2019 Super League Round Nine Review

Round nine began with Hull Kingston Rovers ending an eight year wait as they claimed a 45-26 home win over Leeds Rhinos on Thursday night.

Rovers raced into an 18-0 lead inside 20 minutes as Tommy Lee, ex-Rhinos back Danny McGuire and Will Oakes all crossed with Craig Hall converting twice and adding a penalty goal. Leeds hit back through Konrad Hurrell with Liam Sutcliffe converting for 18-6 before Rovers resumed their control with another ex-Rhino scoring, Mitch Garbutt touching down ahead of a Junior Vaivai try, Hall improving both for 30-6.

Hurrell claimed his second try of the evening four minutes before half-time with McGuire's drop goal on the hooter sending Rovers into the interval leading 31-10. Leeds staged a comeback in the second half with Brad Singleton crossing on 50 minutes before a Hurrell hat-trick try on the hour and with Sutcliffe kicking both the gap was 31-22.

Hall kicked a penalty goal for 33-22 before a Josh Drinkwater try on 70 minutes made it 37-22. Leeds had hopes of a frantic finish as Hurrell claimed his fourth try for 37-26 but a third Hall penalty goal and last-gasp Ben Crooks try saw Hall successful for an eighth time to wrap up a huge 45-26 win.

In attendance on Friday night at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle as Castleford Tigers came from behind to claim a 38-28 win over Wigan Warriors. A superb start by the Warriors saw Joe Greenwood, Oliver Gildart and George Williams all crossing for tries with ex-Tigers back Zak Hardaker converting only the latter for 14-0. Joe Burgess increased the lead further with a try which Hardaker improved for 24-0 before Oliver Holmes touched down to make it 24-4.

Gildart claimed his second try for the Warriors before Callum Turner went over for the hosts to make it 24-8 into the interval. The Tigers staged a superb comeback after the interval as Mitch Clark, Matt Cook and Adam Milner all touched down with Peter Mata'utia converting the lot for a 26-24 advantage. Wigan regained the lead with a second Burgess try at 28-26 before a late score from Tuoyo Egodo saw Mata'utia convert before wrapping up the win with a last-gasp self-converted try for 38-28.

A tight game at the Mobile Rocket Stadium saw Wakefield Trinity edge a 17-16 win over Huddersfield Giants. Trinity struck first through Recce Lyne for 4-0 before Jermaine McGillvary levelled for 4-4. Oliver Russell's penalty goal put the Giants 6-4 ahead before Darnell McIntosh's try on 32 minutes sent the visitors into the interval leading 10-4.

David Fifita's try after the hour saw Danny Brough convert for 10 all before Hudds went ahead again with ten minutes to go, McIntosh claiming his second score and Russell kicking for 16-10. Wakefield levelled with Fifita's second try which Brough converted for 16 all before the ex-Hudds back haunted his former club further with a match-winning drop goal two minutes later for 17-16.

Warrington Wolves continued their great start with a 48-12 home win over London Broncos. The Wolves struck first with Tom Lineham crossing for 4-0 before Josh Charnley, Blake Austin and Jason Clark added tries which saw Stefan Ratchford convert twice for a 20-0 half-time advantage.

London cut the gap with a Nathan Mason try which Kieran Dixon converted for 20-6 before three tries in four minutes from Ratchford, Atkins and Austin saw Ratchford convert all but his own for 36-6 before another London try from Matty Gee saw Dixon kick for 36-12. The Wolves wrapped up the win with two tries from Lineham as he completed his hat-trick late on with Ratchford converting for a sixth time for 48-12

Saturday evening saw St Helens perfect start ended in an 18-10 defeat at Catalans Dragons. The Saints raced out of the blocks with Dom Peyroux crossing and Lachlan Coote converting for 6-0 inside four minutes. Catalans levelled within three minutes as Fouad Yaha touched down with Sam Tomkins converting for 6 all. Tommy Makinson restored Saints' lead with a 25th minute try for 10-6 before Tomkins sent the Dragons into the interval level at 10 all after a 33rd minute try.

The Dragons took the lead three minutes after the restart with a Tomkins penalty goal for 12-10 before Tony Gigot's 74th minute try and Tomkins' conversion made it 18-10 and handed Saints their first defeat of the season.

The round ended on Sunday with Salford Red Devils suffering a 23-16 defeat to Hull FC. The visitors struck first through former Salford back Josh Griffin with fellow ex- Red Devil Marc Sneyd converting before adding a penalty goal six minutes later for 8-0. Salford responded with a Josh Jones try which Ed Chamberlain converted for 8-6 before Sneyd added a second penalty goal before the interval for a 10-6 half-time advantage.

Griffin completed his hat-trick with two tries in four minutes with Sneyd adding a conversion for 20-6 before Niall Evalds try before the hour made it 20-10. Sneyd added another penalty goal for 22-10 before Salford cut the gap again through Jackson Hastings, Chamberlain kicking for 22-16. FC wrapped up the win three minutes later with a Sneyd drop goal for 23-16.