touched down in the corner but after a discussion between the officials, the try was denied but the set seemed to unnerve Wigan as a couple of mistakes on the Bradford 10 metre line and their own 10 metre line could have cost them dearly.

However, Bradford were soon level as they utilised the advantage of a penalty to sent a run of passes out wide to allow Danny Williams to cross for a try in the corner and with Luke Gale converting from long range, Bradford led 6-4.

Bradford increased their lead with five minutes left of the half as an horrendous error from Matt Bowen just in front of the Wigan line handed Bradford possession which resulted in a run and try from Joe Arundel with Luke Gale converting for a 12-4 lead.

Wigan came close to a perfect start to the second half when Matty Smith came achingly close to scoring a try but was denied by a strong effort from the Bradford defence and another Wigan chance went awry when Josh Charnley dropped the ball on the Bradford line with the chance to touchdown firmly in his sights.

Wigan's failure to reduce the deficit saw them fall further behind just after the hour mark as a clever pass from Joe Arundel reached Matty Blythe who touched down in the corner and a tough kick from the touchline from Luke Gale missed the target as Bradford led 16-4.

The visitors soon reduced the deficit when Dan Sarginson picked out Dom Manfredi out wide with the Winger racing over for his second try of the afternoon but a truly bizarre conversion attempt from Matty Smith left Wigan with work to do at they trailed 16-8.

The gap should have been reduced to four points when Jack Hughes had the chance to offload on the Bradford line but his pass failed to find a teammate and the move broke down but Wigan forced a goal-line dropout and gave themselves a great chance to stage a comeback but a knock-on with the line in sight dented their hopes.

Bradford capitalised on the mistake with Lee Gaskell racing clear towards the Wigan line but a superb chase and tackle from George Williams and Josh Charnley ensured that the Bradford attacker was held up over the line.

A number of chances for Wigan in the final minutes failed to dent the Bradford charge as the Bulls held on for a famous win and one that surely means they will avoid finishing bottom of the table while defeat for Wigan means they have lost all but one visit to Yorkshire this season with the exception being the win at Hull. An incorrect result and a very wrong prediction of 12-50.

Giants Slay Dragons
Huddersfield boosted their chances of a top four finish with a win over a Catalan side failed to cement their place in the top eight.

Three tries in the first 19 minutes put Huddersfield in control as Kyle Wood, Aaron Murphy and Jermaine McGillvary all crossed for the Giants with Danny Brough's return to kicking duties resulting in only one conversion from the three attempts for a 14-0 lead.

Catalan responded with a try from Eloi Pellissier and followed by a conversion from Sam Williams for 14-6 which lasted into the half-time interval but Huddersfield regained their 14 point lead when Joe Wardle crossed for a try just five minutes into the second half with Danny Brough converting for 20-6

Jermaine McGillvary scored his second try of the afternoon in the 51st minute and with Danny Brough's third conversion, Huddersfield led 26-6 leaving Catalan with a huge task in order to stage a comeback. Catalans comeback began just before the hour mark as Michael Oldfield scored a try but a failure to convert from Sam Williams meant a gap of 16 points at 26-10.

Huddersfield looked to have sealed the win when Joe Wardle crossed for his second try of the game ahead of an effort from Brett Ferres with Danny Brough converting both for a 38-10 lead but Catalan had the last say on the result as Morgan Escaré continued his stellar scoring spree in 2014 with a try in the 76th minute which was added to by a Sam Williams conversion for a final score of 38-16.  An incorrect result and wide with the prediction of 22-23.

Riley Treble Stuns Warrington
Wakefield boosted their hopes of a place in the top eight with a stunning win over Warrington who suffered defeat after a stunning treble from Chris Riley who is on loan from the Wolves.

Warrington made the perfect start as Rhys Evans crossed for the opening try after only 30 second but a tight angle meant no conversion and only a slim 4-0 lead for the Wolves. Chris Riley levelled for Wakefield with a try against his parent club in the ninth minute and with the returning Jarrod Sammut converting, Wakefield went 4-6 in front.

Danny Washbrook increased the lead for the travelling Wildcats in the 19th minute and again Jarrod Sammut was successful with the conversion for a 4-12 lead before Chris Riley raced in for his second effort of the afternoon but Jarrod Sammut's failure to convert meant a 4-16 lead.

Joel Monaghan crossed for the hosts just after the half-hour mark with Chris Bridge's conversion reducing the deficit to 10-16 which lasted into the half-time interval but Rhys Evans crossed for his second effort of the game just three minutes into the second half to put the Wolves level at 16-16.

Chris Riley completed his stunning hat-trick in the 49th minute and with Jarrod Sammut converting, Wakefield led 16-22 but Warrington came back inside five minutes with a try from Stefan Ratchford who converted his own effort for 20-22.

Wakefield increased their lead when Jimmy Keinhorst crossed for a try on the hour mark but a failure to convert from Jarrod Sammut meant a 20-26 score before Sammut redeemed himself with a 68th minute penalty for 20-28 but Warrington bounced back again as Ryan Atkins scored in the 70th minute and with Stefan Ratchford converting for 26-28.

Wakefield sealed the win in stellar style with two tries in the final six minutes as Richie Mathers and Nick Scruton crossed for tries that were both successfully converted by Jarrod Sammut for a final score of 26-40 which dents Warrington's hopes of top spot but puts Wakefield firmly in the hunt for eighth place. An incorrect result and wide with the prediction of 28-16.

 

 
 


 

Bradford Treble Stuns Wigan

Against a backdrop of glorious sunshine, Bradford and Wigan faced off in a stunning and memorable 80 minutes that sadly for the travelling Warriors had more negatives that positives.

Both sides had mixed starts but Bradford came closest to opening the scoring when Luke Gale's grubber kick out to the wing looked to worry the Wigan defence but they held firm and even responded well enough to take the lead themselves.

A fine pass from Matt Bowen saw him pick out Dom Manfredi out wide who raced down the wing to cross for the first try of the afternoon but a tough touchline kick from Matty Smith missed and meant Wigan led 0-4.

Wigan continued to pressurise the Bradford defence and did well enough to force the Bulls into a succession of goal-line dropouts but were unable to convert the opportunities into an end product but nearly paid for the lack of end product.

A superb set down the middle for Bradford resulted in Elliot Kear looking to have touched down in the corner but after a discussion between the officials, the try was denied but the set seemed to unnerve Wigan as a couple of mistakes on the Bradford 10 metre line and their own 10 metre line could have cost them dearly.

However, Bradford were soon level as they utilised the advantage of a penalty to sent a run of passes out wide to allow Danny Williams to cross for a try in the corner and with Luke Gale converting from long range, Bradford led 6-4.

Bradford increased their lead with five minutes left of the half as an horrendous error from Matt Bowen just in front of the Wigan line handed Bradford possession which resulted in a run and try from Joe Arundel with Luke Gale converting for a 12-4 lead.

Wigan came close to a perfect start to the second half when Matty Smith came achingly close to scoring a try but was denied by a strong effort from the Bradford defence and another Wigan chance went awry when Josh Charnley dropped the ball on the Bradford line with the chance to touchdown firmly in his sights.

Wigan's failure to reduce the deficit saw them fall further behind just after the hour mark as a clever pass from Joe Arundel reached Matty Blythe who touched down in the corner and a tough kick from the touchline from Luke Gale missed the target as Bradford led 16-4.

The visitors soon reduced the deficit when Dan Sarginson picked out Dom Manfredi out wide with the Winger racing over for his second try of the afternoon but a truly bizarre conversion attempt from Matty Smith left Wigan with work to do at they trailed 16-8.

The gap should have been reduced to four points when Jack Hughes had the chance to offload on the Bradford line but his pass failed to find a teammate and the move broke down but Wigan forced a goal-line dropout and gave themselves a great chance to stage a comeback but a knock-on with the line in sight dented their hopes.

Bradford capitalised on the mistake with Lee Gaskell racing clear towards the Wigan line but a superb chase and tackle from George Williams and Josh Charnley ensured that the Bradford attacker was held up over the line.

A number of chances for Wigan in the final minutes failed to dent the Bradford charge as the Bulls held on for a famous win and one that surely means they will avoid finishing bottom of the table while defeat for Wigan means they have lost all but one visit to Yorkshire this season with the exception being the win at Hull.

Warriors March On To Bulls

After a superb win over Hull last Friday at the DW Stadium, Wigan are back on their travels this Sunday with a trip up to face Bradford for a match that some will see as a simple Super League game but for others it will be the end of an era.

Although I have followed Wigan and Super League in general for over 15 years, this Sunday will be my first visit to Bradford and the Provident Stadium or Odsal as it is commonly known and I hope it will be a great first impression in more ways than one.

The sheer mention of Bradford v Wigan evokes memories of the Grand final meetings between the sides in the early 2000's when the Bulls defeated the Warriors 37-6 (2001) and 25-12 (2003) in two of their eventual three Super League Grand Final titles with the third two years later against St Helens.

Bradford's third and most recent Grand Final win came just one year before Wigan came achingly close to relegation from Super League in 2006 amid some controversial circumstances that till sparks debates to this very day but the feelings of that season are still deep in the minds of Wigan fans who since have enjoyed better times.

The facts themselves show that in recent years Bradford have slipped down the table while Wigan have risen up and currently occupy the title of Super League champions and would be a good bet to repeat such a feat this season.

Bradford's demise of course has to fall on the torrid financial dealings which have seen them fall into administration twice, the first back in 2012 and of course the second earlier this season. The 2012 issue is one that I remember well as their visit to the DW Stadium coincided with Wigan's annual Heritage Day celebration and came in the same week that Bradford were threatened with liquidation.

That game saw Bradford defy the odds in stunning a Wigan side who would go on to be League Leaders with a 30-22 victory and a win that saw all four sides of the stadium applaud the triumphant Bulls.

The adjacent video was one of my first as a Wigan spectator but one I always think of when Bradford and Wigan face each other as it is a brilliant example of triumph over adversity.

Of course, Sunday's game is unlikely to have the same atmosphere as it will be Bradford's first game since their relegation from Super League was officially confirmed after a defeat at Huddersfield and despite the traditional positivity from the Bulls fans there will be a feeling of dismay.

The reverse meeting between the sides was a strange one earlier this season as Wigan strolled to an 84-6 win on Easter Monday and for the Bulls it was even more hard-hitting as the Wigan line-up was a youthful one and the win was a big sign that this season was unlikely to have a happy ending for the Bulls.

As a Wigan fan, a huge win on Sunday would be brilliant for the potential retaining of the Super League title but a demolition of Bradford would not feel right given the history between the sides and at Odsal itself where the memories of the 31-30 comeback in the play-offs in 2007 registered as the best comeback in Super League history until recently.

Some views this week mentioned that it is their last trip to Bradford and though it has a truth in terms of the season, I believe that it will be a hiatus as Bradford will bounce back be it at the first attempt in 2016 or after a bed-in period in the Championship resulting in a return in 2017.

Personally, a meeting in next season's revamped Challenge Cup would be one that would surely be a tie of the round especially at Bradford as it would be a brilliant way to renew the rivalry between the sides that excited the Super League as a whole in the early 2000's but if not any future tie between the sides would be one I would be glad to grace regardless of the eventual result.

History aside, Sunday is where the focus is and Wigan make the trip in good form which has seen them stay in the fight for top spot and the League Leaders Shield while Bradford will be eager to gain some revenge for the Easter humiliation and avoid finishing bottom of the Super League.

Wigan welcome back Matt Bowen and Darrell Goulding in place of Lewis Tierney and Anthony Gelling while Jamie Doran joins the travelling party in favour of Greg Burke while Bradford include Jordan Baldwinson, Elliot Kear and Danny Williams with Adrian Purtell, Luke George and Chev Walker missing out.

Bradford- Danny Addy, Joe Arundel, Jordan Baldwinson, Matty Blythe, James Donaldson, Jamal Fakir, Jamie Foster, Luke Gale, Lee Gaskell, Adam Henry, Elliot Kear, Brett Kearney, Manase Manuokafoa, Alex Mellor, Adam O'Brien, Tom Olbison, Jay Pitts, Adam Sidlow, Danny Williams.

Wigan-John Bateman, Matt Bowen, Josh Charnley, Tony Clubb, Dom Crosby, Jamie Doran, Liam Farrell, Ben Flower, Darrell Goulding, Jack Hughes, Jordan James, Dom Manfredi, Sean O'Loughlin, Sam Powell, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Ryan Sutton, Scott Taylor, George Williams.

The full preview saw a prediction of Bradford 12 Wigan 50 and after the squad announcements, I have chosen to amend the prediction to Bradford 16 Wigan 52 given the strength of the attacks for both sides.

Super League Round 22 Preview

A wave of glorious sunshine is likely to be the backdrop to this week of Super League action as the season enters round 22.

Tonight sees a game between two sides both competing at different ends of the table as Hull (12th) host Castleford (4th).

Hull come into the game in poor form with no wins in their last five games featuring four losses and a draw and Bradford's relegation means that the Airlie Birds are technically bottom of the current Super League as it would be known in 2015.

Castleford come into the game after a bounce back from mixed form with three wins and a draw from their last five games with the latter being the 24-24 draw with Leeds in the previous round and with a Challenge Cup semi-final in a fortnight, the Tigers will be keen to cement a top four place.

Last season's meeting at the KC stadium saw a dominant Castleford side win 52-0, a score that Hull would be eager to erase from their minds and may prefer a repeat of the reverse meeting earlier this season when Castleford edged a 19-16 win and as a result are on course to complete a double over FC.

Hull make one change from the defeat to Wigan with Gareth Ellis returning with fitness boosts for Setaimata Sa, Kirk Yeaman and Richard Horne while Castleford included James Clare, Ashley Gibson and Garreth Carvell in place of Jake Webster, Justin Carney and Craig Huby.


Hull FC: Abdull, Bowden, Cunningham, Ellis, Green, Hadley, Houghton, Lineham, Paea, Paleaaesina, Rankin, Sa, Shaul, Talanoa, Thompson, Watts, Westerman, Whiting, Yeaman
Castleford Tigers: Dixon, Shenton, Dorn, Sneyd, Lynch, Milner, Millington, Hauraki, Massey, Clark, Holmes, Mariano, Wheeldon, Ellis, Gibson, Clare, Finn, Jewitt, Carvell.

Hull are in desperate need of a win but here I see Castleford continuing their good form so Hull 20 Castleford 38.

Friday night features two games with the televised tie likely to be an exciting one as Salford host Leeds.


Salford come into the game in good form with a run of three wins in their last five games and as a result are still in with a chance of reaching the end of season play-offs. The Red Devils have bounced back from a bad first half of the season and a place in the top eight would surely count as a success.

Leeds come into the game also with three wins in their last five games but only one in their last three after a bad-tempered ending in round 21 saw them slip to a 24-24 draw at home to Castleford which led to them slipping to third place but the end of the round.

Last season's meeting at the AJ Bell stadium saw Leeds secure a 42-16 win as part of a league double over the Red Devils and after a comfortable 36-4 win in this season's reverse meeting, another league double in on the cards for the Rhinos.

Salford include fit-again Kevin Locke while Gareth Hock and Tommy Lee are suspended while Leeds are of course without suspended captain Kevin Sinfield meaning Danny McGuire will take the captain's armband with Liam Sutcliffe likely to replace Kevin Sinfield and Brad Singleton, Elliot Minchella and Josh Walters have also been drafted into the squad.

Salford Red Devils: Fages, Rapira, Evalds, Sa'u, Johnson, Tasi, Chase, J. Walne, Walton, Locke, Meli, Caton-Brown, Ashurst, Puletua, Hansen, Morley, J. Griffin, Tomkins, D. Griffin.
Leeds Rhinos: Hardaker, Watkins, Moon, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Aiton, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, S. Ward, Delaney, Bailey, T. Briscoe, Sutcliffe, Singleton, Minchella, Walters.

This could be a close one on recent form but I will go for Leeds to secure a win so Salford 18 Leeds 26.

The second game of the evening is a derby of sorts as St Helens host neighbours Widnes with both looking to move clear of the respective chasing packs.

St Helens come into the game atop the Super League and in good form with four wins in their last five games and in good stead to secure a top four finish after missing out in 2013 while hunting a first League Leaders Shield since 2008.

Widnes come into the game in mixed form with two wins in their last five games including a superb win over Warrington in the previous round and with a Challenge Cup semi-final in a fortnight, there is a need to try and cement eighth place in order to focus on a potential cup final berth.

Last season's meeting at Langtree Park saw Widnes secure a 38-25 win over the Saints and earlier this season, they were triumphant again as on Easter Monday they overpowered their neighbours in a 40-26 win which puts them on course for a superb league double.

St Helens welcome back Luke Walsh in place of the injured Lance Hohaia while Widnes included Patrick Ah-Van in place of Ben Kavanagh.

St Helens: Makinson, Turner, Jones, Swift, Walsh, Masoe, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Soliola, Wilkin, Manu, Laffranchi, Flanagan, Amor, Wellens, Walmsley, Percival, Wheeler, Dawson
Widnes Vikings: Ah Van, Allen, Brown, Cahill, Carberry, Clarke, Dean, Flynn, Galea, Gerrard, Hanbury, Isa, Johnson, Leuluai, Marsh, Mellor, Owens, Phelps, Tickle.

This could be a great game to rival the televised tie but I see Saints coming out on top so St Helens 36 Widnes 18.

Saturday afternoon sees London continue their pursuit for a first win of the season as they host play-off challengers Hull KR.

London go into the game still without a win in any competition in 2014 and with only six games left to register a win, the potential for a winless season is high on the cards but the Broncos have turned to youth recently in preparation for next season and could get lucky this weekend.

Hull KR make the trip to London in reasonable form with two wins from their last five games but after a poor defeat to Salford last weekend, they have slipped to three points away from the top eight so need to string  together a run of wins in order to try and get into the mix.

Last season's visit to London saw the Robins secure a 42-22 win and they also came out on top in this season's reverse meeting with a comfortable 48-16 win which puts a league double on the cards.

There is a pattern appearing in meetings between the sides with 2012 seeing each winning at home, 2013 seeing both win away and after Hull KR won the first meeting this year, maybe the omen is on for London to continue the pattern with a home win.

London make one change from the defeat to St Helens with Atelea Vea returning in place of the injured Alex Foster while Hull KR make four changes with the youthful duo of  Macauley Hallett and Connor Robinson included with Ade Gardner and Greg Eden returning in place of  Graeme Horne, Keal Carlile, Kris Keating and Omari Caro.



London Broncos: Atkins, Cook, Dollapi, Drinkwater, Farrar, Griffin, Keyes, Krasniqi, Lovell, McMeeken, Minns, Moore, Slyney, Solomona, Thomas, Vea, Wallace, Wicks, Woodburn-Hall
Hull KR: Burns, Chan, Costigan, Cox, Eden, Gardner, Green, Hall, Hallett, D. Hodgson, J. Hodgson, Larroyer, Netherton, Ollett, Robinson, Salter, A. Walker, Welham, Weyman.

This could be a chance for London to end their losing run but I see the Robins just coming out on top so London 18 Hull KR 26.

Sunday features three games with two likely to have a big effect on the play-off picture starting with Catalan's visit to Huddersfield with the two side-by-side in the table.

Huddersfield go into the game in good form with three wins from their last five games but their hold on the League Leaders Shield is slipping away as they sit six points adrift of top spot but the chance for a top four finish is still within their sights.

Catalan are also in good form with three wins from five and with a five point advantage over ninth place Hull KR, the Dragons are surely cemented in the top eight and have an outside chance of a top-four finish with a six point gap to reduce.

Last season's meeting at the John Smith's stadium saw Huddersfield demolish Catalan in a 60-16 win as part of a league double but Catalan have the potential for a double this season after a 30-14 win over the Giants in Perpignan.

This is a game that is truly hard to call and both teams have experience of close games this season and I see this being similar so Huddersfield 22 Catalan 23. 

Wakefield travel to face Warrington with both sides nursing the wounds of their fine unbeaten streaks ending damaging their respective hopes of success.

Warrington saw a run of eight league wins come to a shuddering halt away to neighbours Widnes last week and with all of their rivals avoiding defeat, it means the Wolves sit fifth and need to win to keep up their hopes of sealing a top-four finish.

Wakefield enjoyed a run of five games unbeaten under new coach James Webster but were brought down to earth with a huge drop as they lost 40-6 away to Catalan and with the top eight now four points away from their grasp, a win is needed on Sunday to keep their hopes intact.

This could have a twist but I think Warrington will secure a win so Warrington 28 Wakefield 16.

The final game of the round is one that on paper will be a sentimental meeting as Wigan make the trip to Bradford.

As the game is a special one in my view, a full preview including the squads for both sides will follow sometime tomorrow afternoon but for now I will include a general preview to follow the other six games.

Bradford come into the game in dire form with no wins in their last five games and after last week's defeat at Huddersfield are officially relegated from Super League and will start next season as a non-SL club for the first time since the competition began.

Wigan are in good form with three wins from their last five games after a mixed period and after a superb win over Hull sit second which is a huge achievement given the ever growing injury list which now features almost a full 13-man lineup.

Last season's meeting at Odsal saw Wigan secure a league double over Bradford with a 36-6 win but this season's reverse meeting really showed why Bradford have been relegated this season after Wigan equalled their record win in Super League with a 84-6 win.

A full preview will follow tomorrow but for now I will say Bradford 12 Wigan 50.

Saints Stay Top As Bulls Suffer Drop

Round 21 has seen both highs and lows for the 14 Super League clubs with three sides scoring 50+ points and all but one team reaching double figures but sadly the biggest low is the relegation of former Super League champions Bradford Bulls.

Sinfield Dismissal Costs Rhinos
Thursday night saw a fierce Yorkshire derby between Leeds and Castleford with the top of the table awaiting the winners.

Castleford made the perfect start with Michael Shenton scoring inside two minutes with a try that was awarded after a video review followed by a Marc Sneyd conversion for 0-6 but Leeds responded well and were level with a try from Tom Briscoe followed by a conversion from Kevin Sinfield for 6-6.

Leeds went ahead in the 16th minute when Ryan Bailey crossed for a try and Kevin Sinfield added a conversion for a 12-6 lead but Castleford hit back quickly with Weller Hauraki crossing for a 19th minute try and Marc Sneyd converting to bring the sides level at 12-12.

Marc Sneyd looked to have crossed for a try of his own in the 23rd minute but after a video review was deemed to have knocked-on in the process of grounding. The error proved to be costly for the Tigers as just two minutes later, Carl Ablett crossed for the Rhinos and after a video review was awarded the try with Kevin Sinfield converting for a third time for a 18-12 lead but in what was becoming a case of 'I score, you score', Castleford drew level six minutes before the break with a Nathan Massey try and a Marc Sneyd conversion for 18-18 at half-time.

Castleford looked to have taken the lead just seven minutes into the second half when Justin Carney crossed for a try but after a video review the try was denied and the sides remained level until just before the hour mark when Carl Ablett scored his second try of the evening and Kevin Sinfield converted for a 24-18 lead.

However, Kevin Sinfield transformed from hero to villain with seven minutes remaining as after a break from Luke Dorn saw the two players meet in a tackle, they faced off with the Leeds captain looking to have 'headbutted' the Castleford Fullback and as a result was sent off leaving Leeds with 12 men to defend their slim lead.

However, their holding off lasted just two minutes as Grant Millington finished off a fine passing move to cross for a try and Marc Sneyd's superb conversion made the score 24-24 meaning the next score was likely to come from a drop goal.

Leeds bizarrely attempted a 'one-pointer' via Jamie Peacock whose effort caused fury among his team-mates after a shocking miss and when Marc Sneyd had a chance for Castleford his effort was subjected to a charge-down meaning the sides each ended with a point. An incorrect result bus so close with the prediction of 24-22.

Williams Treble Sends Warriors Top
After a superb win against a bad-tempered Catalan in Perpignan, Wigan resumed hosting duties with the visit of Hull FC with the Airlie Birds looking for back-to-back wins at the DW stadium.

Due to an extended injury list, Lewis Tierney deputised at Fullback for Wigan and made a stellar start as after collecting a high kick he raced virtually the length of the field to score a stunning opening try to a raucous cheer from the home fans and despite Matty Smith missing with the boot, Wigan led 4-0.

Hull responded and levelled in the seventh minute with some luck as a Jordan Abdull grubber kick bounced kindly for Fatuli Talanoa to ground for a try and similar to Matty Smith, Jordan Rankin missed with the boot with the score at 4-4.

Both sides continued to threaten the opposing defence but Wigan gave Hull a scare in the 25th minute as a superb kick from Sam Powell came achingly close to finding Josh Charnley for a potential try but instead forced Hull to concede a goal-line dropout. The resulting set saw Wigan regain their lead as Anthony Gelling offloaded out wide to wing partner Josh Charnley who evaded two tackles to dive for a try in the corner with Matty Smith converting successfully for 10-4.

Wigan increased their lead on the half-hour mark as a quick play the ball allowed George Williams to cross for a try and Matty Smith improved the effort with a conversion for 16-4.

Hull looked to respond but it was Wigan who crossed for the next score as a stunning run from Sean O'Loughlin saw him offload to Matty Smith who crossed for a rare try under the posts followed by a textbook conversion to make it 22-4 just before the break.

However, Wigan could have gone further ahead just before the hooter as Jordan James found Scott Taylor who went over the try line but knocked on in the process meaning the Warriors held an 18 point lead into the half-time interval.

Hull breathed a sigh of relief just three minutes into the second half as a fine passing set between Jack Hughes and Lewis Tierney saw Josh Charnley knock-on just before the halfway line with a potential dash for a try on the cards. However, the Hull defence were powerless to stop Wigan's next try as a zig-zag run from George Williams saw him cross for a superb try and an equally good conversion from Matty Smith improved the score to 28-4.

The deficit should have been reduced in the 55th minute when a mazy run from Jordan Abdull saw him race towards the Wigan line only to be denied by a try-saving tackle by Josh Charnley right on the try line, which proved costly for Hull as Wigan

George Williams crossed for his hat-trick try in the 61st minute after collecting a kick from Matty Smith who duly added the conversion for a 40-4 lead which meant the Warriors had scored 40 points in both meeting with the Airlie Birds this season.

The game ended as a contest in the 64th minute when a fine run by Dom Manfredi saw him cross for a try that put Wigan over the 700 point mark in the Super League as they became the first team to reach the milestone and Matty Smith converted for a seventh time from eight attempts for 46-4.

Wigan powered forward from the restart and on the final tackle, Anthony Gelling swept what can only be described as an unbelievable kick which sailed across the field and a combination of John Bateman and Liam Farrell saw Dom Manfredi collect the ball and cross for his second try in as many minutes. Matty Smith missed with the boot but Wigan now led by 46 points at 50-4.

Hull reduced the deficit when a nice passing play resulted in Fatuli Talanoa picking out Liam Watts in support who crossed for a try and Jordan Rankin converted to bring the score to 50-10.

Wigan had the last say on the result and in a brilliant way as Scott Taylor crossed for a try after a battling towards the line with several Hull defenders clinging to him but to no avail as he scored Wigan's 10th try of the evening with Matty Smith converting to make the final score 56-10. The huge win ensured that Wigan completed a league double over Hull and as a result moved to the Super League summit. A correct result but a bit off with the 32-12 prediction.

Vikings Shock Neighbouring Wolves
Widnes gained sweet revenge for the Good Friday humiliation they suffered to neighbours Warrington with a 28-14 victory on Friday night.

The Vikings opened the scoring after only 10 minutes when Jack Owens crossed for the evening's first try and Danny Tickle converted successfully for a 6-0 lead, the sides seemed to very strong in defence as the gap remained at just six points until three minutes before the interval. 

Two tries in three minutes from Rhys Hanbury and Paddy Flynn coupled with a single conversion by Danny Tickle gave Widnes a strong 16-0 lead at half-time but Warrington fell even further behind in the 47th minute when Cameron Phelps crossed for the Vikings' fourth try of the game with Danny Tickle converting for a 22-0 lead that became 24-0 when he added a penalty goal six minutes later.

Warrington's response began just two minutes after the penalty goal as Ryan Atkins crossed for a try but a failure to convert from Chris Bridge left them with a 20 point deficit to erase in order to maintain their stunning winning streak.

Chris Bridge made up for his conversion miss with a try in the 58th minute and converted his own effort to bring the score to 24-10 as the Wolves' comeback hopes began to grow but when Jack Owens scored his second try of  the game on the hour, Widnes led 28-10 denting Warrington's comeback drive.

Ben Currie crossed for a try in the 70th minute but another failed conversion attempt from Chris Bridge left them still 14 points behind at 28-14 with only ten minutes to go and Widnes held firm to secure the win and keep themselves in eighth place. An incorrect result and off with the prediction of 18-38.
  
Saints Extend Broncos Woe
St Helens regained top spot in the table with a comfortable 58-16 win away to London who are still without a win after 21 games.

London fell behind after only seven minutes as Mark Percival crossed for the opening try of the game and successfully converted his own effort for a 0-6 lead before the lead increased to 0-12 as Kyle Amor scored for the visitors and Mark Percival converted for a second time.

Jordan Turner crossed for the Saints' third try of the afternoon after only 19 minutes and despite a missed conversion attempt, St Helens led 0-16 but the lead was instantly reduced as James Woodburn-Hall crossed for the hosts and Josh Drinkwater added a conversion for 6-16.

Jordan Turner crossed for his second try of the game in the 24th minute and Mark Percival converted for a third time to regain the 16 point lead at 6-22 before a try from Paul Wellens just after the half-hour mark and a Mark Percival conversion made it 6-28, a score that lasted into the half-time interval.

Saints reached the 30 point mark in the 47th minute as Mark Percival scored his second try of the game but failed to convert as the visitors led 6-32 and London responded well with a try from Will Lovell in the 52nd minute but a miss with the boot from Josh Drinkwater meant a deficit of 22 points.

London scored back-to-back tries as just after the hour mark, Denny Solomona crossed for the hosts with Josh Drinkwater converting to bring the score to 16-32. Saints soon regained their 20 point lead as Matty Dawson scored but a failure to convert put the score at 16-36 with 14 minutes left to play.

London had showed a lot of fight but succumbed to a four try spree in the last 10 minutes as Luke Thompson, Sia Soliola, Anthony Laffranchi all crossed ahead of Matty Dawson's second try with Mark Percival converting three out of four to complete a comfortable 16-58 win. A correct result and perfection on London's 16 points but off with predicting 38 for St Helens.

Dragons End Wildcats Streak
Catalan cemented their place in the top eight with a comfortable 40-6 win over Wakefield which ended the Wildcats unbeaten run under James Webster.

The Dragons looked to have opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Elliot Whitehead crossed for a try but after a video review the effort was chalked off. Catalan did score off their next set as Darryl Millard scored a well-worked try with his score improved by a Sam Williams conversion for 6-0.

Morgan Escaré continued his stunning try-scoring form with an effort in the 16th minute which saw him race through the Wildcats defence to score and despite a failure to convert, Catalan led 10-0.

Elliot Whitehead crossed for a try six minutes later and this time around there was no need for a review as he scored a nice try with his score added to by Sam Williams' conversion for a 16-0 lead but Wakefield were carved open again as Zeb Taia crossed for the hosts four minutes later with Sam Williams converting for a third time for a 22-0 lead.

The reverse meeting between the sides saw Wakefield humiliated the Dragons and at the half-time interval the Dragons looked to be gaining revenge as a second try for  Elliot Whitehead coupled with a Sam Williams conversion made it 28-0.

Catalan breached the 30 point mark just seven minutes into the second half when a stellar run from Morgan Escaré saw him cross for his second score of the evening and after Sam Williams converted successfully, the Dragons led 34-0.

Elliot Whitehead completed his hat-trick just before the hour mark and with Sam Williams converting to bring up the 40 point mark, Wakefield's superb unbeaten run was surely coming to a halt. Wakefield did avoid suffering a nilling as Reece Lyne crossed for a try in the 74th minute with Paul Sykes converting for a final score of 40-6. An incorrect result and a long way off with the prediction of 24-28.

Giants Confirm Bulls Relegation
Bradford travelled to face Huddersfield knowing that only victory would prevent them from being relegated to next season's Championship.

Bradford started the better of the two sides and took the lead in the seventh minute as Luke George crossed for a try against his former club but Jamie Foster's miss with the boot meant a slim 0-4 lead for the Bulls, a lead that lasted only two minutes as Jake Connor crossed for the Giants to level the score. Leroy Cudjoe looked to put the hosts in front but missed with the conversion attempt.

Adam O'Brien regained the lead for the Bulls with a try in the 18th minute and Jamie Foster converted for a 4-10 lead but Ukuma Ta'ai crossed for hosts just four minutes later with Leroy Cudjoe converting for 10-10.

Luke George scored his second effort of the afternoon in the 26th minute and with Jamie Foster converting, the Bulls now led 10-16 but again Huddersfield responded in kind as Luke Robinson scored a try and Leroy Cudjoe converted to level the score at 16-16.

Huddersfield went in front for the first time with two late tries in the first half as Chris Bailey and Jermaine McGillvary crossed for tries with Leroy Cudjoe converting for a 26-16 lead at the interval. Bradford began the second half perfectly as Brett Kearney crossed for the first try of the half after only two minutes and despite Jamie Foster's conversion attempt hitting the post, the Bulls were just a single score behind.

However, Huddersfield regained their 10 point lead when Brett Ferres scored in the 48th minute and with Leroy Cudjoe converting for a 32-20 score, the Bulls stay as a Super League club was beginning to slip.

Joe Wardle made the Bulls task even harder when he crossed for a try just after the hour mark and with Leroy Cudjoe converting for a 18 point lead at 38-20, Bradford needed a huge comeback to keep the threat of relegation at bay.

Bradford's hopes all but ended when Jermaine McGillvary scored twice in the space of eight minutes and with Leroy Cudjoe converting once from two attempts, Huddersfield led 48-20 with just six minutes remaining. 

The travelling Bulls fans continued to cheer their team on and it paid off when Brett Kearney crossed for his second try of the game with four minutes to go and with Jamie Foster's conversion, Bradford reduced the deficit to 48-26.

However, Ukuma Ta'ai crossed for his second effort of the game in the final minute and despite Leroy Cudjoe's failure to convert, Huddersfield secured a 52-26 win and confirmed Bradford's relegation to the Championship. A correct result but off with the prediction of 32-20.

Red Devils Secure Win Over Robins
Salford travelled to face Hull KR knowing a win would guarantee their Super League status for 2015 and also boost their hopes of securing a play-off place.

The Robins took the lead in the 20th minute as Josh Hodgson crossed for the first try of the afternoon and with Travis Burns converting, they led 6-0 but Salford responded well with a try from Mason Caton-Brown in the 28th minute but a missed conversion attempt from Josh Griffin meant they trailed 6-4.

Hull KR increased their lead to eight points at 12-4 as Craig Hall crossed for a try and Travis Burns converted for a second time with six minutes to go before the interval.

Two tries in the space of four minutes from Niall Evalds and Junior Sa'u both converted by Josh Griffin saw Salford go in front at 12-16 before Josh Griffin claimed a try of his own in the 56th minute before converting his own effort for 12-22.

Hull KR's hopes of a comeback suffered a blow when Travis Burns was sin-binned after a reacting to an apparent shoulder charge from Tommy Lee and Salford took advantage as Theo Fages crossed for a try in the 61st minute with Josh Griffin adding the conversion for 12-28.

Josh Griffin scored his second try of the afternoon just eight minutes later and converted his own effort to bring his personal tally to 18 points at 12-34 but he was unable to reach 20 points as after Greg Johnson had crossed for a try in the 71st minute, the conversion attempt missed with the score at 12-38.

Hull KR had the last say as Michael Weyman crossed for a try with two minutes remaining and having returned from the sin-bin, Travis Burns converted for final score of 18-38. An incorrect result and prediction of 25-22.