We witnessed the culmination of the regular league season, and could we have really asked for anything more?
We all knew there would be drama, suspense and a helicopter, but the events that followed finally saw the League Leaders’ Shield come of age.
The chances are that most of the Rugby League community is still recovering from Friday night’s mayhem, particularly if you’re from the Leeds area, and when you put the weekend’s action into the mix too, this was a week that will be hard to top in years to come.
If you somehow missed out on the chaos that unfolded, or simply want to relive every minute of it, this week’s 36-page edition of League Express is your perfect tonic as we celebrate the action we witnessed and eagerly anticipate what is to come this week as the Play-Offs and the Million Pound Game come to town.
Any Rugby League lover will have already made plans to buy this week’s paper, but if you need a bit of convincing, here are seven reasons to get to your local store now.
1, We can’t start anywhere other than with Leeds. Their capture of the League Leaders’ Shield was expected by many, but the manner in which they did so was simply unthinkable. The image of Ryan Hall, smile etched on his face as he raced away from a despondent Jermaine McGillvary, could well become one of the iconic pictures of the Super League era, so of course we have slapped it on our front-page. Beyond that, we have reaction from Rob Burrow and a two-page spread celebrating the breathless night itself.
2, Whilst Leeds have rightly had the spotlight on them since Friday night, what about Huddersfield? It was a gut-wrenching end to the regular season for them, and in this week’s ‘Talking Rugby League’, Martyn Sadler analyses how their late heartbreak could affect them going into this week’s Play-Offs.
3, It’s been one of the most talked about events of the season, and finally, it’s here. All eyes shall be firmly focused on the Million Pound Game this weekend as Wakefield and Bradford fight it out for the right to play in Super League next season. We’ve got an extensive interview with Wildcats Chairman Michael Carter ahead of the all-or-nothing showdown.
4, St Helens’ preparation for the Play-Offs fell flat as they lost to Warrington, but Andre Savelio is likely to have a smile on his face. This week’s edition confirms Savelio as the winner of the prestigious Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year award for 2015, and the man himself has described his emotions after winning the award.
5, As the season comes to an end for most clubs, recruitment and retention becomes the primary focus for supporters and players alike. So of course, we’ve got all the latest transfer news in this week’s paper, featuring updates from Castleford, Leigh, Hull KR and many, many more.
6, As always, we have the very best coverage of all the games up and down the country, and if you’re a supporter of Leeds, Halifax or Sheffield in particular, you will enjoy what’s been said. We all know about Leeds’ accomplishments, but for the two part-time teams in the Qualifiers, they ended the season on a high as they defeated Bradford and Wakefield respectively, and our reporters have provided detailed reports of those games and the rest of the action around the country.
7, Despite everything going on, we could never forget our Mailbag. Our readers have got in touch in their droves this week and we have a catalogue of interesting letters for you to read, with topics ranging from the League Leaders’ Shield to video referees.
League Express is in stores now. Buy your copy to get your best fix of all things Rugby League.
