League Express editor MARTYN SADLER reflects on last Saturday’s Super League Grand Final
This article is an adapted version of his ‘Talking Rugby League’ column in this week’s League Express
A low scoring game isn’t always an exciting one but on Saturday we had the exception to the rule.
It was tightly contested throughout and the result was decided by a piece of brilliance from a brilliant player. Wouldn’t it be good if all games could be decided by small margins but by spectacular tries?
Bevan French was the undoubted star of the show and it does seem odd to note that his name was absent from this season’s Super League Dream Team, not that I suspect he is likely to be losing any sleep over that omission after proving once again that he is probably the most valuable player in Super League.
I’ve written about him on page 14 of this issue, so I won’t dwell on him here, other than to say that I agree with Leigh owner Derek Beaumont’s point last week that he should be the poster boy for the game.
Not only is he a great player, but he is also clearly a fine human being, as we see so often when he is interviewed in public. He is modest, respectful, engaging and hugely presentable. He should surely be the face of the game.
The only thing that affected me more than his performance was the sight of Rob Burrow’s three children, Macy, Maya and Jackson (above), bringing out the trophy for the Rob Burrow Award before the game, with both sets of supporters getting to their feet, as they did when Geoff Burrow presented the trophy at the end to Bevan French.
They were beautiful moments, which Garry Schofield, Jake Kearnan and I talk about in this week’s episode of the League Express Podcast.
Would potential rule changes have changed the result?
The RFL Laws Committee is a strange beast that decides when and how to modify the laws of the game to make Rugby League either safer or more entertaining.
In the tenth minute, for example, Mikey Lewis touched down but referee Chris Kendall decided correctly that it was no try because Tyrone May lost the ball into Abbas Miski from a Lewis kick and it was collected by Hadley before it bounced and handed on to Lewis to touch it down.
I’ve urged the Laws Committee through Robert Hicks to consider whether a knock-on in this situation should only be called when the ball hits the ground. If such a rule had been in place, the try would have stood.
Then in the 25th minute we had a possible try by Liam Marshall in the corner from a kick by Smith, which was disallowed because Luke Thompson had been standing in front of the kicker and was adjudged offside because he came within ten metres of the defender despite playing no active part. That rule may well be changed next year.
In the 33rd minute, Lewis was held up over the line on the third tackle.
Again, there is scope for a rule modification here.
Given that the attacking team has to sacrifice ten metres when playing the ball, which seems an unfair disadvantage, I’ve suggested that there is scope for the tackle count to be enhanced by one or two tackles.
Finally, the try from Bevan French originated from a play-the-ball in Wigan’s own half of the field.
We would do well to encourage more spectacular tries of that sort, which I’m sure is what fans want to see, and I’ve suggested to the RFL that the number of points for a try like that should be increased to five or six.
I’ll watch with interest to see whether any of these potential changes will ultimately be realised.
Titanic battle in Toulouse
It sounds as though a great Championship semi-final took place in Toulouse on Sunday, with the home side just holding off a strong Bradford Bulls challenge to prevail 21-20.
Toulouse will now travel to Wakefield for the Championship Grand Final this Saturday.
“We know we’re the underdogs,” says Toulouse coach Sylvain Houles.
“But that is where we are at our most dangerous and I know they are aware of it; it’s going to be a great final.
“Both sides have got exciting, expansive players, it’s going to be great to watch. It will be packed at a great Rugby League ground and it should be an awesome experience.”
He is absolutely correct and thanks to my colleague Steve Brady for those comments.
Houles admits that there is something rather strange about this year’s final, with promotion to Super League not decided on the final hooter.
“You can become champions and still not go into Super League or you could lose the final and still be promoted. It is a bit weird,” he added, and he’s not wrong.
“If we win this year’s Grand Final we get an additional 0.25 points for the IMG gradings. It doesn’t look as pretty as the trophy cabinet but it is very important to this club.”
It is also rather absurd.
Meanwhile Bradford will live to fight another day.
They have come on strong in the latter part of the season and they only just failed to reach the Grand Final.
But they have made great progress this year and their coach Eamon O’Carroll rightly paid tribute to the fans who followed them to France at the weekend.
“In today’s tough financial climate, for them to put their hands in their pocket and come all this way to support the club is brilliant,” he said.
“It’s no surprise, they’ve travelled everywhere with us this year and dug us out in times when it’s been difficult.
“I’m immensely proud of that support and the efforts of the players and staff at the club to put us in this position. I just wish we could have got over the line for them.”
Wakefield had plenty of trouble dealing with the challenge of York, who have improved immensely under the coaching of Mark Applegarth since he took charge earlier in the season.
Of course Mark was the Trinity coach in 2023, when he was facing such an uphill struggle, and I’m delighted that he’s now showing his true worth.
I can’t imagine that Toulouse will offer a stronger challenge to Trinity than York did.
And it’s worth pointing out that without Trinity in the competition next year, the Championship will surely be a great competition in 2025.
Surely IMG, if they are of any value to Rugby League, can find a broadcaster for the competition.
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