Thur 27th-Sun 30th Aug: The Betfred Championship Match Thread

[League Express]

Thur 27th-Sun 30th Aug: The Betfred Championship Match Thread

Discuss the games here.

Please don't accuse match officials of deliberate bias or cheating, or your posts will be removed and your account may be banned without further warning.

THURSDAY 27th AUGUST
Sheffield Eagles v Widnes Vikings KO 19:30

SATURDAY 29th AUGUST
Dewsbury Rams v Newcastle Thunder KO 15:00
Goole Vikings v Doncaster KO 15:00

SUNDAY 30th AUGUST
Midlands Hurricanes v North Wales Crusaders KO 14:00
Batley Bulldogs v Salford KO 15:00
Halifax Panthers v Keighley Cougars KO 15:00
Rochdale Hornets v Oldham KO 15:00
Workington Town v Whitehaven KO 15:00

[Anita Bath]

Some tasty derby games to end the regular season.

[Yorks Tim]

It would be a horrible spectacle but Hurricanes will aim to put a 3-figure score on Crusaders to end the regular śeason with a positive points difference. 

[JonM]

Interesting to see whether Connor Robinson can beat the world record for consecutive successful kicks.

[Expatknight]

13 minutes ago, JonM said:

Interesting to see whether Connor Robinson can beat the world record for consecutive successful kicks.

Can't believe he is still playing and playing well by all accounts, he did us good service, good luck to him.

[JonM]

Just now, Expatknight said:

Can't believe he is still playing and playing well by all accounts, he did us good service, good luck to him.

Still playing? He's 14 years younger than the oldest half-back in the Championship  

[FearNothing]

11 hours ago, Yorks Tim said:

It would be a horrible spectacle but Hurricanes will aim to put a 3-figure score on Crusaders to end the regular śeason with a positive points difference. 

Let's face it, you probably will

But, our lads will be out there on the pitch, and if we can get one it won't matter how many you put on us...

[gogledd]

12 hours ago, Yorks Tim said:

It would be a horrible spectacle but Hurricanes will aim to put a 3-figure score on Crusaders to end the regular śeason with a positive points difference. 

Always supportive of the Hurricanes as one of the non-heartlands team. More than happy to see MH having a great season. I cant see any other result than a MH win but I'd love to see a similar performance that our lads put in against Swinton. 

We'd love to celebrate at your place with you taking your place in the play-offs and the RFL announcing that we have a licence to play in 2027.

[Rene_Artois]

2 hours ago, JonM said:

Interesting to see whether Connor Robinson can beat the world record for consecutive successful kicks.

He's been outstanding for us this year. Best season at the club IMO. Also had his 200th career appearance and 100th for the Dons recently. Still plenty left  too.

[Phil W]

Thunder travel to Dewsbury knowing a win secures second place, we know what we have to do. 

Here's a look ahead to that and the rest of the action https://www.philworld.co.uk/post/the-task-is-simple-for-thunder

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

Sheffield 4, Widnes 0 HT.

Fair to say I'd have taken that.

[JonM]

59 minutes ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

Sheffield 4, Widnes 0 HT.

Fair to say I'd have taken that.

12-8 FT.  Yeah, brilliant effort from those lads who turned out for Widnes tonight. I hope the coaches at their various clubs see the video of this game and the performances they all put in. Quite funny to see them all lining up to receive their Heritage numbers too.

So I think that's Oldham v Widnes, Doncaster v Barrow confirmed for round 1 of the play-offs, and Sheffield and Midlands have to wait to find out who plays Batley and who plays Whitehaven.

[Jill Halfpenny fan]

1 hour ago, JonM said:

12-8 FT.  Yeah, brilliant effort from those lads who turned out for Widnes tonight. I hope the coaches at their various clubs see the video of this game and the performances they all put in. Quite funny to see them all lining up to receive their Heritage numbers too.

So I think that's Oldham v Widnes, Doncaster v Barrow confirmed for round 1 of the play-offs, and Sheffield and Midlands have to wait to find out who plays Batley and who plays Whitehaven.

Tbh, I travelled expecting to get mullered. Must be up there amongst our best ever defeats.

[JonM]

11 hours ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said:

Tbh, I travelled expecting to get mullered. Must be up there amongst our best ever defeats.

I was trying to count up how many of the team were making their Widnes 'debut' - I think it was 13, might be wrong. Perhaps we'll see a few of them again some day.

[Spidey]

7 hours ago, JonM said:

I was trying to count up how many of the team were making their Widnes 'debut' - I think it was 13, might be wrong. Perhaps we'll see a few of them again some day.

11 given heritage numbers

 

[Moonshine]

On 27/08/2026 at 15:32, JonM said:

Interesting to see whether Connor Robinson can beat the world record for consecutive successful kicks.

Not in the squad for the Goole game.

[JonM]

3 hours ago, Moonshine said:

Not in the squad for the Goole game.

Rested for the play-offs perhaps? Doesn't affect the record I suppose.

[Fevrover]

33 minutes ago, JonM said:

Rested for the play-offs perhaps? Doesn't affect the record I suppose.

Why won't it affect the record if he misses the game ? 

[Click]

1 hour ago, Fevrover said:

Why won't it affect the record if he misses the game ? 

Because if he's not playing he can't miss a kick?

[Fevrover]

51 minutes ago, Click said:

Because if he's not playing he can't miss a kick?

Yeah lol, has he broke the record for Donny or in the RL ? 

[JonM]

16 minutes ago, Fevrover said:

Yeah lol, has he broke the record for Donny or in the RL ? 

It's Liam Finn's record for Fev, 41 consecutive successes. Jamie Ellis, Rhyse Martin and Stefan Ratchford all equalled the record but all of them missed their 42nd.

[Moonshine]

2 hours ago, JonM said:

Rested for the play-offs perhaps? Doesn't affect the record I suppose.

Yes rested, and a deserved weekend off. As Rene stated he has been top notch this season, certainly playing his best RL in a Dons shirt IMO.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

10 minutes ago, JonM said:

It's Liam Finn's record for Fev, 41 consecutive successes. Jamie Ellis, Rhyse Martin and Stefan Ratchford all equalled the record but all of them missed their 42nd.

What odds would you have got that all three missed that vital kick ?

[JonM]

36 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

What odds would you have got that all three missed that vital kick ?

If I remember, the one that Liam Finn finally missed was for Ireland against England Knights, and Rhyse Martin's miss was for PNG in the world cup. So maybe not the kind of game where your team-mates are making sure the try isn't by the touchline.

[Phil W]

Solid win for Thunder 6-56 at a wet Dewsbury. Paul Sykes played his final game, hell of an effort from him.

That should be second secured and a home game against Doncaster or Barrow in a fortnight unless Oldham win by a boatload and the rest tomorrow.