For five teams, the next six games are the difference between Super League and the Championship.
Huddersfield, Wakefield, Leeds, Hull KR and London are all separated by just two points as the competition heads into its final furlongs.
Many believed that London were certainties for relegation earlier this season, but thanks to some excellent results, including two home wins against runaway leaders St Helens, the Broncos are right in the scrap for survival, although they do prop up the table on points difference.
Alongside them on 16 points are Hull KR and the Rhinos, while the West Yorkshire duo of the Giants and Trinity are only two points further ahead on 18.
With only a handful of fixtures remaining, the difficulty of each team’s run-in becomes pivotal. On paper, the Broncos have the greatest opportunity to pull themselves clear of trouble.
They play all but one of the other relegation candidates in their last six games and also don’t face any of the top three clubs, while they have strengthened for their run-in (see page 6). London are the only side that play three key fixtures against their relegation rivals, but they only have two home games remaining. Wakefield, Leeds and Hull KR both play two of their rivals, with Leeds having four games at home, while Huddersfield have perhaps the toughest run-in of the bunch.
The Giants only play one of the other teams at risk of the drop, which is Leeds Rhinos this Friday. They also travel to two of the top three sides before finishing against Catalans at home.
There is a key fixture between relegation-threatened clubs in each round except Round 25, with Wakefield and London meeting in the final round in what could be, however unlikely it may be, a ‘Million Pound Game.’
Ten of the fixtures have already been played in Super League this season. Hull KR beat London 22-12 at home in only the third game of the season. Of the remaining nine loop fixtures, five were won by the relegation-threatened side.
THE RUN-IN
Huddersfield Giants (8th – 18pts)
Leeds Rhinos – H
Salford Red Devils – A
Castleford Tigers – H
Hull FC – A
St Helens – A
Catalans Dragons – H
Wakefield Trinity (9th – 18pts)
St Helens – A
Hull FC – H
Hull Kingston Rovers -A
Wigan Warriors – H
Warrington Wolves – A
London Broncos – H
Leeds Rhinos (10th – 16pts)
Huddersfield Giants – A
Catalans Dragons – H
St Helens – H
London Broncos – A
Salford Red Devils – H
Warrington Wolves – H
Hull Kingston Rovers (11th – 16pts)
Castleford Tigers – H
Wigan Warriors – A
Wakefield Trinity – H
Catalans Dragons – A
London Broncos – H
Salford Red Devils – A
London Broncos (12th – 16pts)
Salford Red Devils – H
Castleford Tigers – A
Catalans Dragons – A
Leeds Rhinos – H
Hull Kingston Rovers – A
Wakefield Trinity – A
KEY FIXTURES
Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos – Round 24
Hull Kingston Rovers v Wakefield Trinity – Round 26
London Broncos v Leeds Rhinos – Round 27
Hull Kingston Rovers v London Broncos – Round 28
Wakefield Trinity v London Broncos – Round 29
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