Super League Play Offs/Million Pound Game/Grand Final Reviews

The 2017 season came to and end with the final three sets of games, the Play off semis, Million Pound Game and Super League Grand Final.

The Play Offs began with an epic Thursday night game as Castleford Tigers claimed a 23-22 win over St Helens.

Cas made the perfect start as Zak Hardaker crossed inside the first minute with Luke Gale converting for a 6-0 lead that he extended to 8-0 with a penalty goal. Regan Grace cut the gap on 16 minutes for 8-4 with Saints leading into half-time after a Morgan Knowles try and Mark Percival conversion for 8-10.

The Tigers regained the lead with quick efforts from Gale and Adam Milner with the former converting both for 20-10. Saints staged a late fightback with Tommy Makinson, Percival and Luke Morgan crossing for 20-22. 

However, Saints were to be denied a clear win as Gale kicked a penalty in the final seconds for 22-22 and forcing 'Golden Point'. The hosts were to be the victors as Gale swept over a drop goal six minutes into the extra period to send the Tigers to Old Trafford for the first time. 


Leeds Rhinos ended hopes of a new winner of the SL title being guaranteed as they edged past Hull FC with an 18-16 win.

The Rhinos struck first as Stevie Ward crossed inside five minutes with Kallum Watkins converting before improving an effort from Anthony Mullally for 12-0.  Hull cut the gap to 12-6 with a try from the retiring Gareth Ellis which Marc Sneyd converted. 

Five minutes after the interval, FC cut the gap further with an effort from Mahe Fonua before going ahead nine minutes later with Sika Manu's try which Sneyd converted for 12-18. Leeds secured the win and a place at Old Trafford with a try from Liam Sutcliffe with Watkins converting for 18-16.


The battle to secure Super League survival saw Catalans Dragons retain their Super League spot with a 26-10 win over Leigh Centurions in the Million Pound Game.

Leigh struck first with Matty Dawson crossing inside eight minutes with Ben Renyolds converting for 6-0. The Dragons got off the mark five minutes before half-time with an Iain Thornley try for 6-4.The Centurions moved into a 10-4 advantage as James Clare went over but the Dragons soon came back with a nine minute brace from Lewis Tierney, Walsh converting twice for 10-18.

Walsh added two penalty goals before Fouad Yaha rounded off the win four minutes from the end to secure survival for the Dragons and relegate the Centurions to the Championship.


The season final from Old Trafford saw Leeds Rhinos claim an eighth title with a convincing 24-6 win over League Leaders Shield winner Castleford Tigers.  

A great start for the Rhinos saw Tom Briscoe open the scoring on 11 minutes with Kallum Watkins converting for 0-6. A closely fought first half saw just one further score as Danny McGuire kicked a last-gasp drop goal for 0-7 lead.

Two scores in eight minutes saw McGuire cross ahead of a second score from Briscoe with Watkins adding a conversion for 0-17. The win was safe for the Rhinos as McGuire crossed for his second try with Watkins converting for 0-23.

McGuire kicking a second drop goal with just three minutes to go for 0-24 left Castleford with little time to avoid becoming the first side nilled in the showpiece final. The unwanted record was avoided in the final seconds as Alex Foster crossed and Luke Gale converted for 6-24.

The Qualifiers Round Seven Review

The Qualifiers came to an end in round seven with the final place in Super League still undecided as was the team who would face Leigh Centurions in the Million Pound Game.

Leigh Centurions prepared for the Million Pound Game with a comfortable 41-4 win at London Broncos. The Centurions struck first through Matty Fleming inside 13 minutes with Ben Renyolds converting for 0-6 before improving a Harrison Hansen effort for 0-12 in a close first half.

Sam Hopkins extended the lead two minutes after the restart with Renyolds kicking for 0-18 and the visitors were in control at the hour after James Clare's try made it 0-22. London got on the board with a Matty Gee try for 4-22. 

Leigh wrapped up the win with a flurry of late scores as Renyolds scored a self-converted try before improving efforts from Antoni Maria and Josh Drinkwater for 4-40. Drinkwater rounded off the rout with a drop goal in the final minute. 

Warrington Wolves completed a perfect Qualifiers campaign with seven wins after a 46-24 victory over Hull Kingston Rovers. 

The Robins struck first with Will Oakes crossing inside five minutes with Jamie Ellis kicking them into a 0-6 lead. Ben Pomeroy cut the gap to 4-6 with a try on 19 minutes but a three minute brace from Ryan Shaw saw Ellis convert both for a 4-18 advantage. Stefan Ratchford cut the gap with Harvey Livett converting for 10-18 before he improved a late effort from Brad Dwyer for 16-18 into the interval.

The Wolves completed the comeback nine minutes after the interval through Andre Savelio with a second score from Pomeroy four minutes later, Livett converting once for 26-18. KR cut the gap to 26-24 as Ellis converted a second score from Oakes. Warrington secured the victory with a second Savelio try ahead of effort from Peta Hiku, Ben Currie and Livett with Livett and Gidley adding conversions.  

 

The battle to avoid the Million Pound Game saw Widnes Vikings secure a 12-10 win over Catalans Dragons to retain their Super League status and leave the Dragons to battle with Leigh for the final Super League spot. 

Catalans opened the scoring inside seven minutes as Luke Walsh kicked a penalty goal for 2-0 before Tom Gilmore drew the Vikings level with a 23rd minute penalty goal. Gilmore gave the Vikings a 2-4 lead five minutes later with another penalty but Walsh replied for a 4-4 score into half-time.

The first try of the game came on 54 minutes as Corey Thompson crossed for 4-8 ahead of a Stefan Marsh try for 4-12. Catalans set up a frantic finish with a Julian Bousquet try which Walsh converted for 10-12. Catalans had the chance to level late on with a penalty which would have secured home advantage in the MPG but chose to run the play and in failing to score fell to a defeat that left them needing to win the MPG to retain Super League status.  

 

The final game of the round saw a first ever Qualifiers win for Featherstone Rovers as they claimed a 26-20 win over Halifax.

Fev struck first with a John Davies try which Ian Hardman converted for 0-6 before he kicked a 23rd minute penalty for a 0-8 advantage. Fax got off the mark three minutes before the interval as Ben Kaye crossed and Steve Tyrer converted for 6-8. 

Fev reached double figures with Luke Briscoe crossing three minutes after the restart, Hardman converting for 6-14. Mitch Calahane replied within two minutes with a try which Tyrer converted for 12-14. Two scores in eight minutes from Frankie Mariano and Misi Taulapapa saw Hardman convert for a 12-26 advantage. Halifax came close to a superb comeback with Rob Worrincy and Ben Heaton going over but missed conversions left the gap at six points as the game came to an end.

Super 8s Round Seven Review

The final round of the Super League Super 8s saw the top four completed ahead of the semi finals.

The round opened with St Helens all but securing a top four spot with a 30-4 win at Salford Red Devils. 

Salford struck first with a Niall Evalds try inside four minutes before Mark Percival crossed to level at 4-4. Alex Walmsley put Saints ahead with Percival converting ahead of kicking a penalty after the hosts had Ryan Lannon dismissed, 4-12 at the interval.

Saints were in control just after the hour with Zeb Taia's which Percival converted for 4-18 ahead of a second score from Walmsley and late try from Ben Barba with Percival converting both.

 

Hull FC wrapped up a top four finish with a 48-16 win over a much changed Castleford Tigers.

FC went ahead inside nine minutes with an Albert Kelly try which Marc Sneyd converted for 0-6 before Jake Connor crossed for 0-10. Danny Houghton (Sneyd conv) extended the lead to 0-16 before the Tigers got off the mark with a debut try from Tuoyo Egodo with Paul McShane converting for 6-16. FC went into the interval in control after a Jamie Shaul try and second score from Connor with Sneyd converting both for 6-28.

Two tries in four minutes from Egodo saw him complete his hat-trick with a single conversion from McShane closing the gap to 16-28. FC resumed control though with Connor completing his hat-trick ahead of a Carlos Tuimavave score with Sneyd converting both and kicking a penalty in-between for 16-42. Shaul rounded off the scoring with his second try on 70 minutes with Sneyd kicking his eighth success of the game. 


Leeds Rhinos prepared for the semi-finals with a 36-12 derby win at Huddersfield Giants. 

A rapid start from the Rhinos saw a self-converted try from Kallum Watkins inside three minutes before Danny McGuire crossed for 0-10. Jimmy Keinhorst extended the lead with Watkins converting for a 0-16 lead that as quickly cut by a Michael Lawrence try which Danny Brough converted for 6-16. 

Leeds took full control with two tries in four minutes ahead of the hour mark, McGuire's second and an Anthony Mullally try with Watkins converting both ahead of adding a penalty for 6-30. Hudds reached double figures as Ryan Hinchciffe crossed with Brough kicking for 2-30. The Rhinos had the last say as Rob Burrow crossed ten minutes from the end with Watkins converting. 


The round ended with Wigan Warriors needing a huge win at Wakefield Trinity to reach the top four, Trinity eased to a 32-0 win to claim fifth spot.

Ben Jones-Bishop got Trinity going with a 16th minute try which Liam Finn converted for a 6-0 lead that became 12-0 when Jacob Miller went over with Finn converting. 

Wigan fell further behind to a Finn penalty before he improved Sam Williams' 60th minute try for 20-0. A miserable afternoon for the Warriors was completed by scores from Scott Grix and Keegan Hirst with Finn kicking both conversions to hand Wigan a first nilling in 2017.