League Express editor MARTYN SADLER recommends five Rugby League matches that will be good to watch in August.
Friday, 2nd August
Telstra Premiership Round 22
Dolphins v Sydney Roosters
HBF Park, Perth (11.00am UK time, Watch NRL)
British rugby league fans who would like to see a live NRL game have a long way to travel. But on the first weekend of August you can cut down your journey by heading to Perth in Western Australia to see the clash between Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins and Trent Robinson’s Roosters in a game between the two play-off hopefuls taken to a city that is hoping to be awarded an expansion place in the NRL from 2027.
Take it from me, Perth is a beautiful city and one day it will stage regular NRL games. But for the time being it stages one or two NRL matches per season, so grab your chance while you can. The Roosters are a traditional powerhouse of the NRL whereas the Dolphins are in their inaugural season. In their very first NRL game last season they hosted the Roosters at Suncorp Stadium and gained an unexpected 28-18 win and they will be keen to repeat this result in Perth.
Saturday, 3rd August
National Conference Premier Division
West Hull v Siddal
West Hull Community Park, Hull (2.30pm)
The community game is the beating heart of rugby league and the NCL Premier Division sits at its apex. The top two clubs in the Premier Division at the time of writing are West Hull and Siddal and their meeting on the first Saturday of the month is likely to be a titanic battle between two acknowledged giants of the amateur game, with both clubs having generated countless players for the professional game.
This match will surely attract a sizeable four-figure crowd and if you want to see the amateur game at its best and most competitive, my advice is to head to Hull for a great afternoon of rugby league.
Saturday, 4th August
Betfred Championship Round 17
Sheffield Eagles v Doncaster
Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park (3.00pm)
The promotion of Doncaster back into the Championship after several years in Betfred League One means that the South Yorkshire derby has returned to rugby league. And I’m sure that the Olympic Legacy Stadium will be packed for this game as these two teams come together to battle for supremacy in South Yorkshire.
There are many derbies in rugby league and in my view these two rivals have the undoubted potential to develop their derby into one of the major ones in our sport. Both clubs are hugely ambitious, with the Eagles safely in the play-off places and Doncaster just outside the top six but within striking distance of it.
At one time I used to work in South Yorkshire and I’m hugely looking forward to discovering which of these two teams, coached by Mark Aston and Richard Horne respectively, comes out on top in what I expect to be a tight encounter.
Saturday, 17th August
Betfred Super League Round 22
Hull FC v London Broncos
Elland Road, Leeds (2.30pm, Sky Sports Action)
Magic Weekend this year will be held at Leeds United’s Elland Road stadium. And despite the fact that the second game of the weekend will be the clash between Wigan and St Helens, I suggest that you get to Elland Road for the opening game of the event between the bottom two clubs in Super League.
You would need a heart of stone not to admire the way London Broncos have gone about their business this season in the face of overwhelming odds. At the time of writing they have only won one game, which was when they defeated Hull FC 34-18 on 12th May. That followed a last-minute 28-24 defeat to Hull at the MKM Stadium on 3rd March.
So this match is essentially a decider between these two clubs and I’m confident it will deliver wonderful value for any rugby league fans who are looking to be entertained.
Sunday, 18th August
Betfred League One Round 21
Keighley Cougars v Oldham
Cougar Park, Keighley (3.00pm)
With one automatic promotion place available for the team finishing at the top of the League One table, this game could be the key to deciding which club earns that eventual reward. At the time of writing, the Cougars were sitting in second place, having lost the reverse fixture 44-6 Boundary Park on 21st July.
Nonetheless these two teams have clearly been the best two in League One this year and both would clearly grace the Championship but the team that finishes second will face a difficult play-off route to make it into that competition, so there could hardly be more at stake for both these teams.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 499 (August 2024)
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