THE historic 2026 season reaches a climax at the DIY Kitchens Stadium, Wakefield on Saturday, when the first National League Grand Final takes place. 

Congratulations to West Hull and Hunslet ARLFC on reaching the decider, which kicks off at 3.00pm and will be preceded by the Division One Promotion Play-Off Final between East Leeds and Oulton Raiders.

It will be quite an occasion and at only a fiver admission (£3 concessions) is a ‘don’t miss’ event, especially for folk who live in the adjacent Leeds area, which is providing three of the four competing teams.

Intriguingly, the fourth and sixth-placed sides (East Leeds and Oulton) will be battling it out to join table-toppers Dewsbury Celtic in being promoted, which may well be a talking point among what I anticipate will be a substantial crowd.

The best of luck to the clubs involved. Reports will, of course, be included in next Monday’s League Express.

Meanwhile, congratulations to Ince Rose Bridge, who beat Blackbrook in Saturday’s Cross-Conference Play-Offs Final, and to Myton, who accounted for Ashton Bears in the first-ever Shield decider in a double-header at Bartercard Odsal.

I’m sure that the play-offs, along with everything else surrounding the inaugural National Leagues campaign, will be at the centre of discussions when the Rugby Football League conduct their review.

I touched, several weeks ago, on whether play-offs are necessary at all to determine the Premier Division champions, given that the table-toppers (West Hull this time) have played everybody else once at home and once away.

Quite a lot of folk, meanwhile, are getting in touch with me regarding the Division One Promotion Play-Offs, which are certainly confusing.

I’ll be featuring the thoughts of at least one grassroots fan in the next week or two but, for now, much debate centres on the fact that the table-toppers (Dewsbury Celtic in 2026) automatically go up, while the play-off winners will join them in next year’s Premier Division.

The spanner that’s been thrown (needlessly to my mind) into the works is that if the champions also win the play-off final, then the team closing in second spot in the standings will be elevated.

Given Celtic’s defeat by Oulton two days ago, that won’t happen this time, but it’s all very confusing. It has certainly perplexed many in the amateur game, while pertinent points have been raised regarding the potential travel costs.

To be fair, the RFL stressed at the beginning of the campaign that the 2026 season is something of a ‘suck-it-and-see’ exercise, which begs the question of why the tried-and-tested National Conference League had to be jettisoned at all.

That, certainly, is a big question. Another is why the prestigious end-of-season presentation dinner, which was a highlight of the NCL’s year, won’t be taking place. Award and trophy winners will, instead, be lauded at this Saturday’s finals at Wakefield.

I find that sad, as do many others, although I do accept that some clubs almost had to be dragged kicking and screaming to the NCL’s annual bashes.

Perhaps the RFL have simply acknowledged that fact. For me though (and my view might admittedly be tinted as I was always a guest and therefore never had to dip into my pocket for my grub) it means that the year goes out with a whimper rather than a bang. 

Meanwhile, there has long been a feeling that the cities of Salford and Manchester, which for many a year were absolute hotbeds of Rugby League at all levels, have, if not actually been lost to our sport, at least withered somewhat.

Many might argue about that but, regardless of the pros and cons of any debate, firm steps are certainly being taken to help ensure a brighter future.

This Sunday, Valentine Cup and Shield games will be played at the CorpAcq (Salford Community) Stadium and while that’s tremendous in itself, perhaps the more important fact is that the event, which will involve all four of the city’s amateur outfits, is being used to galvanise Rugby League at both club and schools levels. 

Jack Youd and his colleagues on the Valentine Cup Steering Committee are ensuring that the quartet of local clubs (Cadishead Rhinos, Folly Lane, Langworthy Reds and Salford City Roosters) will oversee sessions at, in total, eight schools, with long-term growth the stated and welcome target. 

As Youd said: “While Valentine Cup history stretches back more than a century, organisers are equally focused on the next hundred years of Rugby League in Salford, the free sessions across the city helping young people discover the sport and build connections with their local club.

“The initiative recognises the important role schools play in introducing children to Rugby League and the challenges many amateur clubs face in attracting the next generation of players and volunteers.

“By creating stronger links between schools and community clubs, the Valentine Cup project aims to leave a lasting legacy beyond the competition itself, helping more young people access our sport and ensuring Salford’s proud Rugby League tradition continues to thrive.”

A key element in the drive is the launch of the official Valentine Cup website at www.valentinecup.co.uk which will not only provide information of this weekend’s event but will also celebrate the history of the trophy, not least regarding previous winners and participating clubs.

Community activity and future Valentine Cup news will, in addition, feature and Youd stressed: “It will also play an important role in preserving and sharing more than a century of local Rugby League heritage, helping ensure the stories, people and communities behind the competition are not lost to future generations.

“Official Valentine Cup social-media channels have also been launched, providing match updates, club features, archive photographs and stories from the competition’s rich history, including following the Second World War when the original Manchester and District league declined and the trophy evolved into the knockout competition which became known as the Valentine Cup.”

Youd, in conclusion, has an important question. He asks: “Despite its long history, one question remains unanswered: who was Valentine?

“For decades, two figures have been associated with the name. One is Jim Valentine, the legendary Swinton player who captained the Lions to victory over Salford in the 1900 Challenge Cup final. The other is Joseph Valentine, a long-serving administrator of the Manchester and District Rugby League whose name is inscribed on the trophy itself.

“More than a century after the competition began, the true origins of the Valentine Cup remain uncertain.

“Organisers hope the new website and wider heritage project will help uncover more of the competition’s history and preserve the stories of the clubs, players and communities who shaped it.”

My initial response would, I think, have been that the Valentine was Dave Valentine, the inaugural World Cup winning captain, for Great Britain of course, back in 1954, but I would obviously have been wrong, the Scot having played for Huddersfield.

I’m sure League Express readers will be only too keen to help.