In the latest issue of Rugby League World, Martyn Sadler recommends the matches you should go out of your way to watch in September.
September is the month in which the regular season comes to a head before the Grand Finals in October. At this stage it’s not easy to select the games that will turn out to be the most crucial, but here are five matches that should certainly be worth watching.
Saturday 2nd September
Telstra Women’s Premiership, Round 7
Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights
GIO Stadium, Canberra (2.05am, BST, Sky)
England superstars Hollie-Mae Dodd and Georgia Roche will come into direct opposition for this key clash in the NRLW, as both players pursue their rugby league dreams in Australia.
This season the NRLW has expanded to ten teams and at the time of writing they have helped their teams reach second place (Knights) and third place (Raiders) in the NRLW ladder, with only the Sydney Roosters, the traditional powerhouses of the women’s game in Australia, ahead of them.
Former Leeds Rhino and Woman of Steel Roche has already established herself as the first-choice stand-off half for the Knights, while former York Valkyrie star Dodd has done likewise in the second row for the Raiders. The winner of this clash could be heading for the NRLW Grand Final.
Saturday 2nd September
Betfred Super League, Round 24
Hull FC v Leeds Rhinos
MKM Stadium, Hull (3.00pm)
The clash between Hull FC and Leeds Rhinos could be absolutely crucial as both clubs try to force their way into the play-offs at the end of the season.
It is likely that the side that loses this game will see their play-off hopes go up in smoke and the question facing both clubs is therefore which of them wants it most.
Hull will go into the game knowing that their star halfback Jake Clifford, prop forward Tevita Satae and aptly-named winger Adam Swift will leave the club at the end of the season and they will be desperate to go out with a bang.
The Rhinos, on the other hand, have already lost their star stand-off Blake Austin and they will be losing his former halfback partner Aidan Sezer at the end of the season. It would be a remarkable achievement for them to reach the play-offs after Austin’s departure to Castleford.
Sunday 3rd September
Telstra Premiership, Round 27
Cronulla Sharks v Canberra Raiders
PointsBet Stadium, Sydney (7.05am BST)
This will be the final game of the NRL’s regular season, with the play-offs due to begin the following Friday.
The NRL season so far has been highly competitive, with as many as twelve clubs still in contention for the play-offs by mid-August.
The Sharks and Raiders were lying in fifth and sixth place respectively at that time, but neither side could be certain of their place in the play-offs and they could find themselves battling for a play-off spot, with the loser destined to miss out.
Both teams have been a model of inconsistency in 2023, Craig Fitzgibbon’s Sharks developing a reputation for only being able to beat those teams below them in the competition, while the Raiders under Ricky Stuart have suffered some heavy defeats while securing some narrow victories, which has given them a strongly negative points difference. That could be crucial in the final reckoning.
Saturday 16th September
Betfred Championship, Round 26
Toulouse Olympique v Featherstone Rovers
Venue to be determined (5.00pm BST)
The Championship leaders will visit the team lying second in the competition for a blockbuster of a match between the two clubs that may well contest this year’s Championship Grand Final.
Featherstone, who recently parted company with their coach Sean Long, appointing James Ford in his place, will be desperate to impose themselves on their French hosts, who defeated them in the Grand Final to gain promotion two years ago.
Toulouse now have an arguably weaker squad than they did two years ago, whereas Rovers are probably stronger than they were in 2021, with former Toulouse stars Mark Kheirallah and Johnathon Ford now on their books.
At the time of writing we don’t know where the match will be played, given the unavailability of Toulouse’s normal home ground, the Stade Ernest Wallon. But the French club has insisted that the game will be played at a venue in Toulouse, which may well be at their former home, the Stade Ernest-Argelès in the suburb of Blagnac.
Friday 22nd September
Betfred Super League, Round 27
Leigh Leopards v Wigan Warriors
Leigh Sports Village (8.00pm)
The final round of regular season Super League matches will all be played on the same day with the same kick-off time and the pick of them could well be the third instalment of the Battle of the Borough, with Challenge Cup holders Leigh facing their near neighbours in what will surely be a sell-out clash at Leigh Sports Village.
So far this season, Wigan have inflicted heavy defeats on Leigh, travelling to their neighbours on 30 March and inflicting a 34-6 defeat on their hosts, and then hosting them on 29 July at the DW Stadium and hammering the Leopards 44-18.
But now that the Challenge Cup is behind them, Leigh will be anxious to secure the best possible finishing spot for their inaugural Super League play-off campaign and indeed both sides could still be in contention for finishing in second place in the table, with the prospect of a free weekend in the first week of the journey to Old Trafford.
Adrian Lam is sure to be keen to put one over his old club, while Wigan coach Matty Peet, who won the Challenge Cup in his first season in charge, will be seeking a second major trophy at Old Trafford in October.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 488 (September 2023)
Click here to subscribe to the print edition of Rugby League World
