2021 Super League Round Five Review

After some clubs had their first official home game of the season last week, others finally had that chance in Super League Round Five. 

Warriors Win Halts Hull

The round opened at the DW Stadium on Thursday night as Wigan Warriors extended their unbeaten run with a 16-14 win that ended the run of Hull FC.  Wigan struck first with Jackson Hastings crossing and Zak Hardaker converting for a 6-0 lead that was levelled by an Adam Swift try and Marc Sneyd conversion for 6 all. Sneyd put FC 8-6 ahead with a penalty goal but Wigan restored the lead with a Liam Farrell try to go into the interval at 10-8.

Hull fought back with Mahe Fonua crossing for 12-10 within five minutes of the restart and a Sneyd penalty goal made it 14-10. Wigan drew level just before the hour mark as Jake Bibby crossed and the Warriors completed the comeback with Hardaker's penalty goal sealing the 16-14 win. 

Leigh Losing Run Extended By Saints

St Helens remain in top spot after denying a winning home start for Leigh Centurions in a 22-12 victory. Saints opened the scoring with a try from Sione Mata'utia which Lachlan Coote converted for 6-0. The first half proved to be a close one as just one more score arrived before the interval with Matt Russell crossing and Ben Renyolds converting for 6 all. 

Saints regained the lead with a self-converted score from Coote before he improved an effort from Jack Welsby for 18-6 but Leigh hit back instantly as Anthony Gelling intercepted near his own line and raced clear to score, Renyolds converting to cut the gap to 18-12. Leigh pushed to level but to no avail as just one more score in the game came and it went to Saints with Kevin Naiqama crossing to wrap up the 22-12 win. 

Dragons Delight In Trinity Trip

Catalans Dragons returned to winning ways with a 38-18 win away to Wakefield Trinity. The Dragons struck first through Tom Davies for 4-0 before Oli Ashall-Bott levelled for the hosts with Mason Lino converting for a 6-4 advantage. Catalans regained the lead with Mike McMeeken crossing ahead of a second try for Davies, Maloney converting for 16-6 but Wakefield hit back with Max Jowitt touching down and Lino kicking for 18-12.

The half ended with Dean Whare going over for 20-12 but Wakefield continued to battle after the interval and with Reece Lyne crossing and Lino converting the try, they cut the gap to 20-18. Catalans resumed control of the scoring with Whare claiming his second score ahead of Davies completing his hat-trick late on with Maloney converting both but there was one last say in the final seconds as Samisoni Langi touched down with Maloney converting to complete the 38-18 win. 

Salford Stutter As Tigers Triumph

Salford Red Devils' mixed start to the season continued as they lost out 28-18 to Castleford Tigers at the AJ Bell Stadium. The Tigers opened the scoring inside six minutes with Greg Eden crossing and Danny Richardson converting for a 6-0 lead that was quickly cancelled out by the hosts as Kevin Brown and Andy Ackers both went in with Harvey Livett converting twice for 12-6. Cas battled back to level through Liam Watts' try which Richardson converted before putting them 14-12 ahead with a penalty goal just before the interval. 

Cas took control after the break with Cheyse Blair crossing within two minutes of the restart and Richardson converting before adding a penalty goal for 22-12 on the hour. He stepped up again a minute later to improve a try from Jake Trueman to surely confirm the win but Salford narrowed the gap to 28-18 in the final eight minutes after Tui Lolohea touched down and Brown converted. 

Wolves Rally Past Robins

Saturday's action saw Warrington Wolves secure a 50-26 win over Hull Kingston Rovers at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. The Robins opened the scoring with Shaun Kenny-Dowall's fourth minute try which Jordan Abdull converted for 6-0 but they were quickly pegged back by a Toby King score which Stefan Ratchford converted to level at 6 all. The sides exchanged scores again with Ben Currie (Ratchford conv) and Ryan Hall (Abdull conv) making it 12 all.

A penalty goal and try from Abdull gave the Robins an 18-12 lead into the interval but Wire battled back with a second Currie score followed by Greg Inglis' first try for the club for 22-18. KR levelled with a second score from Hall before Wire took control with efforts from Daryl Clark, Jake Mamo and Josh Charnley (Ratchford convs) to open up a huge 40-22 lead. Kane Linnett cut the gap to 40-26 before a second Charnley try followed Danny Walker's effort as the hosts wrapped up the 50-26 victory. 

Giants Glory While Rhinos Rue

The final game of the round saw Huddersfield Giants edge past Leeds Rhinos with a 14-13 win at the John Smith's Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Leeds struck first with a Bodene Thompson try for 4-0 before Aidan Sezer scored two self-converted tries either side of the interval to make it 12-4. 

Ash Handley crossed for the Rhinos with Rhyse Martin converting before adding a penalty goal to level at 12 all on the hour mark. The game became a drop-goal-a-thon from there with Liam Sutcliffe kicking for 13-12 to Leeds and Sezer levelling at 13 all. The crucial kick came right at the end as Lee Gaskell swept over a drop goal to complete an epic 14-13 win for the Giants.