My 2021 Academy Attendances

After a return to attending began in May with the Super League, both the Women's and the Academy had to wait to welcome fans, the Women's is covered in the round reviews but Academy wise, just two attendances this season.

Hull KR (H)

Bradford Bulls (H)

2021 Women's Super League Play-Off/Shield Semi Finals & Grand Finals (Catch-Up)

The catch-up of the 2021 Women's Super League season culminates in this post with the semi finals and Grand Finals of both the Play-Offs and Shield. 

Super Saints Crush Castleford 

St Helens cruised into the Super League Play-Offs Grand Final after a 58-0 hammering of Castleford Tigers Women at the Totally Wicked Stadium. The hosts stormed into a 20-0 lad inside the opening 24 minutes with Carrie Roberts, Paige Travis, Tara Jones, Jodie Cunningham and Leah Burke all crossing for tries. The lead became 32-0 into the interval as Cunningham struck for a second time and Channy Crowl touched down with Zoe Harris converting twice.

Braces for Jones, Travis and Burke came before the hour mark with Harris converting all but the latter score for 48-0 before she improved an effort from Dani Bush on 72 minutes with Burke completing her hat-trick in the final minutes to round off the 58-0 rout. 

Rhinos Edge Out City Knights 

Leeds Rhinos Women sealed a spot in the Play-Offs Grand Final with a 22-18 win over York City Knights Ladies at the Totally Wicked Stadium. York started the better of the two sides with Olivia Wood crossing inside three minutes and Emma Hardy converting for 6-0 before adding a try of her own for 10-0. Leeds hot back with Tasha Gaines crossing for 10-4 before Kelsey Gentles went in for York on the half hour mark to ensure a lead of 14-4 into the interval.

Leeds were level by the hour mark as a self converted try from Courtney Winfield-Hill cut the gap to 14-10 before Sophie Nuttall's effort made it 14-14. The Rhinos completed the turnaround on 64 minutes with Nuttall crossing for her second try with Winfield-Hill converting to put them ahead for the first time at 20-14. York cut the gap to 20-18 with Hardy going in for her second try but it was the Rhinos who celebrated overall with Winfield-Hill adding a penalty goal on 74 minutes to wrap up a 22-18 victory. 

Rovers Rally Past Battling Bulls

Featherstone Rovers Ladies sealed a spot in the Shield Grand Final with a 30-12 win over Bradford Bulls Women at the Millennium Stadium. Rovers struck first with Brogan Kennedy crossing for 4-0 before Bailey Alexander touched down to level at 4-4. Hannah Donald went over to put the Bulls 8-4 ahead and the lead remained into the interval. 

Fev hit back ten minutes after the restart as Brogan Churm crossed and Katie Hepworth converted for 10-8 before a second try from Kennedy extended the lead to 14-8. Bradford cut the gap with a Sarah Dunn effort for 14-12 but on the hour mark, Fev restored a two score advantage with an Olivia Grace try and Hepworth conversion for 20-12. Hepworth added a penalty goal before a momentous score rounded off the afternoon as Rovers veteran Andrea Dobson crossed in her final home game before retirement with Hepworth confirming the win with a conversion for a 30-12 final score. 

Giants Glory Against Wolves

Huddersfield Giants Women secured a spot in Shield final with a Golden Point Extra Time victory of 30-26 against Warrington Wolves Women. The Wolves truck first with a Michelle Davis try for 4-0 before improving a score from Georgia Sutherland to make it 10-0. Ellie Jelves crossed to extend the lead to 14-0 before Hudds got off the mark with a Rachael Barker try which Frankie Townend converted for 14-6 into the interval.

Warrington restored their three score lead with 44 minutes played as Sutherland crossed for a second time with Davis kicking for 20-6 but Hudds soon battled back to 20-16 with scores from Bethan Oates and Ellie Thompson coupled with a conversion from Townend. The Wolves looked to have sealed the win with a Georgia Westwood try (Davis conv) to make it 26-16 with nine minutes remaining but Hudds had other ideas as Amelia Brown crossed twice in three minutes with Townend converting only the latter to force Golden Point Extra Time. The comeback was complete for the Giants on 93 minutes as Erin Stott crossed to seal an historic 30-26 win. 

Hudds Hurrah As Rovers Rue

Huddersfield Giants Women capped off a superb season with a narrow 24-22 over Featherstone Rovers Ladies in the Shield Grand Final, which at the time of writing meant they were placed in the higher tier of the 2022 Women's Super League. The Giants opened the scoring with a self-converted try from Frankie Townend for a 6-0 lead before Chloe Billington crossed to cut the gap to 6-4. The two sides exchanged scores as Bridget Campbell (Townend conv) crossed for Hudds and Olivia Grace went over for Fev with Katie Hepworth kicking for 12-10 into the interval.

Brogan Churm (Hepworth conv) crossed within four minutes of the restart to put Rovers ahead at 16-12 before a rapid brace from Amelia Brown saw Townend convert both for a 24-16 lead for the Giants just before the hour mark. Churm claimed her second try on 63 minutes which Hepworth converted to close the gap to 24-22 but the Giants held on to the narrow lead to claim the Shield. 

Super Saints Seal Treble Triumph

St Helens Women stormed to a 28-0 victory against Leeds Rhinos Women in the Play-Offs Grand Final to complete an historic treble having won the League Leaders Shield and Challenge Cup earlier in the season. Saints suffered an early blow with the sinbinning of Jodie Cunningham inside ten minutes before opening the scoring on 20 minutes through Leah Burke for 4-0. Cunningham crossed just before half-time with Beth Stott kicking for a 10-0 lead into the interval. 

Burke claimed her second try before Amy Hardcastle raced over on the hour mark to push the lead to 18-0 and with Zoe Harris (Stott conv) and Dani Bush crossing, Saints wrapped up a 28-0 victory to complete the clean sweep.

2021 Womens Super League Shield & Play-Offs Round Five (Catch-up)

The 2021 Women's Super League entered the final round of the split with Round 5 of both the Shield and Play-Offs.

Rovers Rally Past Wolves

Featherstone Rovers Ladies continued their good form with a 34-18 win over Warrington Wolves Women at Victoria Park. Rovers raced into an 18-0 lead with tries from Brogan Kennedy, Gabbi Harrison and Andrea Dobson with Katie Hepworth converting the lot. Warrington cur the gap with a couple of tries (scorers unknown) which Michelle Davis converted for 18-12 before Grace Dyke touched down to give Rovers a 22-12 lead into the interval.

Sadly, updates were limited in the second half aside from the news Featherstone scored two tries which Hepworth converted and the Wolves one score and a Davis conversion for a 34-18 final score. 

Brilliant Bulls Trounce Trinity

Bradford Bulls Women sealed a semi-final spot with a 46-6 win over Wakefield Trinity Ladies at Odsal. The Bulls flew out of the blocks with a self-converted try from Sarah Dunn, efforts from Kacy Haley, Millie Taylor and Linda McLean with Dunn adding a conversion for a 20-0 lead after 25 minutes. The spree continued with Dani Bose and Cara Cookland both going over for tries which opened up a 28-0 lead into the interval.

McLean claimed her second try within two minutes of the restart before Bose struck twice in three minutes to complete her hat-trick for a 40-0 advantage. Wakefield got off the mark in the final ten minutes as Abby Price crossed and converted for 40-6 but the final say went to the Bulls as Haley claimed her second try of the evening with Dnnn converting for a 46-6 final score. 

City Knights Topple Tigers 

York City Knights Ladies wrapped up up a semi-final spot as they won 28-14 against Castleford Tigers Women at the LNER Community Stadium. The hosts opened up a 12-0 lead with tries from Olivia Wood and ex-Tigers back Kelsey Gentles which Emma Hardy converted. Castleford replied with Jasmine Cudjoe crossing and Courtney Pursglove converting to cut the gap to 12-6, a score line which lasted into the interval. 

A self-converted try from Hardy opened the scoring for the second half to make it 18-6 before another ex-Tiger in Tamzin Renouf crossed for a try which Hardy improved for a 24-6 lead. Castleford remained in hope with a Shona Hoyle effort cutting the gap to 24-10 but the win was confirmed for the City Knights on 71 minutes as Savannah Andrade went over for 28-10. The Tigers did have the final say though with Pursglove crossing in the 77th minute for a 28-14 final score.

Saints Seal LLS Against Warriors

St Helens Women wrapped up the League Leaders Shield with a 52-0 derby demolition of Wigan Warriors Women at the Totally Wicked Stadium. The Saints opened the scoring inside two minutes as Carrie Roberts crossed for 2-0 before Rachel Woosey extended the lead to 8-0 with a 10th minute effort. The hosts led 14-0 into the interval as Roberts claimed her second try and Beth Stott converted. 

Saints dominated in the second half with efforts from Paige Travis and Alice Sandham either side of a second score from Woosey with Stott converting the lot for 32-0 before the hour mark. Leah Burke crossed for 36-0 before a brace from Amy Hardcastle sandwiched a Naomi Williams try with Stott converting twice to wrap up a huge 52-0 win that put Saints just two wins away from an historic treble. Highlights of the action can be seen here. 

2021 Super League Play-Off Semi Finals / Grand Final (Catch-Up)

The 2021 Super League season came to an end with two hard fought semi's finals an historic Grand Final. 

Dragons Delight Halts Hull KR Hopes

Catalans Dragons reached their first ever Super League Grand Final after winning 28-10 against Hull Kingston Rovers at Stade Gilbert Brutus. The Dragons struck first with Ben Garcia crossing inside nine minutes with James Maloney converting for a 6-0 lead that became 12-0 on the half-hour with Josh Drinkwater's try which Maloney improved. KR gave themselves hope before half-time though as Shaun Kenny-Dowall touched down for 12-4 into the interval.

However, Catalans wasted no time in regaining control as Arthur Morgue crossed within a minute of the restart for 16-4 before Fouad Yaha made it 20-4 with a try on the hour mark. Joe Chan looked to have ended any hopes for the visitors as he crossed for a try which Maloney converted for 26-4 but the Robins did hit back though Ryan Hall with Abdull converting for 26-10. The win and the historic spot in the GF were wrapped up late on by Maloney's penalty for 28-10.

Stellar Saints Rout Rhinos

St Helens sealed a third consecutive Grand Final spot with a comfortable 36-8 win over Leeds Rhinos at the Totally Wicked Stadium. The hosts stormed into a 14-0 lead inside 25 minutes as Regan Grace and James Roby crossed for tries which saw Lachlan Coote improve the latter after a brace of penalty goals. Leeds cut the gap just before the break with Richie Myler touching down to ensure they held hop at 16-4 into the interval.

The Saints spree resumed in the second half with Mark Percival and Kevin Naiqama both crossing and Coote converting the latter for 24-4. Leeds cut the gap with a Luke Briscoe try for 24-8 but it proved to be their final say on the score as Percival and Grace claimed their second tries of the evening with Coote converting bot to wrap up the 36-8 victory. 

Dragons Denied As Saints Seal Historic Threepeat

St Helens sealed a 'Three-peat' as they claimed a third consecutive Super League title with a narrow 12-8 win over Catalans Dragons at Old Trafford. 

The Dragons began the showpiece final the better by taking a 2-0 lead thanks to a James Maloney penalty goal inside ten minutes. St Helens took just four minutes to respond as Kevin Naiqama crossed for 4-2 before Lachlan Coote extended their lead to 6-2 with a penalty goal. Maloney replied with a penalty goal to cut the gap to just two points making it 6-4 at the interval. 

Catalans regained the lead with a Mike McMeeken try and Maloney conversion on 50 minutes to go 10-6 ahead but their hopes of a first SL title were denied by Naiqama's second try and Coote's conversion which made it 12-10 and the narrow lead proved to be enough to hold on for the win and a third successive Super League Grand Final triumph.

2021 Super League Round 25/Play-Off Eliminators (Catch-Up)

The Super League regular season ended with Round 25 and is joined in this update by the Play-Off Eliminators.

Wolves Topple Tigers 

Warrington Wolves continued their good form with a 40-24 win over Castleford Tigers at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle.  A rapid start from the Wolves saw them open up a 12-0 lead inside eight minutes as Matty Ashton and Jake Mamo both crossed for tries which were converted by Stefan Ratchford. The duo struck again either side of the half hour mark after Ratchford kicked a penalty and he went on to convert both the tries for a huge 26-0 advantage into the interval.

Ashton completed his hat-trick within five minutes of the restart with Ratchford extending his success with the boot for 32-0 before Castleford finally got off the mark with Peter Matautia crossing twice in the space of three minutes and Jordan Turner crossing out wide on the hour mark, Danny Richardson converted the lot to cut the gap to 32-18. Cas made it four scores in Just ten minutes as Grant Millington touched down and Richardson kicked to cut the gap to 32-24. Warrington ended the Tigers spree with a Ratchford penalty on 69 minutes before confirming the win late on with Connor Wrench crossing and Gareth Widdop converting for a 40-24 final score. 

Robins Seal PO Spot Despite Rhinos Defeat

Hull Kingston Rovers secured sixth spot despite losing 36-12 to Leeds Rhinos who secured fifth on the Friday night at Emerald Headingley Stadium. The hosts struck first with Robert Lui crossing and Rhyse Martin converting for 6-0 before KR drew level with a Mikey Lewis try which Jordan Abdull converted for 6-6. Leeds regained the lead with a Matt Prior try and Martin conversion before opening up a 24-6 lead into the interval after scores from Tom Holroyd and Richie Myler were converted by Martin.

Leeds continued their control of scoreboard within seven minutes of the restart as James Donaldson crossed and Martin converted for 30-6 before Ash Handley went over after the hour mark with another Martin conversion making it 36-6. before the Robins had the final say with Will Dagger touching down and Abdull converting for a 36-12 final score. 

Saints Suffer At Salford

Salford Red Devils rounded off their season on a high with a 26-14 win over St Helens at the AJ Bell Stadium. Saints opened the scoring inside six minutes as Jon Bennison crossed and Shay Martyn converted for 6-0 before Tui Lolohea cut the gap to 6-4 with a try for the hosts. Saints responded with a Jonny Lomax effort which Martyn converted before he added a penalty goal for a 14-4 lead. Salford made it a one score gap into the interval as Matty Costello went over and Chris Atkin converted for 14-10.

Salford continued the comeback in the second half as a self-converted try from Atkin put them ahead at 16-14 before Ellis Robson crossed for 20-14 and a Ken Sio effort and Krisnan Inu conversion completed the 26-14 win for the Red Devils.

Terrific Trinity Humble Hull FC

Wakefield Trinity signed off for the season in style as they eased to a 44-12 win over Hull FC at the Mobile Rocket Stadium. The hosts raced into an 18-0 lead inside the first quarter as Innes Senior. James Batchelor and Kelepi Tanginoa all crossed for tries which Mason Lino converted. Jacob Miller, David Fifita and Ryan Hampshire touched down with Lino improving just the middle score with Trinity taking a huge 34-0 lead into the interval. 

Hull got off the mark on the hour mark as Miteli Vulikijapani went over with Jake Connor converting and a few minutes later, Connor crossed himself and converted to cut the gap to 34-12. Tanginoa claimed his second try of the evening with a surprise conversion coming from Fifita before Liam Kay rounded off the rout late on with a try for a 44-12 final score.

Warriors Win As Dragons Defeated

Wigan Warriors ensured they would enter the Play-Offs on a high after a narrow 12-8 over Catalans Dragons at the DW Stadium. The hosts struck first with Willie Isa crossing on 27 minutes with Zak Hardaker converting for a 6-0 lead that lasted into the interval.

Catalans cut the gap to 6-4 on 52 minutes as ex-Warrior Tom Davies touched down before Wigan regained a double score lead with James McDonnell crossing and Hardaker kicking for 12-4. Catalans setup a frantic finish though as Mathieu Laguerre went in for a try which made it 12-8 but the Warriors held on for the win.       

                              

Giants Glory Against Centurions

Huddersfield Giants ensured a successful end to the season with a 42-24 win over Leigh Centurions at the John Smith's Stadium. The hosts opened the scoring with a try from Lewis Senior for 4-0 before Leigh replied through Jai Whitbread with Ryan Brierley converting to put the visitors 6-4 ahead. The sides exchanged scores again as Leroy Cudjoe crossed for the hosts with Oliver Russell converting before Iain Thornley went in for Leigh with Brierley converting for 12-10. Hudds turned the balance around before the interval though as Owen Trout crossed and Russell who converted then went in for a converted try of his own to make it 22-12 into half-time.

Giants took control of the game as Senior claimed his second try ahead of a Joe Greenwood effort which saw Russell convert the latter for a huge 32-12 lead. Leigh hit back through Brendan Elliot before Hudds replied with a Will Pryce try (Russell conv) to make it 38-16. Leigh continued to cut the gap as Sam Stone rolled in for 38-20 but Hudds sealed the win with a Ricky Leutele try for 42-20. The final say did go to Leigh though with Elliot scoring his second try for a 42-24 final score.

Resilient Rhinos Nil Warriors

Wigan Warriors' hopes of reaching a second consecutive Grand final ended at the first stage as they lost 8-0 to Leeds Rhinos in the Play-Off Eliminator at the DW Stadium. 

A closely fought first half saw the sides remain level into the interval with the deadlock broken on 50 minutes as Ash Handley crossed for the Rhinos with Rhyse Martin converting for 6-0, Martin wrapped up the narrow win six minutes from the end to complete a second consecutive shut-out of the Warriors with an 8-0 win that put them one win away from the Grand Final.

Robins Rout Woeful Wolves

Hull Kingston Rovers defied the odds to move one win away from a first ever Grand Final as they eased to a 19-0 win over Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

A self-converted try from Jordan Abdull saw KR go 6-0 ahead inside 17 minutes before Mikey Lewis crossed and Abdull converted for 12-0 eight minutes after the interval. Abdull added a penalty goal for 14-0 before Jimmy Keinhorst crossed to surely seal a famous win at 18-0 but Abdull added the gloss to the joy with a drop goal to complete the 19-0 win.