2019 Super League Round 22 Review

Round 22 began with a game of two halves at the KCOM Stadium as Hull FC held on to win 35-22 over London Broncos. FC flew out of the blocks with Carlos Tuimavave and BureFaraimo crossing inside eight minutes with Marc Sneyd converting for a 12-0 lead that soon became 28-0 with rapid scores from Joe Westerman, Jake Connor and Josh Griffin coupled with two conversions from Sneyd. The hosts would lead 34-0 into the interval as Ratu Naulago raced over with Sneyd converting.

London's response was spectacular as they took just five minutes of the second half to cut the gap, Matty Fleming crossing and Kieran Dixon converting for 34-6. The Broncos' comeback grew with Jordan Abdull and Sadiq Adebiyi going over with a Dixon conversion cutting the deficit to 34-16. FC avoided a second half nilling with a 72nd minute Sneyd drop goal but it was London who ended the scoring with a second Adebiyi score which Dixon kicked for a 35-22 final score.

In attendance on Friday night as St Helens claimed a 32-10 derby win over Wigan Warriors at the Totally Wicked Stadium. Wigan struck first with a Zak Hardaker penalty for 2-0 before Lachlan Coote levelled with a penalty for 2-2 on nine minutes. Saints edged ahead with a Tommy Makinson try for 6-2 but Wigan hit back with another Hardaker penalty for 6-4. A second Makinson try and Coote conversion meant Saints led 12-4 into the interval.

Saints took control with a self-converted try from Coote before he improved scores from Kevin Naiqama and Jonny Lomax either side of adding a penalty goal for 32-4. Wigan had the final say on the evening with a self-converted score from Hardaker for 32-10.

The evening's televised action saw a battle at the bottom with Hull Kingston Rovers easing to a 32-16 win at Leeds Rhinos. The Robins struck first with ex-Rhinos forward Matt Parcell crossing inside eight minutes for 4-0 before Kane Linnett and Adam Quinlan went over and Josh Drinkwater converted the latter for 14-0. Leeds hit back with rapid tries from Brad Dwyer and Liam Sutcliffe to cut the gap to 14-8 into the interval.

A Harvey Livett try was followed by Linnett's second with Craig Hall adding a penalty goal and converting the former for 26-8. Leeds fought back with scores from Konrad Hurrell and Rhyse Martin but it was the Robins who had the last say with Hall crossing and converting for a 32-16 final score.

Huddersfield Giants' mixed form continued with a narrow 32-28 loss to Catalans Dragons at the John Smith's Stadium. An early self-converted brace from Sam Tomkins gave the Dragons a 12-0 advantage. Louis Senior crossed with Jake Wardle converting for 12-6 before Brayden Wiliame crossed for 16-6 with Tomkins completing his hat-trick with another try and goal for 22-6.A self-converted score from Wardle cut the gap to 22-12 into the interval.

A seven minute brace from former Giants back Jodie Broughton saw Tomkins convert the latter for 32-12. The Giants cut the gap with scores from Darnell McIntosh and Lee Gaskell before Senior claimed his second score late on and with Wardle reaching four successes with the boot, Hudds narrowly lost out 32-28.

Wakefield Trinity's horror run was extended by a 36-16 city derby loss to Castleford Tigers. After a scoreless first quarter, Trinity opened the scoring with a Danny Brough penalty goal before he improved a Kyle Wood try two minutes later for 8-0. The Tigers hit back as Tuoyo Egodo crossed but another Brough penalty made it 10-4 to the hosts who saw the gap cut just before the interval by an Oliver Holmes try for 10-8.

Cas went ahead for the first time five minutes after the restart with James Clare going over out wide and Peter Mata'utia converting for 14-10. The lead became 20-10 before the hour mark with a Jordan Rankin score which Mata'utia improved. Wakefield hit back with a self-converted try from Brough for 20-16 but to no avail as Clare completed his hat-trick ahead of a second score for Rankin with Mata'utia kicking twice to wrap up a 36-16 victory.

Warrington Wolves' hopes of cutting the gap at the top were dented by a 22-12 home loss to Salford Red Devils. The visitors struck first with Ryan Lannon crossing inside four minutes, Krisnan Inu converting for a 6-0 lead that was cut on 25 minutes by Jason Clark's try which saw Declan Patton level with the conversion. Salford opened up a narrow lead into the interval as Inu kicked a penalty for 8-6.

A brace of tries and conversion from Inu followed a Kris Welham score as Salford moved to 22-6. Warrington had the last say with a Matt Davis try after the hour and Patton conversion for a 22-12 final score.