Episode 8 Super League Show

Hello, the clocks have gone forward, but the Super League teams weren't

planning too much sleep over the Easter weekend anyway.

Two rounds over five days mdant it was the peak period in the 2 16

And pulling rabbits out of the punditry hat tonight,

we have Eorl Crabtree from Huddersfield, and the former

for many of the Super Leagud teams, including the clubs from both sides

Watching the battle between East and West was Dave Woods.

Calls for a penalty from the terraces, but none given.

Hull Kingston Rovers can keep it alive here.

Mantellato comes cutting back on the inside.

Edging closer to this Hull FC line.

And Ryan Shaw with an absolttely terrific finish!

The referee on the field saxs he thinks it is a try.

That is a super finish from the youngster Ryan Shaw.

And first blood to Hull Kingston Rovers.

The little backflip has found its way into the hands

Sio is going to win it by a distance!

Adam Walker held on for far too long.

Not sure if it was stolen or if he dropped it,

but the penalty has been given and a chance for Mantellato

And edging themselves a little further ahead.

In the air, I think he wantdd to see if the referee was mindful

Hull KR threating again with Maurice Blair.

Blair with the step, the handoff, the offload.

Out it comes towards his left hand side.

But hang on, the referee wants to have a look again here.

The right arm then comes and gathers it back in again.

And the roll and the presence of mind from Thornleigh

This looks like it is going to be a try.

It is another Hull Kingston Rovers try!

Scholes still after him, Kelly still going.

The referee had played the advantage here.

He had seen a high tackle originally.

The referee said go back to the penalty.

So Josh Mantellato, midway through this second half,

gives Hull Kingston Rovers a 20-0 lead.

Hull begin to move it towards this left hand side,

Shaul has got a bit of pace and he is still going here!

Jamie Shaul heading for the try line and scores

Hull have to get on with it because they are a long

And the time is ticking away from them.

Scott Taylor looking for support, and finds it.

They offload and Danny Houghton first try of the season for him

and a big moment in this game for Hull.

Hull score again here, the collywobbles do

begin to start amongst the Hull Kingston Rovers pl`yers.

Hull on the fifth tackle, one play to go, so Shaul

It is picked up easily, but he was obstructed, Fonu`.

Hull Kingston Rovers just gdtting a little rattled here.

He was pushed off the ball, that is the decision.

And a distant roar from the Hull fans will tell you they are back

James Webster hardly able to sit still on his coaching seat

because Hull are coming in another wave here.

Fonua offloads to Michaels, and Michaels scores!

There were 20-0 down and now it is 20 points apiece.

All eyes are on Sneyd to deliver what could be a knockout blow.

Sneyd puts it over and Hull might just have snatched the most

An incredible comeback from Hull FC - 20-0 down with 20 minutes to go -

what effect can that have on both teams?

When you're desperate the shackles come off. You're so far behhnd and

you have got to chance arm. They seem to relax a bit and enjoy

themselves. These little pl`ys can catch teams out and that is what

happened to them. It was a Jekyll and Hyde performance from Htll FC.

Their response was fantastic. So in desperation they found their cutting

edge. And put some air in their tyres for the rest of the ydar. You

can see the euphoria, the khnd of turnaround. But it shows thd way

they have to play to be successful. Do you feel what has been l`cking

for them, that they can find something now in the rest of the

season. It is quite a new tdam with new signings and it takes thme for

people to find out about thd other's game. And the way they will go about

coaching the team. If the sdttling in period. They have been a bit up

and down. Winning and losing big. That kind of comeback can rdally

kick-start season. And for Hull KR, a desperate game to lose and one

that is so important, being Derby. It knocks you confidence. When you

get in a position like that sometimes you just try to h`ng on.

That is what they were doing instead of playing right to the end. But

they should take confidence from it as well.

There was a stadium record crowd in Warrington for the visit

These two started the weekend in first and second,

and it was Widnes who made the better start to the gamd,

They did. Gilmour coming in for Kevin Brown. The kicking gale early

on and created some confusion in the Warrington defence. And he was there

to finish it as well. A gre`t start for him. And recent entry h`s been

one of the pics of the team. Not what anyone expected, reallx. This

fellow is having a big season, Sam. And his partner in crime as well,

Debbie. -- Gidley. And Tom Lineman, with the size he is it is h`rd to

stop them. Warrington are b`ck in the game and ahead. And then this

kicking game. And what a catch from Ryan Atkins to finish. And finishing

in style as well. A little short side play. A great win. Are you

impressed by decision-making from Sandow? I think people might have

been disappointed at the back end of last year but he was new to the

place. Everyone knows the g`me knows this boy can play. When he hs happy

and enthusiastic he's a handful But his kicking and decision-making

looks first class. Mix -- ndxt to the meeting between St Helens and

You have to Helens and Wigan.

Matt Newsum saw their latest encounter.

It's been a really tight first quarter.

Good hands to Manfredi who has cut his way through!

And will ground it for Wigan, first blood in the Derby

Really working this St Helens left side.

And here goes Manfredi again, scampering clear.

He has burst about four tackles there.

Sarginson, left and then back to this right hand side.

Joel Tomkins is going to stride across!

And Wigan are running away with this Derby.

Robert Hicks has no problem with the try.

The big back rower gives Saints some hope.

He just danced through and the former Saint

is a sinner and Wigan are running clear.

And there is no problem with the finish from Smith.

Walsh's appeal is in vain and Wigan continue their dominance.

Robert Hicks awards the try, but St Helens not good enough.

How good a performance was that from Wigan? Very tough and physical. You

expect that from Wigan. St Helens looked a bit lost and not qtite

where they should be so far this season. They have been disappointing

at times. Wigan look dangerous, a scary outfit at the moment. Manfredi

has come through in the last couple of seasons and looks a hard man to

stop. Well the question for Wigan was who would play Joe Burgdss. This

fellow is just doing it. Cutting across. He comes back against the

grain, against players coming across the line. He is strong in the hips

and thighs. He is not slow. Taking on the defenders, he can catch a

ball when it is kicked in the air. He looks like the complete package.

And with a winner like that, please are the pivotal moment. You look at

the tries but making a game break like that can change the cotrse of

the game. Until Tomkins is back He looked huge. He looked masshve out

there. He seems to have grown yet again! This is what happens when you

go away and you are in rehab or preseason you go from pre-sdason to

rehab and make sure you put that size on. You come back with. Without

much of a preseason it does not happen quite so easily. But he has

gone away and got himself rhght and looking in pretty good shapd. And it

means a lot to beat St Helens, they will be happy for Easter. They have

managed to six times. It is a close rivalry. In and around that area, it

is massive. It has been a Good Friday.

Two more games to catch up on now, and Good Friday home matches

2011 was the last time Catalan won in Salford but the Dragons

were in front just three minutes into this one

Tony Gigot with the first try of the afternoon.

Josh Griffin levelled the scores with the Red Devils 15 minutes

later, faking the pass to Greg Johnson on the left before

holding off Todd Carney for his 7th try of the season.

Eloi Pelissier found his wax over from close range to put the visitors

And after a Pat Richards penalty Dave Taylor crossed for the first

The Dragons on course for their third away win

A Pat Richards conversion left Salford three

scores behind but the gap was narrowed with 20 minutes left.

Tony Gigot had no problem with Michael Dobson's kick

but Logan Tomkins forced the subsequent error and thd former

Wigan hooker kicked through for Greg Johnson to score.

Johnson was in again just five minutes later

as Tomkins, Dobson and Gareth O'Brian worked the ball left.

But with neither of the winger's tries being converted,

Another Pat Richards penaltx and Dave Taylor's second

of the afternoon saw the Dragons home.

Back to back defeats for Salford, but a fourth win in five matches

for Catalan, who ended Good Friday in the top six.

This was the battle of the bottom two and it was Huddersfield

Jermaine McGillvary on the dnd of Leroy Cudjoe's short pass

and finding his way over for the fourth

It was his opposite number Tom Johnstone who brought the home

side level, Max Jowitt with the assist.

Chris Chester was in full control of Wakefield for the first time

his new team were in front after 26 minutes.

Jacob Miller's kick causing problems under the post.

And it was another kick that helped the Wild Cats move further `head

eight minutes later, Stuart Howarth asking questhons

The Huddersfield man couldn't find the answers and Rhys Lynn

The Giants had Craig Huby b`ck for his first start of the season

and the former Castleford m`n was involved in the move th`t saw

Jake Connor go over just before the break.

Danny Brough's conversion and a penalty made it

And the Giants were level ten minutes into

Ryan Brierley involved on hhs debut, Jake Connor with his second

Both teams were seeking only their second win of thd season

and Max Jowitt put Wakefield on course with 20 minutes ldft.

They had scored just four points in their previous two matchds.

Huddersfield had won the prdvious six meetings between the sides

and they responded with Aaron Murphy's try on the ldft

but Danny Brough missed the conversion

and the Giants still trailed with ten minutes left.

And a Good Friday became a great one for

Wakefield as they secured their first home win of the season

Tom Johnston received the ball on his own try lind

and what followed was simply stunning.

Johnston's third try of the season and one to remember as Wakefield

recorded their first home win since the

Nick Scruton finished it off in the dying moments.

Wakefield off the bottom at the end of Good Friday,

but a seventh defeat in eight for Huddersfield left them

Ryan catalogue appeared to have learnt how to win from home. --

Catalan. They have got the personnel. Dave Taylor, the impact

he has on the game. They signed really well. I think they whll be

expecting big things, Catal`n. You were a spectator at Wakefield. And

that Tom Johnson try was spdcial. It was good and he deserved it.

Wakefield were fantastic in that game. They got stuck in to ts. We

were poor and disappointed with the result. But the try was sensational.

It should never have been in that position to be able to scord the

try. That is disappointing `s the Huddersfield player. For Chris

Chester, first home game in charge, what a great start. You could see

the belief is the game went on and getting over the line at thd end you

could see the reaction of all the players. He said an instant impact.

Castleford went into the Easter weekend on a run

They were at home to Leeds on Friday, with the Champions

looking to record back to b`ck wins for the first time this year.

Look at the gap for Lynch to saunter through.

And score the first try of the night.

Hardaker just about puts it on but Webster is there in support.

Off from the bench Anthony Lullally, sixth tackle coming up here,

There is Ferris, taken nicely by Handley.

Great hands by Handley, great footwork by Ferris.

Very quick to his feet there, Alan Cuthbertson.

They're going to run it because they sense of opportunity.

Ablett, the pass for Watkins, and Watkins will finish!

A couple of plays left and they re creeping ever closer here.

Inside for Ablett who gets the arm free of Jones Buchanan.

This is the sixth tackle now and they're going

Watkins and Briscoe with a simple finish in the end

And it looks like Leeds will have the lead now at h`lf-time.

Time is ticking by and all the opportunities that Leeds

have had, they still have not put the game to bed.

Do Castleford sense of opportunity here?

That might be a winning twist of the game.

It was possibly the biggest win the club have had. With that kind of

spirit from the players must be wonderful from the coach. Think they

deserved it. It was a close game, a tough and physical game. Thd amount

of players they had out of the side, if they can produce bad performance

with those people not in thdn watch out. On the night, with the Derby

element, I'm sure that they were thrilled. And you could see that in

the performance. Danesfield defence in the second half epitomisdd the

character and spirit they h`ve tried to build customer the keyword is the

spirit they have. No matter who was playing for them they are f`ntastic.

And they do not give in. On any occasion. They are in the rhght

mind, not to make the tackld. Other teams that probably would not have

gone as hard. They will fight right to the death to make sure no one

else scores. They have got that much pride in the team. They just will

not allow it to happen. And they're smart as well. They understood what

Leeds were throwing at them. Brian McDermott will be disappointed.

However good the Castleford defence was, is a to see Leeds struggling to

score points? They are in a tight spot, not scoring a lot of points.

Maguire is missing, probablx the catalyst for a lot of things. Kevin

Sinfield is gone. Peacock gone. So they have new people in the team. A

new outfit. But with the kind of quality they have got, they will get

over this hump and maybe Maguire will get back in the mix.

So it was Warrington who went into Easter Monday on the top

of the table, they were looking to make it eight wins out

The commentator for this one is Matt Newsum.

He is going to back himself and he is going to pounce it!

Going to be swamped here by Hull shirts.

Hull should know all about Tom Lineham.

Hull moving the ball across to this left-hand side.

Warrington the only side in the league to have won

are moving here, Norton is on the left-hand side, and he is in for

Hull. Just up to the hour m`rk, Ellis to sneeze, and onto J`mie

Shaul again. Seesaw game here at the KC Stadium.

They are giving them all sorts of room here, Hughes goes on to Evans,

and line! That his second. @round about five to go. Across thhs

left-hand side, Sneyd is so influential. He sends it wide, and

Norton is going to get the ball down! They have brought Warrington's

winning run to an end. So, Warrington beaten for the first

time. How much did that comdback compel them? It massively hdlped,

and it gives you the confiddnce If you lose that game 20-0, yot worry,

but they scored plenty of points, and a little bit of luck went their

way. If that doesn't happen, the game could have gone the other way,

sometimes the bounce of the ball can make all the difference. Thhs Easter

could be a big turning point. It should be, they have had terrific

wins to compel them up the league, and give them confidence. A couple

of ricochets go your way, you chance your arm, you play with a lhttle

more confidence, and they should kick on for the rest of the year

now. They had a difficult sdttling in period, but these wins are big

against Warrington team that most people are tipping for the

competition. . What you think most people's take will be? I thhnk they

will be disappointed. I don't think they will be too concerned, I don't

think it is something that xou will look into and think, it is going to

affect the rest of our season. It is just one season. And a nice easy one

for them to come back from, they go to Wigan. It doesn't get easier no

matter who you play. Wakefidld were looking to complete a perfect

Easter, they were at Headingley and they started with confidencd.

Leeds is always... The weather isn't great, there must have been a

downpour, but they are back in front. The competition this year is

so close, you have to rock tp and play every week. This is a great

move from Wakefield, straight down the line, the boy Johnson again

showing a great pair of whedls and great support on the inside, and a

good finish from Jacob Milldr, so a lot of confidence, taken all the

pressure away from their gale. Leeds will always fight, and you know

that, especially at Headingley, and they get the bounce of the ball

here, Kallum Watkins and makes it, it is a great pick-up from Watkins.

And then a they get in front towards the end, and you think, that is it.

That is a great tackle. He has absolutely walloped him, and then

Craig Hall, he hasn't been hn the team for a while, but he is a speedy

guy, and the hit from Jones,Bishop was massive. And talk us through

this one. Do I have to? It was a better performance by ourselves I

thought we did well. Very strong, a couple of tries, but Salford are

economical in everything thdy do. We have three players around the ball,

it goes back into the Salford players having to get over the line,

and sometimes that is just the way the game goes. They deserved that,

they worked hard, did some great crossfield kick to the outshde, to

go over the line, a good finish in the end, and we got ourselvds into

the game. We are playing well, full of confidence. They looked fragile.

That is not one of the words we would have wanted to use, btt I

think we would have used. You lose your confidence from losing on a

weekly basis, it really affdcts us. You want to go to scores up, and

this was a seesaw game, nevdr what more than one score between the two

teams. You just want to be dight points up so you have an eldment of

breathing space so that every play is crucial, as it is when you are in

a Hoiland have to fight your way out. And Salford haven't bedn on a

great run themselves, so thdy might have been lacking in confiddnce I

think that was the position they were in during the latter stages of

the game. They were still bdhind this point, the ball goes whde and

they decide to shift it, and it is the bigger man who just bre`ks free.

It is a close one, but they probably wanted it a little more in the end.

You could say about the big man in defence, he has done that to a few

people, he is harmful! Do you think that they is a resilience there I

do believe that there is. I know that the gaps around me are positive

people, and every one of thdm I admire, and hopefully they will come

through the other side, bec`use they are too good to be in the position

that we are in. There were disturbing scenes

at the end of that match, the Salford players apparently

entered the crowd to protect their families during an altercation

between Salford supporters Salford say they're co-oper`ting

with Huddersfield and the RFL. Some pretty ugly pictures Brian

and very unusual in Rugby Ldague. It is bad, but the truth is this is

abnormal and it might make headlines tomorrow, but we shouldn't focus on

that. It will be sorted out quickly, and I

think everybody who has been in control of this incident has said it

will be sorted out, and rightly so. Somebody will get a ban be kicked

out, and good on them. You saw the end of it. What did you see happen?

It was strange, because you could see all the stewards in the corner

with loads of Salford fans, and Huddersfield fans were nowhdre near,

which I found unusual in itself there was no connection between

Huddersfield and Salford, it was just them in the corner. Thd

disappointing thing was to see players getting involved, btt the

reason these players were gdtting involved is because their f`milies

were there, their children, and Greg Brown's wife was in the crowd with

her children, so they were trying to do their best to protect thdir

families. It is a sad state of affairs, it is isolated, and you

don't see that often. But it is something that needs to be

addressed, and this is what it is about, getting together as ` sport

and ruling this out. Absolutely not what we want to see.

Next to the south of France where the Tigers were in town

Describing the best of the `ction from Catalan against Castleford

Carling with a super pass to Broughton, who will put it `way in

the corner. And the birthdax boy will celebrate in style. Trxing to

make things happen again he`r the Catalan, and Anderson is thd

unstoppable force to score. Castleford would love to get

themselves back into a foothold but Webster has dropped it, and Todd

Carney is a way! Nobody is going to catching, he scores. And he loves

it. Monaghan is an expert at thdse, and

he might just have heard and -- turned another into a try. When it

has gone up into the air, it has gone off Monaghan and then bounced

back. Why he has gone to thd video referee, I'm not sure, he thinks it

shouldn't be a try. It hits his own man, Monaghan we collect, it doesn't

that anyone else, but he is in front of his own man when he colldct it.

Week there. He has given thd try! The referee is watching his --

washing his hands of it. It is the field decision. He is saying he had

the evidence to overrule wh`t I have seen. You get the impression that

the referee doesn't agree whth the video referee. So, they are getting

closer again here. It goes back to Denny Solomona, and mimicking is in

for a second! What a day he is having. -- Greg Mounis. And Morgan

Escare are is there, what a finish. Morgan Escare are with twinkling

footwork here, and he has ldft him absolutely flat-footed.

Todd Carney is going to go himself here.

Switching it away, it is coling up quickly, and he will be there to

finish what he started. Thex have still got tackles in the bag here,

and they have a lot of pressure on this Catalan line. Anything that

comes might only be consolation but it is God consolation, a fine finish

from Joel Monaghan. -- good consolation. He is going for the one

point, and that caps a very successful night for the

the talking point was the disagreement between the on page

referee and the video referde, have you ever seen anything like it? It

is unusual to say the least. And we saw the other end, Todd Carney

blowing up at a little bit of footage because there was a decision

at the other end and they c`me up with a different solution to the

problem. In big games, that can make a big difference. It does undermine

the game, it makes it look ` bit ridiculous. You don't want to hear

the referee speaking to him in the conversation they are happening we

don't like to hear the problem, and we quite clearly heard that problem,

so they need to be a little more slick on the part of the officials

and how they operate it. Confusion indeed.

Widnes and St Helens were both beaten on Good Friday.

and this was the result that Saints needed Eorl.

Widnes could play for ever `nd a day, and they are not going to get

the results they want if thdy keep giving penalties away. Saints were

quite clinical, they competdd hard with a lot of pressure, Rhys Hanbury

got in there. Saints looked efficient and proficient, and they

hit the right balls, and were clever enough to score enough points,

McCarthy-Scarsbrook going through on a set play. Is that what thdy needed

to do given the results thex had on Friday? I think they needed to win

the game, and when you go to these games, a lot of dropped balls are

penalties, and it wasn't thdir best game. But you want to see your team

being fluent, and they were with the ball, Widnes, they were fantastic at

times. And they looked tired, even if they weren't physically, they'll

admit to lead tired. That is reflected in the amount of

penalties they gave away and the drop ball. They haven't quite got

that right, but they will kdep going.

Last onto the field on Easter Monday were Wigan.

They had the chance to go top of the table, and their opponents

After the heartbreak of derby day defeat, Hull KR put up a big fight.

Rovers had three teenage debutant in a patched up 17, but they g`ve the

Warriors the fright of their lives, scoring twice just before h`lf-time.

Graeme Horne's finish was qtickly finished by Iain Thornley. Rovers

were then 10-4 ahead at the break. No doubt Shaun Wane had somd strong

words at half-time, and Wig`n came out full of energy in the sdcond

half, epitomised by Josh Ch`rnley's length of the pitch- for thd line.

His conversion drew them level. He went over again minutes latdr,

squeezing his way through, `nd most Wigan fans would have thought that

would be that. However, Rovdrs had other ideas, and Morris Blahr picked

out Iain Thornley again. Thdn a great flurry of Wigan tries, Dom

Manfredi edged Wigan in front, and Oliver Gildart raced away to put

daylight between the teams `nd end Hull KR's brave challenge.

Despite the defeat, there wdre plenty of signs of encouragdment

from Robers new coach James Webster from his young team. Although the

final try belonged to Josh Charnley, his efforts giving the scordline a

flattering look. Two wins ott of two for Wigan, making it a very happy

east of Shaun Wane's side. ,- happy Easter.

So that's the 12 games of Easter complete.

Here's where they've all ended up in the First Utility Super League

Wakefield move above leads, and Huddersfield are point adrift of

Hull KR at the bottom of thd table. That's it for this week,

my thanks to Eorl and to Brhan for guiding us through

the busy Easter period.