Episode 28 Super League Show

Hello, the curtain has come down on Public Accounts Committee sa

Hello, the curtain has come down on Super League's regular season for

2013. The top eight teams are heading for the play-offs, the rest

are heading for their holidays. Leeds' Danny McGuire and the former

St Helens coach Ian Millward have checked in to see how everyone got

on in the final round of matches. Some were playing for position,

others were playing for pride. Here's what's coming up. It is a

grand finale to the regular season and block buster closing for Wigan

and Leeds. Warrington are looking for a repeat of formance at Catalan.

And the league-leading part in town for the final fixture for the

Bradford will. 15 years ago Wigan and Leeds played in the very first

Grand Final at Old Trafford, and they're amongst the favourites to

return there next month. The Warriors and Rhinos met on Thursday

knowing they'd finish third and fourth in the table, but in which

order? Dave Woods was watching. They are still juggling for third and

fourth place. We can hold it at the moment. But they will be looking for

a win and get some form in the league before the play-offs begin

next week. Leeds will be pretty happy with the way it is going at

the moment. Getting some of their injured players back. And they will

be fresh for an assault on the defence of their title.

Carl Ablett, has he got this all down? The referee is asking for the

double movement here. The ball hits the ground short and then he reaches

out so it will be a double movement. Now try and a penalty for

Wigan. Ben Jones-Bishop with the

interception! It has been tough for 23 minutes but suddenly a superb try

by Ben Jones-Bishop. He read it well. A long reach of the arm and

then the legs hopped in quickly and even the chasing Sam Tomkins was not

going to get there. And Pat Richards is away! And two

minutes before the break, we can have their score. Level again, with

a kick to come. It has been an intense battle tonight.

And Carl Ablett scores the tri-! He had one ruled out in the first half

and not this time. Joel Moon was the creator here. Just when it seemed

that the move had ended, branding into a cul-de-sac of defenders, he

flicked it away and Carl Abbott did the rest. -- Carl Ablett.

Joel Moon for the corner! Has he managed to squeeze over? Too tight

for the naked eye so the video replay is required. It looks OK from

the front, what about the back post your mark -- from the back? He

created one earlier for Carl applet. -- Carl Ablett.

Peacock has had an immense night here again tonight. Rolling back

years, as he seems to every week. Watkins scores! Kallum Watkins. The

referee is asking a question. Was there interferes on Pat Richards? It

looks more like Pat Richards trying to lock of the run of Ben

Jones-Bishop. -- blog the run. It is two tries in five minutes that have

the leads in absolute control. They are going to win this game and

finish third in the league. You must be pretty happy with the win and

where the team is at this stage in the season. Wigan is or is a tough

place to go and get the win so we were very pleased. It was a very

intense game. It was my second game back from injury and a bit of a

shock to the system that we are pleased with how we have come

through it. Do you feel everybody starting to see you step up at this

time of year? That is the plan. You know that the play-offs around the

corner and it is the right to hit top gear. That performance gave us a

lot of confidence. We have to get Warrington, which is another massive

away from home. It is a big challenge but something we have

coped with in the past. On the flip side, their league form has really

get. On our first show we talked about where Wigan would finish. We

said if they could finish in the top for it would be an outstanding

achievement. They lost a great front row. Their experience Centre. Citing

they have done very well. When you play young guys there for long

periods they do well early on. It takes a lot out of them at the back

end of the year. The Challenge Cup takes a lot out of you. And they

have missed some keep players. -- keep players. I think Shaun Wane has

done a good job. I did not think they could finish in the top three.

I think where they have finishes well I thought they would be. Epic

for you, yet again, Jamie Peacock. Does he have your bed, not year? He

cannot have my vote, because you cannot vote for your own players. On

3090 was unbelievable and he has been like that all season. --

Thursday night. If you're looking for an man of steel, you do not need

to look any further than Jamie Peacock. And even more impressive

against the backdrop of his father being so unwell and dying on Friday.

He showed his commitment to the cause. He drove across Aberdeen and

outstanding formance. It has been outstanding. Mike to favourite

players have been Ben Westwood from Warrington and Jamie Peacock. There

-- the reason is their ability to lift other players. They have that

aggressive strike about them where they can hit just as hard at the

back end of the game. I do have a soft spot for Jamie because I think

he is a real inspiration to people in the game. It's not too long since

there were doubts about St Helens making the play-offs. They've been

pretty impressive in recent weeks, though, and were all over Hull on

Friday. They are confident they can do something in the play-offs.

History says she can win it from fifth position. We go back to that

Challenge Cup syndrome. Hull got beaten. Next week, they have two

win, they go to Wigan to make the play-offs. So I think emotionally,

this third week was training. The Saints have been on a really good

role. They have had the younger players over the last couple of

years that have been able to blend in. But there are important players

are starting to come back. And the coach saying that they are learning

to play with Manu as well. They are. I think they are a team that can

make the final from where they are. They are in form. I think the big

problem for whole is that they have got to sit back as seen, where their

squad is out. It is lovely stuff, isn't it? It is a great try. St

Helen's were struck by injuries a little bit and they had to call upon

the young players. It was great experience for the young guys, but

it is coming into the play-offs and coming into the big games and you

need your experienced players around. John Wilkins has been very

good this year. There could be a real threat in the play-offs.

You have had to deal with coming back from a Challenge Cup defeat.

How deep do you have to dig? Losing a final is never good and you really

put a lot into that and it does take you a few weeks to get over it. Hull

are probably feeling tired and you know, it could be a tough play-off

run. They need Gareth Ellis back on the field. He is a key player. I

think it will be tough for Hull. They have almost gone under the

radar? We were talking about were they gelling with Nathan Brown. They

have got a lot of young guys. I really do believe they will be a

force. That sorts out the top five places

in the table. Let's get a check on the finishing form with the rest of

the clubs dm -- in the Super League. Warrington are the visitors to the

south of France. It is out with the old for the City

Reds. And closing time, all the best

moments from the rest of the matches in round 27.

Some of the worst kept secrets in rugby league were confirmed last

week when Salford revealed 12 new signings for 2013. The club will

have a new name next year when Rangi Chase and Gareth Hock and Tim Smith

will be at the club. It is all change at Salford. The

City Reds began 2012 in a new stadium and in 2013 have been under

new management. Looking to rebuild from the bottom on and off the

field. On Thursday, the club revealed a new

identity. The Salford Red Devils with fighting talk from the top.

Other big clubs came to our club and took the best talent have gone.

I want to take the club somewhere and I just wanted to be part of

that. With a few of the players that were coming that you heard of, you

want to be part of something fresh and new and that's what it is. I'm

just looking forward to being around these blokes and just building, you

know, relationships on and off the field and making friends.

Quite a few people laughed at us early in the season when we went for

the very big names. But it was not a publicity stunt. I wanted to send

that message straightaway. That's what we are go about and people have

started believing in this message, but today is delivering on the

promises or starting to deliver on the promises I made to the fans back

at the end of January. Next year is going to be a very exciting time for

us. There is just a massive buzz and there is a lot of players I know

here anyway and that's one of the reasons I came and I'm really

excited. The ones who have signed up are

really impressive. I have an idea of who we would like to play next year

and we have the personnel to do that. I'm not going to throw

everything away to play Fiji-type rugby and in many respects the

better teams are the ones that can defend to the best of their

abilities that do or die type of stuff. I'm clear in what I want to

achieve and con he canning the players, it will take a while for

them to get together. We still have room within the club.

I believe there will be one or two more players still to come.

Danny, looking on from the outside, what do you make of what is

happening at Salford? I think it is great for the game. I think he has

come in and like we were just talking about, the publicity that he

has brought to the game has been great for the game and he talked

about signings and Rangi Chase, Tim Smith, Adrian Morley, international

players, great players as well and he is building a team. He is

serious. He is very serious and it will be interesting to see how they

go next season and they have the makings of a great team.

What do you make of the signings and there will be mo are? Oh, Brian has

done a great job. First of all, he had to get some experience. He got

that. Adrian Morley and you look at his back row.

Hock is world-class. Junior Sa'u is a very powerful

player. He will be ideal for here. So they have got the mix right.

I think he bought really well and someone asked, they asked do you

reckon it will take a while for them to gel? Brian will be loving it.

They are good quality players and they will make a big impact on the

Super League. And Smith and Chase in the middle

will be the key? That's the interesting bit. Tim Smith is

dominating. He gets the ball when he wants. He is the person that

Wakefield mrartion look to dictate play and Rangi Chase at Castleford

everything comes through him. It will be interesting to see how their

dynamics work. Are you insin waiting they are going

to play with two rugby league balls? They will probably need it. That

will be interesting to see how their combinations work. Well, Salford's

last game was against an inform whiched whiched and the Vikings

spoiled the party for Salford, didn't they? Whiched whiched had a

descent season. They are not one of the biggest squads. I like some of

the young players they have got and they finished the season on a high.

Yeah, I think they are looking good. They have progressed the last few

seasons and they are improving and I think they missed Kevin Brown for a

vital part of the season and he was key to their form at the back end.

I was just going to say, you look at all Super League teams, when Hock

has been out, you think what does he bring? He brings size. At the start

of the year, they would have earmarked 20 points, 22, it is an

improvement on last year. It has been fantastic, but it just shows

again the inability of some teams once they lose key players to

function. We are about to see a lovely moment.

Did you know that Gareth Hock had this in his arsenal as well? That's

not an easy kick. He could shut his eyes and hope for the best! I reckon

someone said, " You can open your eyes, Gareth." He is moving on, but

he has been great. He is a really good player.

That's why he will play for England in the World Cup and give them an

advantage. Danny has to defend on an edge and they want to run big blokes

like him. Gareth Hock has size and physicality and he has been good.

Salford's defeat gave London a chance to well.

London have won their last two games and there is speculation behind the

scenes where they will be next year. Once a team lose, they are play

makers and the people who organise attack and they had both out. Even

though they went upfront 18-0 they didn't have the people that could

control the game and continue with the momentum and London were

desperate. They had people retiring like Mark Bryant. They wanted to get

off the bottom. I think Hull KR ran out of troops and they had more

quality and desire, London. Brown is another one who came

through the ranks. He got a hat-trick. They are developing

players, but the sad thing is they can't develop fans or an interest,

but they have a good network and they have a good organisation to

develop players and you know, that's the thing that keeps them alive in

rugby league at the moment. But they are getting head-hunted by people up

north now. You look at London. You fear that,

if you get a group that can come through together? They have done

fantastic things. Louis McCarthy were the first ones to come through

and set the standard and they keep developing players that are good

athletes. I really like Kieron Dixon on the wing. He could do a real good

job. You know, I have a mixed views on London. It is tough to go there

and the fans, they don't get a massive crowd.

It is hard. It is probably for another day a chat about London, but

you can't argue with the London based players they have brought

through. Their future is up in the air. Talks

are ongoing and they are making staff redundant to make it a better

proposition to buy. The noises coming out are they will be in Super

League next year. It looks like they will do a deal with barnet FC. They

have a handful of players left and a coach and a CEO and that's it.

Catalan were hoping Saturday's match down. We don't want to see a team

Catalan were hoping Saturday's match against Warrington wouldn't be their

final home game of 3013. Well, it is a Guard of Honour for

two mans who maybe bowing out. Catalan are hoping for another home

game, but they need to win or draw against this Warrington side tonight

who will finish second. A test in rain for both these sides

tonight. It has been raining heavily throughout the afternoon.

Oh, that's quick. And here is a chance for for Ryhs Evans. A video

referee is being called in to see if he had a foot in touch here, Rhys

Evans. And that would suggest he has got

there before he goes over the line. So an opening try for Warrington.

They used the conditions especially at the end here and Evans sliding

over. It was a good try. And westwood, well as he got the

touch down here, Ben westwood doesn't look over sure. The referee

is certainly far from confident. Now does he manage to touch this

down? Not clear from that angle. How about this? Well, that suggests it

is. It has been ruled. No try. So Warrington denied.

The rain continuing to fall here. There was a collision there. The

referee says play on. They are complaining, I think, here about the

obstruction. Is that obstruction?

Or is it allowed to play on? The referee said play on.

Warrington have their second. Was there a knock on from Ben Westwood

as he tried to pick it up? Well, clearly referee and video referee

say no so it is a try. The third try before the break would

surely put Warrington in control here. Oh, it is intercepted. Now

Evans is chasing after him. And just before the break the French side are

back in this game. Well, they know how important this

moment will surely be. A really important try that.

Never likely to be an open flowing game given the conditions.

The touchdown is clean and Catalan are suddenly in position to give

themselves a home game in the play-offs. Steve Menzies is the hero

of the hour. What the moment and what a turnaround in the game. They

were trailing by ten but now Catalan have the chance to lead.

Reilly in the corner and Warrington are back in the lead! A superb pass

from Hodgson. As it stands, Warrington finished

second at Catalan finishing seventh. Just under ten minutes left to play

here. Westwood has come in and the penalty is given. And a penalty mind

do. It was rather clumsy from the Warrington man and a clear penalty.

He's missed it! And with that Miss, it might be the end of Catalan hopes

of a final home game. It seems Warrington are already in

play-off mode. Warrington the like they have played at half came there

and I saw some comments that Tony Smith made about it being a play-off

type game with lots of kicking and good defence. To get Catalan and get

the win they will be pleased. Looking forward to playing them next

week? Yes, I was enjoy playing Warrington, they are a good team and

we have had some good tussles with them in recent years. It turned out

to be the final home game in the wonderful career of Steve Menzies.

He has been magnificent. He scored more tries than any NRL forward, and

spent more tries for his club than any other. If you are as trout -- a

scout for a coach and you are going to game recruiting, if he did not

know how old he was, you try to sign him tomorrow. That is a great clip

from Adrian, warrior who respects another warrior. He is very calm

headed and players love being around him. They are the great people in

our game that we need to keep. How do you feel that Laurent Frayssinous

has done in his first season in charge? I think he has done a great

job. He has had many players out for long periods drawing the year. The

way he has presented himself has been well. He has conducted himself

in interviews and has knock-off flustered. I think they can do to

halt with confidence. They played you guys to week before, they have

played Warrington, I think they are ready to beat Hull. You get the

feeling that whole have set their stall out to get back to the Grand

Final. Obviously they are determined, losing the Grand Final,

it is not the best feeling. There are a few players leaving at the end

of the season and they will be pretty determined. But the seven

other teams up Robbie just as determined. That is the excitement

of the play-offs. I cannot wait for your cane next week! Try telling the

supporters of Wakefield and Castleford that there was nothing to

play for in their derby match on Sunday. It was the third meeting

between the teams this season, and with one win apiece so far, this

turned into a classic battle for bragging rights. Both sides were

anxious to allow their own supporters to end the season 's top

dogs by recording a win. Wakefield will be happy with you not have to

off-load to many more players. Castleford's winger raced for the

first of four tries of the afternoon. The visitors were ten

points to the good. It gave Tigers fans a taste of what they will find

hard to replace next season. 40 minutes gone in the first half.

Wakefield make a break and Frankie Mariano scores!

A huge gap for James Clare. It is one of the biggest overlaps I think

you will ever see. A brilliant tackle from ten metres.

And they score to the left of the post!

What a try from Frankie Mariano! Second the afternoon.

James Clare completed his hat-trick to edge in front again. And Kyle

Trout will send Wakefield into the lead! Wakefield extended their lead

early in the second half. Liam Kay went over, on course for his first

Super League hat-trick. Weller Hauraki, back from the sin-bin,

reduced the deficit down to two points.

Ali Lauitiiti has levelled the game!

It was tainted Lee Smith to win the game but his kick hit the upright so

the spoils with a shared. But would they?

Liam Kay to win the game! And he has! His hat-trick has won the game

for the Wakefield Wildcats! That was quite some performance from

Wakefield given the backdrop of all the financial worries and not know

what their futures are. the financial worries and not know

what They have had a tough few weeks and to come out of but the

performance in a game that is not really mean anything, both teams not

going for the play-offs and no relegation. You can see their that

both teams were going hell for leather trying to get the win.

Wakefield stash it in that last minute in exciting circumstances. A

lot of credit has to go to the players. For Castleford that was it

for Rangi Chase, very special player. Had you play some online

that? You're not going to play someone with that skill. He brings

something to the game which is unpredictable and which unlocks

defences. You talk about foot or players are training, I have seen in

deep tricks are training where you go wow, unbelievable. They may have

to change the style of play to adapt to new people. He has given great

service to Castleford he does not need there aren't any bad terms.

Huddersfield had already secured pole position for the play-offs, the

League Leaders were at Bradford on Saturday night, Paul Anderson rang

the changes, so this result was no surprise. There has been a bit of

criticism about Huddersfield's team, but my opinion is they have earned

the right to rest the players. I have no issues with that. It gives

the youngsters an opportunity. Although Bradford played pretty well

and won convincingly I think it is good experience for their young

players. I imagine the young lads will gain a lot of experience.

Perhaps not the best game to have on television. I endorse everything

Danny says there. I have done it that many times! At the end of the

day, you start training in November and you set goals. One would be to

be the most consistent team, and they have done that. That has been

then begin treatment. And imagine if they said would be great if we could

Super League. He has gone to his chairman and size this is a heavy

trade and we played Thursday, , I think this is the best way to

prepare to win the trophy. The chairman says, I have faith in you,

and that is the way it is. The fans have to understand that they are at

Old Trafford and picking that trophy, and creating history,

trophies mean a lot, they create 1's own great legacies. A quick word

about Bradford. They needed a win to send their season off, times it has

been disappointing. They are on a really good run. All the uncertainty

about what happened at the end of last season with Bradford and still

going on today. I think they have done a good job. They had a bad

patch in the middle part of the season but I think it has been a

pretty positive season. In turn the squad they probably like if you

players. Jarrod Sammut has been an exciting player. Yes, he has been

very good for Bradford. I think when they look back on the season they

will probably think they have not done too bad. Super League needs

Bradford to be strong. They are recruiting for next year.

done too bad. Super League needs Bradford to be strong. They are They

have got a new owner who has been very supportive. They will improve.

So, 189 games have been played over the course of the last

seven-and-a-half months. Let's get a final check on where everyone

finished in the Super League table. The play-off places are occupy seven

of the teams who are there in 2012. Salford got a two point penalty for

fielding 14 players against Castleford. You can follow the

play-offs all the way to the Grand Final with highlights on BBC Two

every Sunday tea-time. Join us for the best members of the first round

matches. Danny, you're geared up and ready for the play-offs? Yes, it is

what you look forward to, these deep, intense games. Everyone is

looking forward to it. Who is going to be in the Grand Final? I think

the two best teams are deleted and white and I think they will have two

play each other twice. I will go for Warrington. You don't sit on the

fence! I think leads are better equipped than last year. And you

will just echo what he says! Apart from Warrington winning! That's it

for this week, and indeed for the season as far as the Super League

Show is concerned. My thanks to Danny, Ian and everyone else who has

contributed over the course of the series. We'll be back in February,

and leave you with some of Super League's defining images of 2013.