14/08/2017 Super League Show

Hello.

The moving and shaking of the Super 8s continues.

It is week two and here's what's coming up.

MUSIC: "Jump In The Line" - Harry Belafone

MUSIC: "Jump In The Line" - Harry Belafone

# Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake your body line

# Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake it all the time

# Work, work, work, Senora, work your body line

# Work, work, work, Senora, work it all the time

# (Jump in the line, rock your body in time) OK, I believe you!

# (Jump in the line, rock your body in time) Whoa!

# (Jump in the line, rock your body in time) OK, I believe you!

# (Jump in the line, rock your body in time) Whoa!

# Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake your body line

# Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake it all the time

# Shake, shake, shake, Senora, shake it all the time (Whoa)

# Work, work, work, Senora

And keeping us company for eight games this week

is the Leeds forward, Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

And we'll start tonight with the fight for Super League

status in the qualifiers.

It's a format that was cruel to Hull Kingston Rovers last year,

who were relegated, but kind to Leigh, who were

promoted in their place.

Those two teams met on Saturday and the commentator is Dave Woods.

Mickey Higham has the chance to look around here.

Looks to the left-hand side.

Flicked away nicely and kept alive.

Leigh still looking lively.

Harrison Hansen with the break.

Support on the inside.

And Daniel Mortimer gets underneath the sticks

to score the first try.

Smiles for Leigh.

Slowest play the ball but still in decent position here.

Hull Kingston Rovers switching towards the left-hand side.

Addy, put down.

Lunt picks up from dummy half.

Couple of dummies, goes for the line.

He's got there, I think.

What was the Leigh defence is doing there?

Shaun Lunt finds a way over.

Big moment, big try.

Going to batter at the line again.

Dummy shown by Mortimer.

They've still got tackles in the bag here.

And they've got a penalty, holding down.

Lee Jewitt, the man.

Coming in as the third man there.

Lingering for too long and putting a second and third

hand on the defender.

Drinkwater looking to add the two.

As half time looms, Leigh have a 2-point lead.

The wave of Leigh attack coming Hull KR's way here.

Langi off-loads, keeps it alive.

The Rovers defence is having to work hard.

Liam Hood wants it playing quicker than that.

Well, eventually the penalty's given.

Lee Jewitt taking too long here, not allowing his man to get

up and play the ball, McNally.

Penalty attempt here, which gives Drinkwater

and Leigh a chance to open up a four-point lead.

It looks good, it is good, it is confirmed.

And Leigh edging further ahead.

Lunt gets in there.

Hull Kingston Rovers, the ball is moved right.

Ellis putting it high in the air.

Shaw is underneath it.

Oh, he's got there.

Has Higson done enough?

Time off.

Tackle five.

They're having a look.

A try, he thinks.

This is going to be very, very tight.

Acrobatic stuff from the winger.

Right foot in, just ball touched down.

It has been given as a try, it is a huge one for Hull KR.

And what a score from Ryan Shaw.

The kick is a tester, up it goes.

Leigh.

Plenty underneath it.

And it's going to be a penalty here, man taken off the ball.

Lachlan Burr coming in.

Lachlan Burr there just coming in and taking

that man, Moss, off the ball.

So, a penalty in a very kickable position.

Jamie Ellis, just settling himself here and strikes it through and it's

Hull KR now who have a 4-point lead.

Mickey Higham.

Such a general in the heart of the Leigh attack.

Atelea Vea, the unstoppable Atelea Vea!

Wow!

Leigh fighting back terrifically.

Lunt's having a look.

Ball shoots out, here it comes.

Another wave of attack.

Lunt looking around again.

Again, the ball shot out of that.

Play the ball, Lunt, though is over.

Wrestling to get it down.

The referee is going for the review.

Mickey Higham is asking them to have a look at the play-the-ball.

But they are going straight to the touchdown.

And the try looks good there, from what we've

seen, on that evidence.

And the try's been given.

A punch of the air, it could be a matchwinner.

This is it, surely this is it.

Mickey Higham, very close.

A matter of moments remaining.

Drinkwater, out of dummy half.

Over he goes.

Plenty of defenders there.

Rovers hanging on.

They go back ten metres.

More plays to come here.

Leigh looking for the try that would possibly give them the win.

Whether it goes, oh, it's fumbled out of play.

Over it goes, oh, it's fumbled out of play.

Matty Dawson with the fumble.

That should be it as far as Hull Kingston Rovers are concerned.

The Super League side have been beaten here.

What a moment.

Jamie, I think we all agreed that the extra play

the ball was fairly iffy.

Tim Sheen saying they were lucky to get away with it.

But Shaun Lunt is a player that you know extremely well and you've

seen him do that first hand when he was with you at Leeds.

Absolutely, yeah.

Shaun is just going to pick it up and go from dummy half.

I played with him for five years ago at Leeds

and he did that a lot for us.

And whether you score the 80 metre try or an eight metre try, it's

all worth four points, potentially six.

When you're picking up two or three of those in big games as well,

he used to do it for us in semifinals and finals,

it can be the difference between promotion or relegation

or winning or losing in a big final.

Just on the next play the ball, it's a penalty all day long,

he's not played the ball properly but as players, we've got absolutely

no control over that, so we can't worry about it as defenders.

You've still got to defend it, as offensive players you've got

to make the most of it and see what the referee does.

For Hull KR, they've been targeting winning all of their home games

and maybe picking up one away win to take them over the line.

To win at Leigh, how big a bonus for them is that?

It's a huge one because when you're a Super League club,

and Leigh were in exactly the same position last year, by beating

Super League teams as well.

Hull have already been there, Hull KR, in the Challenge Cup this year.

They've already got the positive affirmations, good memories

of winning at Leigh.

And for them, when you look at the table, what they've got left

to play, it's really promising.

I think once you get that win over a Super League team,

you're halfway there.

They won't be going to be in that million pound game either.

When we were there last year, we didn't want to be part of that

game because on the day, any team can win it,

such is Super League and the Championship at the minute.

You want to get yourself as close to the top as you can and take

the pressure off yourself.

And for Leigh they've got Catalan away, Widnes at home,

Warrington away, the next three.

That's a really tough run for them, isn't it?

It is, and it becomes exponential as well,

the pressure and the fear and the doubt that

starts to seep in.

The fact that you find yourself in the middle eights is tough

enough to start with, as far as doubt goes.

They've lost against Hull KR, they've got a big

challenge ahead of them.

If they don't pick up some wins soon, it could spiral out

of control for them.

What do you make of them bringing in Keiron Cunningham

as director of rugby?

First of all, I don't know what effect it will have on Leigh

but it's great to see Keiron Cunningham bounce

straight back into the game.

He's a legend of a player.

I think my generation look up to players like him.

Obviously didn't finish very well for him at St Helens but to see him

come straight back into the game and start plying his

trade is fantastic.

I'm sure, with his experience and knowledge, especially in the big

games, Keiron Cunningham will be a big help for Leigh Centurions.

So, a perfect start to the qualifiers for Hull KR.

But Halifax and Widnes were looking for their first win.

They met at the Shay and Matt Newsome was watching.

Widnes poised.

Lloyd White.

Finding Craven.

Straddles the line, getting one out of the back to Bridge.

Looping pass wide.

Stefan Marsh, cutting back infield.

Shane Gray makes the challenge.

Picked up by Mellor, Bridge hits the line.

Puts the ball down.

Little short side play from Widnes.

Mellor scooting into space.

Getting one away to Lloyd White.

Brushes off the tackle and scores another for Widnes.

One-way traffic so far.

Mellor, sliding move to the left hand side.

Good hands from Hanbury.

Puts in Charly Runciman.

Widnes have had this game in the palm of their hand throughout.

Craven, to the left, Bridge, good hands.

For Thompson, Corey Thompson slides in.

They are really targeting Halifax's right edge at the moment.

The kick is high.

Gathered up by Thompson.

Try number two for him.

Halifax really struggling for a platform.

This is where Scott Murrell...

Is a waste of a kick, really.

He's got Rhys Hanbury with space to run into here.

Targeting the left-hand side.

It's been picked off by Ben Heaton.

And surely, suddenly, Halifax have a route back into the game.

And Ben Heaton was sharp and scores.

Sustained spell of pressure.

Steve Tyrer with the kick.

Underneath it, Widnes have lost it.

Picks one wide.

Will he get his second in, and a corner, and suddenly

Halifax have a platform.

White to that left-hand side.

Mellor.

Short ball at the line to Houston.

He frees it to Mellor.

He is dangerous in these situations.

And scores.

Widnes have quelled the Halifax fightback,

and they look dangerous once again.

Craven stepping and dummying.

Out to that left-hand side.

Goes it alone!

Game over.

Widnes, first win in seven.

Widnes will be relieved to be off the mark, won't they?

Certainly will.

Confidence is a big thing in that middle area.

They spoke about it with Hull KR.

And to get a win at Halifax.

I've been there a couple of times, some big performances from them,

but certainly that middle eight, whatever two points you can

pick up is gold dust.

Especially, I guess, it must be quite tricky

for the Super League clubs.

I mean, you had last year, to go away to the Championship sides,

who they don't know that well...

Absolutely right, especially the players who are superstitious

and they like certain delights of life, if you like.

We went down to Ealing, down in London, and on the big 3G

picture there was a game on before, and we got changed in what I can

only describe as like school changing rooms.

I actually really enjoyed it, because it reminded me

of being an amateur player, and that's why I played rugby,

because I loved it.

The journey that you have, the banter with players...

And, it's a real challenge.

When you are professional players playing at professional grounds,

great facilities, sometimes you've got some of these Championship clubs

and they are a few years behind.

It's a mental challenge.

Halifax have been really good.

They were very good against Widnes.

Came so close against Hull KR , but two defeats.

Realistically, is that chance gone for them,

do you think, to make it to that million-pound game?

Listen, not every journey will end in 2017, so Halifax

need to do their best, test themselves against Super League

clubs, make the most of the experience and,

who knows, if they've got that opportunity again in 2018,

they could be a lot better side for it.

So they need to keep putting their best foot forward.

There's a lot of players as well in the shop window there.

I don't think they'll be throwing in the towel just yet.

The qualifiers is a whole new experience for Warrington

and Catalan, who met on Saturday.

Two former England coaches in opposition here,

as Tony Smith took on Steve McNamara.

Clark gets a quick play of the ball.

Patton.

Ben Westwood.

Big afternoon for him.

400th appearance in the primrose and blue.

Clark follows the play.

Patton into the line.

Out the back from Brown.

Will Hiku take the line on himself?

He frees a pass to Ratchford.

Up steps Tierney!

Oh, that's a great try.

First blood, Warrington.

Getting a roll on here.

Westwood again, just being sent in to soften up the Catalan defence.

He's been held, and he's somehow got the ball away to Clark.

Takes it to the line, goes deep to Hill.

Hill is there, looping past, and Russell's all on his own.

To score in the corner.

Clark, Westwood.

Warrington on a roll here.

Has Lineham got the pace to go past the cover?

Swung back inside to Patton.

That's really sharp play, and they are already

making a big statement, Warrington.

Catalan making a bit of a rare raid on the line.

Casty springs through the tackle and gets them on the board.

Ratchford, looping past infield.

Patton will send up a kick.

Loops one to the left-hand side.

Up goes Atkins.

Challenged!

That is a soft try.

Brad Dwyer, again, another kick.

Against the grain this time, Ratchford again.

Warrington are absolutely flying.

Myler.

Catalan all a bit lateral here.

Garcia running into a bit of traffic.

But he gets it away to Inu.

One man to beat, and he just sauntered past him.

Smart try for Inu.

Dwyer scampers in.

Quick play football.

They've gone to the right-hand side of this line.

Kevin Brown drops one off to Hiku, who's been a really good signing.

And he's managed to work and off-load away, and Declan Patton

wasn't actually concentrating, but it's another little

kick to the corner.

Once again, they've won it, and it's Ryan Atkins.

Repeat prescription for Warrington.

Dwyer down the short side to Kevin Brown.

He was taken off the ball, and it's all going off in back play.

Meanwhile, Lewis Tierney has spotted a gap and he's turned on the turbo,

and he'll go all the way through.

He didn't switch off.

The rest of the players did.

And Lewis Tierney scores for Catalan, and that's

what the boos are about.

But it's a score.

Aiton to Bird.

This is better from Catalan.

Oh, it's been picked.

Has Lineham got the pace?

The flying pig, they call him.

Well, he's not going to be caught.

He's going to scamper all the way through.

Tom Lineham, what an intercept.

And Warrington stretch further in front.

Dwyer to Brown.

He's become increasingly influential in this one,

and he's chipped one over the top, and Hiku has just

outstripped the cover.

That was far too easy.

Walsh, looking to thread something for Catalan here,

restore a bit of pride.

Good hands out on this right-hand side.

Inu steps back infield.

He's a big man for a centre.

And he gives Catalan a little bit more of a gloss to the score.

Dwyer, last embers of this game.

Ratchford, good hands to Lineham.

Yet another spectacular try, two from two for the Wolves.

You were at this game.

Warrington appear to be taking on the qualifiers a little

like you guys did last year and romping through

it at the moment.

If you were a Catalan fan, would you be worried?

I would be worried, but there weren't many of them there,

which I imagine is pretty tough for the Catalan team.

Talking about it earlier, when you play any sports,

you've got that proverbial carrot and stick so, when you do

something really well, like a break or a try,

you get a big cheer and you feed off that energy.

When you get something wrong, it's like "aaargh"...

And there's none of that at all.

Whatever Catalan do, there's very little feedback in it.

I was sat there as a spectator wondering

what it was like as a player.

Where do you get your feedback from?

Where do you get your enthusiasm?

On the flipside, Warrington were fantastic,

because they were all celebrating.

Catalan can't defend, and that's a problem.

They scored 24 points which, in those type of play-off games,

should be enough to beat anybody in the semifinal or middle eights.

You've got to defend very well.

They're just not, is what I'm talking about.

I don't know where their own level settings are on the spectrum.

It's a bit like a training session.

But we all know how good Catalan can be at their place,

where they get an immense amount of festival-type atmosphere fans,

and they can be very good so I wouldn't write them off yet.

A huge day for Ben Westwood, 400th game.

He's been a real warrior, hasn't he?

I got really caught up in the atmosphere.

They let me have a go at the challenge at half-time.

I got a few boos there.

But Ben is a real warrior.

He is one of the final remaining ones for me in Super League.

Him, Lynch, some other players are the last remnants of the '90s.

And your good self.

And my good self.

He's a bit better than me, Westwood, but he's been in incredible form

and I've got a lot of respect for him and to be playing as well as

he is at that age is fantastic.

Just one game in front of him, 401, because he's had a lot

of suspensions this year.

A bit like myself.

The game has changed.

He gets penalised for a lot of those big shots that he does.

But he's doing well.

Time now for our first visit of the season to the home

of the London Broncos.

As Jamie was saying, they are in Ealing these days.

On Sunday, their visitors were Featherstone.

With ten consecutive home wins, London Broncos were suddenly

ready to get their first in the qualifiers,

and they started with intent.

Pitts getting the first try to get them off the mark.

That was the first of a flurry of points in just over seven minutes.

The Broncos followed it up with Elliott Kear on the end

of some slick passing to go in at the corner, and so far

Featherstone have no reply.

London took it into double figures shortly after,

with a move starting from deep inside their own half of the field.

Ben Hellewell handed off the defence to go through a gap.

The former Featherstone player then had support on his inside,

and Barthau did the rest from around 20 metres out.

Sammut added his first goal of the afternoon

and the Broncos were 14-0 up.

While it looked London were in control,

Featherstone had other ideas.

Anthony Thackery popped a little pass into the arms

of Connor Farrell, who crashed over to start a comeback.

Down before half-time, Kyle Briggs found a space

to put a kick through, and John Davies won

the race to touch down.

Featherstone were back and within four points of the break.

The momentum Rovers had built continued afterwards.

They shipped the ball out the right, John Davies taking the ball

and running the angle to get his second try

to level the scores.

Hardman's conversion put Featherstone ahead

for the first time.

Davies also had a hand in what came next, breaking the line and sending

a high ball out to Luke Briscoe.

The kick made it 22 unanswered points for Rovers.

But London weren't going to roll over on their own ground

and soon hit back.

Barthau this time combining with half-back partner Sammut.

He converted and the Broncos were back to within two.

What came next was a great individual effort, Ioane shrugged

off the first group of attempted tacklers, stepped out of the second

and then went round the third to swandive behind the posts.

The Broncos were back ahead.

The next try came from some incredible handling.

Sammut's pass first found Eddie Battye, who then found space

behind him for Andy Ackers to cross in what was the 100th

game of his career.

Sammut's goal meant London were ten points ahead with 14 minutes left.

But Featherstone had another comeback in them.

John Davies went close to what would have been his hat-trick only

for the defence to crowd around and deny him but it wasn't

enough to stop the pass from getting out to Kyle Briggs,

who saw Luke Briscoe in space.

With the clock ticking down, Featherstone pushed on,

Briggs put up the huge crossfield kick and Connor Farrell

eventually ended up with the crucial possession.

He kept it alive when he found his path blocked

although it was scrappy, Featherstone retained the ball

and it was moved out wide.

Chris Ulugia dived over in the corner and Rovers were back

to within two points again, with a kick to come

and seconds remaining.

And what a kick it was, there was plenty at stake

but Ian Hardman made sure from the touchline to secure

the first points ever in the qualifiers for Featherstone,

while the Broncos were left ruing a point lost

in their hopes for promotion.

A heck of a battle and a heck of a couple of comebacks

from Featherstone but in the great scheme of things, a draw isn't

ideal for either side.

No, I don't think so.

It's like the grand old Duke of York song, it is neither up nor down.

But I think Featherstone will be the happier team,

it's a bit of a mission, going down there and it's

better than a loss.

So, honours even in the capital and after two rounds of matches,

this is how they are shaping up in the qualifiers.

A long way to go but remember, the top three will secure a place

in Super League for next year.

At the moment, those places belong to Warrington, Hull KR and Leigh.

Five rounds left, though, so watch this space.

And so to the top eight, where Wakefield had the chance

to move back into the play-off places on Thursday.

To do so they'd have to beat Leeds.

Dave Woods saw this one.

Wood in there at dummy half.

Step back on the inside here from Miller.

He's a tricky customer.

My word, he is already showing some sprightliness,

early stages of this game.

Finn goes left.

Ashurst gets the ball away.

Arundel somehow finding a way to the line.

Joe Arundel with the early score.

Four minutes played.

A good start for Trinity.

McGuire.

Mackenzie's going to be held up.

There's still a couple of tackles in the back here for Leeds.

Ward collects out of dummy half and tries

to batter his way over here.

Short, says the referee.

Lovely little measured kick in.

And it's Cuthbertson on the end of it.

McGuire's grubber, Cuthberts and read it.

That's a great finish from the big man.

Well read.

Grix's kick to the corner.

Jones-Bishop!

Behind the Leeds defenders, and against his former side.

They're having a look.

Try.

Tackle three.

Onside and grounding.

Onside and grounding.

No problems with the onside.

And then you have to say, no problems with the grounding even

from Ben Jones-Bishop.

-- And then you have to say, no problems with the grounding either

from Ben Jones-Bishop.

And Wakefield are back in the lead.

He'll enjoy that one.

So, off we go again, as Golding puts the ball high in the air.

Wakefield looking to bring it back.

They are buoyed by the try that has given them the lead again.

They've been very good at home this year.

They haven't lost many and they haven't lost many by many.

And here they have an opportunity to make the break and Scott Grix

is flying away to score here.

Grix underneath the sticks.

It's two tries in the blink of an eye for Wakefield.

18-6, it should be in a moment, with a kick in front of the sticks

but what a try from Grix.

Wood shuffling it back.

Finn stepping on the inside.

Offside against Leeds.

What are they going to do here?

You can see Jones-Buchanan leaping out of the traps

a little bit too early.

Liam Finn with the chance to give his side a three

score lead, as he puts it between the sticks.

20-6.

Leeds are having one of those nights.

The chase is on.

Oh, it's up in the air and it might have been touched

down by Jacob Miller!

This might be a gift of a try.

Tackle four.

The grimace from Briscoe underneath the sticks.

They're all onside.

McGuire can't make telling contact on that.

Watkins just batting it, it would seem, into the path of Miller.

The try looked good.

It is good.

And just before the break, a huge moment for Wakefield.

They've got a lot of work to do here, on so many counts, Leeds.

Trying to bring it away.

Dragged back.

I think he's lost it, actually.

Matty Ashurst is claiming a try.

We have to tackle one, we have a try on the field.

Well, any suggestion of a Leeds comeback may be stymied here.

Was that a clean drop?

Did he touch it down cleanly as well, Matty Ashurst?

The try has been given and surely there's no way for Leeds now.

This is Burrow.

Taken in by Cuthbertson, trying to keep it alive.

They're desperate but they aren't going to get anything.

Kirmond comes up with the ball.

Wakefield are keen to carry it on here.

There's the kick.

Watkins got a hand to it but no more than that.

And Bill Tupou with the icing on the cake.

A celebration that tells you how much this means

to Wakefield tonight.

They are back in Grand Final reckoning here.

Fair play to you for rocking up after that result.

I know it wasn't easy to watch!

We will talk about Leeds in a minute but for Wakefield,

that was some turnaround.

They've been labelled embarrassing by their coach the week before.

Yeah, you nearly had no guest tonight!

They were very good.

The 4-17, you got an inkling with John Kear's enthusiasm that

they've worked hard on this all week and they played really well

with a lot of tenacity, a lot of ferocious carries.

Having lost to St Helens and Huddersfield the previous two

weeks, they needed to pick up their game if they were

going to be serious top four contenders and wow,

did they show why they've been in the top four

for most of this season.

Did you feel that Jacob Miller coming back lifted them

a little bit more, the pace, and his will to get back playing?

Absolutely, I've had to chase him around a fair few times,

you might see me here trying to chase him down and tackle him.

He had that enthusiasm and tenacity.

You saw him at the beginning of the season, very fresh.

That's what you want when you've been out for so long,

you've missed playing and competing, you put your best foot forward

and give all your energy for your team and he came up

with some real game changing moments.

Getting off the line, forcing errors, really sharp jinking

runs that caused us some problems.

Having to work hard, this one here flies up, just phenomenal.

When a player comes back from injury, that's just how

they want to perform, and he was outstanding.

So, to yourselves.

You were very good last week.

What happened?

It's funny, Liam Sutcliffe described it, I think he said we'd all shot

ourselves in the foot and unfortunately I did

most of the shooting!

I've got four very big Leeds Rhinos fans at home,

my four boys and number two comes home from sportsday with

badges all over him.

He doesn't accept mediocrity.

He just eyeballed me this weekend!

He said, dad, was your coach making you do a lap of the pitch for every

knock-on or penalty you gave away this week?

I said I hope not, I'll still be there on Wednesday!

Just one of those where, the week before, the planets seem

to align against Wigan, played really well, but then

a calamitous performance.

So, it won't be back to the drawing board,

I guess it is now what you do next week, is that the focus?

100%, massive game against St Helens.

It's a big occasion for a lot of reasons.

But for us, obviously, we've talked a lot about responding

to adversity and poor performances quite a lot, which we've done

this season but now, in the super eights,

you've got to start stringing the consistent

performances together.

We've got the ingredients, we know where we're going,

we're better than last year, and we're still smiling.

We'll put you out of your misery now and move on.

Let's check on the form of the Challenge Cup finalists,

Hull FC, who made the cross-country trek to St Helens on Friday.

The home side were looking to build on last week's

win against Castleford.

COMMENTATOR: St Helens are setting a real platform for an impressive

victory here tonight.

Roby underneath the sticks.

St Helens are going to get a famous victory here tonight.

They are posting their grand final intentions.

Roby into dummy half.

Heads away to the right, to Richardson.

Peyroux, decent tackle.

Rolled onto his back ten metres out.

Roby again, across the goal post to Wilkin.

A chance here.

A chance here, Fages.

Regan Grace, superb finish, guiding into the corner.

St Helens break the deadlock.

Sneyd to Matongo.

Surrounded by St Helen's defenders.

15 metres out.

Kelly, Washbrook off-loads, knocked on by Wilkin, I think.

Six more to Hull.

Here is Connor.

Sneyd steps one and another towards the line.

Marc Sneyd!

Great try.

Hull FC hit back.

Black and Whites attack.

Understrength, of course.

Missing key players.

All dropped out of the 19.

Liam Watson has been messed around with by Thompson.

Could be a penalty.

Tightness of the encounter has enticed Sneyd to take

the two from halfway.

He is poised.

All about the length now.

It's on its way.

Oh, and the Black and White fans rise and say it's good.

It was the ugliest, prettiest result I think I've had

in an awful long time, that's for sure.

I apologise for the standards, first and foremost.

You know, the ball is what it is and there's nowt we can do

about that, unfortunately.

But don't undersell that result, because that was huge for us.

Wasn't a real good display, was it?

I thought from both teams.

It wasn't just us dropping the ball.

They would have dropped it as much as us.

I thought it was unfortunately one of the worst games of rugby league

I've been involved in.

The players deserve so much credit because of what's gone

on leading up to the game.

So to come here and grind out the result like they did,

in them conditions, was phenomenal, and hopefully people might start

taking us seriously now.

Are you surprised to see him say that?

I'm not sure who hasn't been taking them seriously,

because they are a good side.

Yeah, it's interesting what he means there in context, Lee Radford.

But you've got to love Lee.

He's a local lad.

He's been there a few years now and he's been developing as a coach

and he's getting the fruits of his labour.

Hull have got a couple of real prizes on offer.

It reminds me a bit of 2014, having won the Challenge Cup

and then bombed out.

They won it last year and then dipped in form.

I get the feeling that he's going for the double

this year, so in context they are in their season,

they are in that cup-winning form as well, playing really well,

and I think St Helens have been fantastic the last couple of weeks

and won't be too ashamed of losing.

Let's see if we can finally separate Wigan and Huddersfield.

Their two previous meetings this year ended in draws,

and they are level on points in the Super League table.

The Giants went over first here, didn't they?

They did, and I know obviously Wigan were disappointed

at their loss against us, reading on the grapevine,

but how good have Huddersfield been?

Just jumping back into some form.

They've always been a great attacking side.

And it's a shame that it's sort of come to them a bit

late on in the season.

But Wigan, the tenacity of their game, the trademark plays

from George Williams getting over to Sam Tomkins and then

Thomas Leuluai very dangerous on the edges.

They've got a lot to say left yet, Wigan, and a big Challenge Cup prize

for them on offer in a week or two.

But I think they'll have a little bit more to say

in the league as well.

Sean O'Loughlin had laid into them after that Leeds game

about their one-on-one tackles and individual errors.

Could you see that kind of hunger coming back this week a bit more?

Yeah, there's a lot of pride in Sean O'Loughlin

with the captain's armband on.

He's been at Wigan from year dot.

He's a one-man statesman and, whenever they are not playing well,

he'll be the one that shouts it out and holds people to account.

But Wigan have never been a team to capitulate.

They are always tough, even when they get a few scores up.

They know they've got to play for 80 minutes.

Sam Tomkins as well, I think he's showing a real

bit of form recently, having come back from quite

a catastrophic injury, really.

Would have lacked a little bit of confidence but,

as the games are going on, you see him taking a view

more risks, having a few more pops on his own,

running the ball and looking pretty sharp as well.

It's going to be a juicy Challenge Cup final, isn't it?

It's looking good.

No kidding!

We'll finish this week at the top of the table

and the runaway leaders, Castleford.

They were at Salford on Friday and Dave Woods was watching.

A minute's silence here for the passing of Chris Hesketh,

Great Britain's skipper in '74 and Salford Red Devils legend.

And you could have heard a pin drop.

McShane goes to that right-hand side, Millington

with a twist behind him again.

McShane quickly up there.

A bit of a gap in which to run, and Hardaker is the man in support,

and Castleford have their first try early on.

This is McShane.

Gale along the line.

Hardaker's driving in as well.

Minikin put down.

A few of the missing stars there.

We might see some of those before the end of the season.

But here is Hardaker!

Sauntering through.

And Zak Hardaker is over for his second.

What a wonderful try that was.

Carney.

Salford hammering at the door.

They could desperately do with a try.

Coming towards the end of the count.

The ball is kicked in.

Vatuvei!

Well, he looks confident.

And the referee thinks it was a try.

Did he get there in time, Vatuvei?

My word, I think he did.

With millimetres to spare.

It's a big moment for Salford.

They are back in the game.

Vatuvei the scorer.

McShane.

Looking right, going left, through the middle, nobody there,

and Paul McShane with a simple try and a dummy-half.

Embarrassing the Salford defence.

Hooker picking it up, and on they go.

They've got a bit of space here.

It's Hardaker again who's flying through.

He's already got two and he's on a hat-trick.

He fancies closing in.

Gale's there in support.

But he's picked himself up, Hardaker all the way to Hitchcox,

who is going to score.

Hitchcox.

REFEREE: It's tackle four.

I've got a try.

Just check to make sure that Gale tackled, please.

Well, I don't think he was tackled.

And a try is going to be given.

Yes, it is.

And surely that's the match now for the Castleford Tigers.

McShane.

Back it goes to Gale.

It's going to go for one point here.

No risks need to be taken.

The Tigers had it in the bag.

And they are going to go ten points clear, and surely now have one hand

on that league leaders trophy.

All but over the line with the League Leaders Shield,

but was it important for them to bounce back after

defeat against St Helens?

A few people questioning them after that.

Yeah, and the most gratifying part of 2017 was seeing Salford,

Wakefield and Castleford teams that you want.

With all due respect, a few years ago, they expected

to be in that top four.

The question was, are they going to keep that up?

Castleford have been phenomenal.

They've not only kept it on the pedal, they've accelerated,

barring that loss against St Helens.

When they've got lads like Zak playing the way that he is,

and I've played with Zak Hardaker when he had his man of steel

year a few years ago, he's just unstoppable.

You've got that at the back, you just play with so much confidence.

And winning a big game on a wet evening in the Greater Manchester

area could stand them in good stead, couldn't it?

Yes, because you've got to be able to win big games in wet conditions,

because however many, I think seven times they've

played at Old Trafford, it's always wet and greasy

and you've got to know how to handle the ball and change the way

you play the kicking game.

They were just brilliant, and you saw the contrast

between St Helens and Hull.

A wet game, they said it was one of the worst spectacles

they'd seen all season, but Castleford were able

to manage it really well.

Quickly, Salford just can't buy a win at the moment, can they?

It's a disappointment.

Salford have dropped off on a bit of form.

As a neutral, you sort of hope that, for their sake, they'd be

able to keep that up, but there's still time.

They are not a million miles off and, as we've seen today,

it only takes a week to change things in Super League.

We are one step further along the road to the Grand Final.

This is how they stand in the Betfred Super League table.

The Tigers' points difference means they are pretty much guaranteed

the League Leaders Shield.

Their next opponents are Wakefield, who are up to fourth.

Trinity will play St Helens in the play-off places.

Just five games to go now, after which the top four will fight

it out for a place in the Grand Final.

That is all for now.

Big thanks to Jamie for joining us this week.

We will see you all next week but, for now, goodbye.

The latest of our Premier League commentaries for you this season,

the whole game in full here on 5 Live.

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