Review of 2016 Super League Show

2016 - Wigan are the Super League champions.

They say the best things in life come to those who wait,

and Rugby League was just like life in 2016.

An absolute screamer! Would you believe that?

Wigan found their form at just the right time.

It was peak practice from Wayne's Warriors.

Wigan have snatched glory from under the noses of the Warrington Wolves.

A golden goal after 18 minutes and 48 seconds saved

He's going for the drop goal right from the start.

Has he got it? He has got it!

But that million-pound drop sunk Hull KR.

James Webster wonders what has just happened.

Leeds Centurions are back in the big time.

It is a win that gets them promoted in one of the most memorable

And Hull FC are Wembley winners at long, long last.

It was Wayne's world too for England, but the wait there goes on.

The green and gold is right back on the top of Test

We will hear from the winners and losers after an eventful 12

From West to East and all points in between.

Hello, we are high in the hills above Wigan,

where they are still celebrating the fourth Grand Final win.

The Warriors are once again the Super League champions.

This walk out of the tunnel into the intense noise, the intense heat.

It is another wow moment at Old Trafford.

All the coaches can do now is watch and hope.

He is the local lad who has become a local hero.

Sarginson puts the kick into the corner.

Warrington have been bettered and bettered by the team

And 2016, Wigan are the Super League champions.

When you look back, Sean, on last season, it was such

a roller-coaster for you, and that final -

how'd you reflect on the Grand Final?

It was exciting, it was a big day for us, we were under a lot

of pressure last year with various things, and the most pleasing

thing for me was the way that we worked from one to 35.

All of the players who played, the young kids who came in,

To win certain games throughout the season was great,

but to do it in a Grand Final against Warrington, who are the best

team, the league leaders, they were without a doubt

To beat them in such a tight game, being under so much pressure

at the end, was a great finish for us.

Doing that with the young squad, how much better can they be

from having gone through and got through last season

All the players that played, some only played one or two games,

but it will stand us in good stead, massively,

throughout the next few years, and take us forward.

We want to do what Warrington have done.

They have been in every final, they are one of the league leaders.

The fact is we only won one, and we got one

Warrington was a club what did everything,

We have a chance of four things this year and I want is to be

Even if you went on to win all four, would it be as sweet, do you think,

as that Grand Final win, given what you had gone

through last season? Never.

People do not know the detail of what went on, because I do not

I know what went on every single day, with me having

conversations with my physios, assistant coaches.

It was a tough slog, as winning in that Grand Final,

it was the biggest feat I have ever had, I have won some

things in juniors and had some great victories,

but that without a doubt was the best I have ever had.

When you look back at the season, it did appear looking in at times

that you were under a fair bit of pressure.

How did you deal with it and what was it like for you?

To be honest, it does not bother me what people say,

as long as I work as hard as I can and all of the players are onside,

the only people that I have conversations with is Chris and Ian.

People do not understand what goes on day by day in our club.

The external pressure did not bother me in the slightest.

As long as it is just me and not the players,

Over the year, we had some real honest chats,

I spoke my piece to the players and they spoke their piece to me.

At the end of the day, we wanted one thing, to win something.

No matter who doubted us throughout the year,

and there were many people, the majority of the Wigan

They understood what we were going through,

and was just pleased for them, they stood behind us and cheered us,

Not too far away from here, Centurions are preparing

They beat three top-flight sides in the qualifiers

and are getting used to life as Super League's new boys.

This is real now, we are Super League club.

I am proud as, being the hometown lad.

It is a cliche, local lad for his local team,

and now to captain them in Super League, it is an honour

for me, one of my biggest honours to date.

When the fixtures came it was when it finally dropped in for me.

And to see the lads out the back in all of the new Super League gear,

the new logo, Super League club, it has some weekend now.

When the new training kit comes, we still are like kids at Christmas.

My missus at home was like, where are we going to

We never throw anything away, I am like a hoarder.

I find myself a few weeks ago picking the newspapers up, May one

team was all was in the championship part, I found myself doing that,

Need to go two pages in front to see what Super League are doing.

Little things like that, that hit home now.

Especially with quality players coming in.

I am just going to hopefully help the club keep on improving.

The coaching staff have made that clear.

Leigh steam-rollered their way through the qualifiers.

They won their first five matches to clinch promotion

What a try. The whole place is going nuts again.

I thought we played really well that day.

Couple of late tries at the last two or three minutes put

it on us bit but by far the best team in that.

I think from there it really kicked on and stuck together.

Obviously learned some lessons from last year but we just had

We had experienced players who had played in those kind

of games and I think it did help when your back is against the wall,

it we could kind of settle it down and get back on the front foot.

It is only worth one point but it is a

and might propel them towards promotion.

I think after that game, as much as I held it back, I thought

we are not far off and it is important to get the lads grounded.

They are keeping it going. A try after 50 seconds.

Huddersfield, it was all or nothing for us.

40 points at half-time was incredible.

It was magical, unbelievable, I couldn't

80 minutes, we had as many points on the board.

Unbelievable, whichever side of the fence sitting on.

At half-time, 42-10, kind of knew they would have

something to say about that in the second half, but when we scored

It is a win that gets them promoted in one of

the most memorable games of the season.

We're not under any illusions. It's going to be tough.

You look at our first six, seven fixtures, everyone

is like, "It's a tough start," but for me, I'm excited by that.

We can't be rabbits in the headlight from the start.

We got to be ready, enjoy it, no regrets, really.

We've got to stay together as one, through the

good times and, in particular, through the bad times.

Quite simply, the club's expectations and

the goal for the players in the club is to just be

If we got to do it through the middle

If we have to do it another way then from my point

We've got to continue to build and build.

Wherever you go now, people are, "Can't wait.

I think have of Leigh are going to Catalans

It's good to be absolutely booming so, no, there was a buzz

last year but I think it is just again so early in the year it has

gone up a step again and let's get on this wave and ride it and enjoy

it and let's hopefully stay for a long time.

of yours, so what is it going to be like

playing them and what do you think the chances are this year?

They have got a good coach in Neil, good

order in Derek, a good roster, some players are fantastic.

They will be a real threat and they will be tough

to beat, especially at home, and I'm sure they will do well this year.

What would your advice to Neil B as he steps up?

Just be straight and honest with the players and I'm sure

a few conversations with him.

That work ethic, that honesty and that drive, let the players see

you are working really hard to get them better and they will respond.

I know a lot of the players at Leigh,

a lot of them, and they will respond,

they will have a dig this year.

Lots to look forward to in this part of the world, and Wigan are

the team they all need to beat next year.

Warrington nearly had it all in 2016.

The Wolves finished in first place after 30 rounds to claim

the league leaders' shield with Kirk Gidley

and Chris Sandow guiding them to the top spot in Super League.

The Wolves made it to the Challenge Cup final

They lead in both, but it was runners-up medals at Wembley

and Old Trafford for Tony Smith's team.

We gave ourselves a chance for all three trophies so we've probably

got the lesser of the three, but we'll be in there fighting again

next year and we'll bring one of these home sooner

Chris Sandow won't be returning to the club for 2017, but

Johnny Lomax returned after 13 months out for Saint Helens

and made an immediate impact.

Here comes Lomax. What a sidestep.

Late-season surge of 11 wins from 12 matches make Saints the

in-form team heading into the play-offs.

in the semifinals at Warrington.

cost them a place in the final.

I'm going to develop every season and move forward and learn

new things, and you only learn from experiences.

You can get told lots of things from other coaches and other

people who were involved in those situations.

I believe you actually only develop and learn when you have

experienced them yourself and sometimes tough is what they are,

and sobering is what they are, and you've got to face up to the

realities of certain things to make you stronger.

And bring you through the other side.

No-one has scored more Super League tries in a single

season than the departing Denny Solomona did in 2016.

He crossed 40 times in a record-breaking year on

The Tigers were dogged by injuries all summer long.

They eventually finished fifth after the

super eights, but nine points behind the play-off places.

To finish fifth with the adversity we had, when you

get injuries, you get people stepping in who might not normally

have a game, so the young lads in our team have done really well

this year and that can only stand us in

to the next few years at Castleford.

One man we will not be seeing next year is

The Castleford full-back called time on his career at the end

He returned home to Australia after 12 years in Super

I first got the call from Tony when he was

coaching the London Broncos and the opportunity came up.

I was playing reserve grade at the Roosters at the time.

The call came up and I had some friends living in London

and I thought what a fantastic opportunity to come over and see

this side of the world and play some rugby.

It's going to be a hat-trick for Luke Dorn.

I thought two years would be great, 23, 24,

I have spent so much time here and I have loved every minute,

I love London, fell in love with that place.

People of the UK, and I really have just enjoyed every moment of it.

Two years has turned into 12 and it has been great.

You can come here and really find who you are as a player.

So many guys have come here and thrived.

I think it is an experience living on the other side

Having Europe on your doorstep is something

I have had Christmas in Paris and Prague,

a month in Egypt and South Africa, a bit of Scandinavia

That opportunity, being able to live over here and do those things

is something you just can't believe you're able to do.

I don't think if I lived in Australia now I would never have

I would not have been able to manage them all anyway.

Any young kids that are going to come over,

I would most certainly tell them to jump at it.

Looking back 12 years, I am probably not the same player as I am now.

As the game has evolved, it has been really good for my game.

It is a little bit more open and attacking based and that suits me.

I think we need to tighten up a few areas in terms

of our defence over here but we are what we are and we play

our style and that is the English game and it is something I find very

attractive and that is very enjoyable to play.

He pops it up into the arms of Luke Dorn.

What a career he has had and what a night he having.

My 100th try for a London was special for me,

being the first player to score 100 from London was great.

You don't play the game for accolades or records

but when you have them it is such a proud moment to have

and I thought along those lines when I finished my last game

I thought I would be really sad but it is an overwhelming sense

of pride about what you have been able to achieve.

Looking back when I am back home sitting in the pub telling the boys

or with my family and friends, brothers and sisters,

I'll be able to show, and my girls later down the line,

that I was all right at one point and I scored a lot of tries

I would have loved a few more trophies in the cabinet,

I would have liked to have done that side of things, and for my

and for my team-mates, win some things.

Not everybody can win everything, which is unfortunate,

but I am sad that I am not playing, I want to keep playing,

I would love to stay here and play for Castleford again if my family

and whatnot were from here, I would keep playing.

I love the game and I don't feel I am too old to keep playing

but I think my decision is a good one for me.

The positives outweigh the negatives for me

and I are comfortable with it but, you know, I am so thankful I got

the opportunity to do what I have done and,

Another man we will not be seeing in Super League next season

is Huddersfield Giants' Eorl Crabtree.

A bit like Luke, you get the feeling you could easily have done

I do feel like I could have extended my career a little bit

longer and also played out the last year and unfortunately it is just

For the Giants, they need to free up a bit of money,

so a salary cap doesn't help the situation.

That is kind of the main reason why I will not be playing any longer.

We have to get some players into some of the positions we need

to fill because we have let a lot of players go.

I am the guy to step aside, but they have given me a great

opportunity to keep working and that is what I

What do you think you will miss the most about it?

I have been asked this a few times and the games I will obviously mess,

it is a great occasion coming out here in front of your own crowd

and even the bigger games, as it were, against Leeds

at Headingley, and against Wigan, and the crowds are fantastic,

but it is being around 30 lads every day,

the banter that we have and that loyalty we have with each other

where you put your bodies on the line for each other.

It will be hard to forget about that and that is what is

How do you feel you leave the Giants?

It is a strange one, really, because I am sort of leaving

the Giants now in a position where they need to get better.

Bottom of the Super League last season which was not good enough.

I am having to step aside now to raise the profile off the field

and hopefully the boys can do it back on the field.

I will be playing every minute out there with them and I will be

the biggest fan because I hate watching games but I have got a job

to do now and it is about building our reputation and not just

on the field but off the field as well.

It was a tough old season for the Huddersfield Giants,

who finished bottom of the pile after the regular season

in Super League but it was awful for Leeds Rhinos, too.

They went from winning everything in 2015 to finding themselves

Jamie Jones Buchanan gives us his take on a season.

Last year we had everything, the treble, and to reverse

that into polarising depths, fighting relegation.

It has been a season like no other for the Rhinos.

But for reasons I am going to explain right now,

one of the most refining experiences of my life.

I had this idea for the fair few years that knowledge plus experience

equals wisdom so if you want to be truly wise and experienced the world

I have been fortunate throughout my career to spend

the majority of my time at Leeds Rhinos, competing

for trophies, playing in finals, at least being in play-offs

This year is a complete contrast, almost a polarisation of that.

Fighting for relegation, fighting for our lives,

and it is an experience I never had before.

What I learned from winning was that success is never final,

defeat is never fatal, it is having the courage

I started to realise that whether you win

or lose on a Friday night, it isn't as important as how you get

out of bed on a Saturday morning and use the experience.

The majority of sports men and women, the successful ones,

that have been at the top for many years, are the ones who are not

scared of looking back at their mistakes, who don't run

a mile when they get things wrong and can hold their hand up and say

You have to look back and ask yourself why.

We had three massive players, influential pieces of glue that held

the team together and not just on the field but off it as well.

When you don't have those characters in the team on a weekly basis,

it makes a big difference to the way we performed.

Two weeks into our pre-season training and the Boxing Day floods.

The big deluge almost of biblical proportions.

What we thought might be five or six weeks turned into five or six

months before we got back into our home environment.

I think I famously said we are not hydroponic,

we cannot grow out of water, we need to be well grounded,

well rooted in the environment that makes us champions and able

A lot of Super League teams, if not all, go through a period

of injury but we started with a lot of injuries in 2016.

When you put that together with the floods, the fact

that we lost three huge players, I think the confidence

just wasn't good enough and the young guys that came in,

just a poor environment for us to come in and be bloodied

One of our old coaches, Brian McLennan, taught us a really

He said whenever you point the finger of blame,

there are always three fingers pointing right back at yourself.

One of the things I learned this year is that every one

of our players has that exact same philosophy.

Unlike most humans that work in groups when things start to go

wrong and they start getting challenged, the reputations

Instead of pointing the finger of blame, they would inwardly

and asked what they could do to make themselves better.

Even though we were losing every week, it is still huge to walk out

in that shirt onto this pitch and be argued player in the game

I have loved since I was four or five years old.

And so when I scored tries again, all I see,

middle end of the season, jumping up in the air,

launching the ball at the stand, getting ecstatic like

For me, that is what it is all about.

If the definition of success is going from

failure to failure without ever losing enthusiasm, no matter whether

we win or lose, that is always going to be me.

The hearts of all the players have been tested this year,

They have been refined for the experience.

I think it is tough being inside a crucible, where gold

melts down, gets refined and purified.

And if you have got what it takes to persevere,

right through to the end, you will come out that bit more

purer, that bit more bolder, that bit more

That bit more refined, with a stronger heart.

That is us going into 2017, I cannot wait.

From the outside looking in, were you surprised

It is something you would not have expected, especially from the

Rhinos, with the players that they have got and the younger players

that they bring through, it is not something you expect at all.

I think the fans are very disappointed.

There are a lot of injuries, though, to be fair.

They really struggled through that year and they got

better at the end and it showed the sort of team

they are and the sort of mentality that they have.

They got themselves out of trouble towards the back end.

You seemed to be spiralling down, and neither of you

Can you put your finger on where it went

I think it went wrong in a lot of departments.

I do not think we were probably physically prepared for the season,

I think we worked on quite a lot of things

that did not put us in the

Obviously injuries, including myself, I had an operation

three games into the season, which is not ideal.

You naturally put on weight and it is hard to get back to

the level of fitness which is expected at Super League level,

especially when you're playing in a team that is not doing too well.

Leeds had that same issue, they will bounce back

But it is going to be a tough year next year.

A lot of teams have recruited well, see you cannot just

rely on that, you have to put in the work before the season

If both teams do the right things off the field,

we will put ourselves into the position where

What effect has Rick Stone been having on the club when he came into

the season, but then having an off-season as well?

Yes, you can put his mark on the team now.

His way to train the team, the direction that

we going in the way that the players adapt

to that as well, that is the

He had the discipline to the side as well, even little

Something which the players are not used to.

He has that discipline within the side.

That is off the field, on the field the discipline will be there as

Let's start in the south of France with the Catalan Dragons.

Seven straight wins at the Dragons in contention for the Super League

They were even winning regularly on the road.

And Jodie Broughton has an empty field in which to run for his second

But Catalan won just two of their last 12 matches.

Once again ended outside the semifinal places.

It was not the best year in total, but we started

Just injuries and people playing different positions on

things that, so I ended up playing halves in the end.

Obviously the team is not ideal when I'm in the halves,

but it is what it is and that is how we finished.

Widnes got off to a flyer and went into Easter on top

Hull FC and Wigan were amongst the teams they beat in early

We knew we all had a team that could start the year

this good, but I think we have really sent

a message to the rest of

the Super League this year that we're going to be competitive.

We will keep playing simple and up-tempo.

Widnes never quite reach those heights again.

They avoided the qualifiers, but won just twice in

Head coach Brian Smith walked out on Wakefield

just six games into the season.

Chris Chester's appointment started a revival at Bellevue.

There was a 62-0 win against Wigan, a top

eight finish, and in Tom Johnson, Wakefield had the young Player of

Personal highlights of the season will probably be

Huddersfield, that felt very good, scoring that try.

They will not catch Tom Johnson as he dives in front of his

Getting my first hat-trick against Salford, that was

We have moved to Hull, where your view

of 2016 probably depends which side of the city you watch rugby league.

It was the worst of times for Hull KR,

but for Hull FC there was glory the Challenge Cup.

He settles in for the biggest kick of

With only minutes to go in a winning position.

Hull FC have made names for themselves today.

With me is Hull FC's Danny Houghton. Going back to that Challenge Cup

final, what you remember? Not much. Straight after the whistle it was a

relief to get the monkey off our backs. This year that moment with

all the players that we have grown up with his grip, it was a special

occasion. To see all the family and fans in tears, it was special. Dear

member making the tackle? People have asked me this a few times. It

was a split second incident, right place, right time. We got the ball

and went on to win it. It was not something really that I can reflect

on and say, I knew it was coming and what I would do. It was a split

instinct. I'm sure whoever was in that situation, we are a tight

group, I'm sure they would have come up at the same result. You with a

man of steel at the end of the season, what was it like to get

that? You do not expect it, our captain was ridiculous for us. He

gives the team so much confidence. To be tend to the line, I did not

know what to say. What are your goals for the coming season now that

you know that you can win those trophies? That of the goal, to keep

winning trophies are not make it a one-off. It is a big club. We have

big players. Big-game players as well. We want to be amongst the

best. We will be talked about forever within the group and the

city, so we want to make history again. What you think about the

player who has crossed across the city? He is a fantastic player. His

freakishly strong for what he looks like, he is fast, quick, he creates.

Last season he was pretty decent with the ball, he offers us

something different to what we have had in the past in terms of

finishing tries off, his speed. He has that X Factor. Yes, of course.

When a game is coming away from you, you can come up with that big thing

and get you back in the game. A year to remember for Hull FC, but at Hull

KR defaced a battle for survivor in the ?1 million game. There were

salary cap breaches in previous seasons. It was quite some

afternoon. I had some great times playing rugby

league, but last season was turbulent. I do not think anybody

thought points reductions was anything we would face. We were a

bit rattled. We put ourselves in a bad position. We found herself in a

?1 million game. There are so many nerves flying

around today. Somehow, these players have to

produce a season saving performance. He is claiming this. Things were

going our way. Yours have to try to believe and forget all of the

outside pressures and expectations. He gives the pass away. There is

Salford's response. We played rugby for years, it is our job. It was

just another game. A kick into the goal area. A try. They are moving

away. 18-10. You still have time, you still have a few sets left with

the ball. I said, you can still do this, keep leaving. I did not

believe it. I did not think there is any chance of us coming back. You

have to score twice, the likelihood is they are not going to score

twice. It is a mystery how it unfolded in those last five minutes.

This is no it for Salford. It is all or oblivion in the last play. There

is time for a miracle. It was crazy for a few minutes.

Four seconds to go. Last play. And he scores the most miraculous try

you will ever see. It is all square. This is the ?1 million kick. I tried

to compose myself, trust myself and get a good strike on the ball.

Thousands of eyes focused on one man. Extra time. As soon as I got

back in the huddle, it was, get your head up and we will get a try in

extra time. Midfield position battle. I was screaming, have a go.

He is going for the drop goal right from the start. I be together boys

and I thought, he has got it. Not even in training, messing about,

have I ever kicked one like that. I'm not sure that he will ever have

a feeling like that again. It was unbelievable. It was a pretty

special moment for me. My dad ran onto the pitch as well and grabbed

me. He was in tears. It was all a bit emotional. I was relieved and

happy, but having to book over at the Hull KR players and see their

families and kids so upset, that was pretty tough to be honest.

There is a lot at stake. Mortgages to pay and families to provide for.

Father-mac sides to go at it for 80 minutes and put everything on the

line is pretty brutal. I wish Hull KR the very best. Joining me now is

Hull KR's head of rugby. If I could tell you back to that ?1 million

game, what do you remember? I thought we had won the game. A

couple of mistakes allowed them back in and I think it is an ending I

have not seen anything like or been involved in. Especially with the

magnitude of what happens if you do lose that game. The disbelief when

Gareth kicked the drop goal. It was disbelief. Any regrets about coming

out of retirement for that being your last game and not the Grand

Final? My achievement became more than finishing in a Grand Final. I

think they speak for themselves. I do everything I can to try to win in

whatever I do. It was extreme circumstances to come out and play

and I did the best I could but I fell short. If you speak to any good

sportsperson they have failed at times in life and I did fail their

but I am fine. Can you get straight back up? Why not? Of course we can't

come straight back up. I have a world-class coach and we are getting

value for money out of our squad, some great players, the spine of our

squad is great. Some young players and experienced players who know

what they were doing. Some room for getting some people in. It is this

the best thing for the club as you would for to the future? Without a

doubt. We will be laying great foundations if we come back up,

clearing the decks, get a squad that we want, and a fantastic coach as

well. I think between all of us, if we can come straight back up, which

we are capable of doing then I think we will give ourselves the

foundations to have long terms success and not just beat a team

that takes part in Super League, but a team that wants to challenge. The

key is to come back up. At the end of the year, the best players came

together as international rugby league took centre stage at four

nations. It is intercepted and this man will take some stopping year. If

he scores this, wow. There goes Ferguson and the first trial the

game. A good chance for homes. How about this was Mercury goes. Nailed

it. Blake Ferguson... Australia. The rest of the Rugby league World Cup

only work on and stare and wonder. Joining us is the former Australia

coach, World Cup winner in 2013, now in charge at Hull KR. Can anybody

beat Australia? We have lost enough series to know they can be beaten.

It is not that Australia's unbeatable it is just beating them

on the day. Australia made all the finals. It is just that on the day

it can happen. You have to be good enough and have your best side

available, Australia could be fair game or have injury. You worked with

Cooper Cronk, Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith, how important is it

for other teams to find the key group of players in the middle? That

is the spine that won in 2013 and here. And he played a bit of

fallback for the Aussie side and when I had him. They are

interchangeable and it is a very good group but the young forward

went well this year and I don't think, I expected more from England

and New Zealand to stand up in that area, but those two lead the

backbone for that spine. How much do you enjoy being back out there

working with players? Yeah, good at blowing the whistle again. I forgot

how tired it makes you! Although I was still up early. But you have to

be up at five ready to train with the boys. It has been good and I

have enjoyed it. Good luck. That is it for the 2016 season and 2017

promises to be a fascinating one culminating of course with the World

Cup which you can follow right here on the BBC. The Super League show

will be back when the season starts again in February but from all of

the team, for now, goodbye. I'm starting this new job, I'm

taking over a really tough school. Where is it?

You're not going down south...?