GARRY SCHOFIELD reviews the first round of the Betfred Super League – and looks forward to the second
A great start for Channel 4
What a cracking start to Channel 4’s Rugby League coverage.
I was at Headingley to see the action between Leeds and Warrington, and there was plenty of it, so I caught up with the TV coverage later.
It helps when you get a belter of a match to kick things off, because it had a bit of everything you’d want – plenty of skill and creativity on show, controversy and therefore talking points and uncertainty as to the outcome right up to the final hooter.
Channel 4 must have been pleased with what they had to screen, and well done to them for the way they handled it.
Having free-to-air Super League coverage is such a big thing for the promotion of the game we all love.
I’ve often said that we have a fantastic product, but that people and broadcasters won’t come to us, we must go to them and let them see how much entertainment is on offer. So let’s also give a bit of praise to those people who brokered the two-year deal.
Hopefully we’ll have a great follow-up when Hull host St Helens on Saturday lunchtime.
Both Leeds and Warrington showed a bit of grit and character in a game influenced by James Bentley’s early red card and that yellow for Brad Dwyer later in the first half.
Bentley had to go for that head-high tackle, because they are the rules and player protection is important, but should Oliver Holmes have been sent off rather than sinbinned later on?
I don’t particularly like talking about officials, and I don’t underestimate how difficult a job they have, but I understand it when supporters say they want to see some consistency.
It’s certainly not all doom and gloom for Leeds, because they remained competitive after going a man down and, of course, they were without Blake Austin.
But well done Daryl Powell and his Warrington team for staying patient rather than hitting the panic button.
Saints impress, Dragons disappoint
St Helens certainly put a marker down with their win over Catalans on Thursday.
It was a bit of a return to the bad old days for the Dragons and Steve McNamara will want to stamp down on that poor discipline straight away. But we saw a different side to Saints as they started the chase for a fourth straight title.
Because when Catalans made it clear they were out to mix it, Saints pretty much said ‘come on then’, but were aggressive in a more controlled way.
I said last week that Saints seem to be the sort of side who enjoy being hunted down, and that was evident in this display.
Kristian Woolf has got some real balance in the team and I enjoyed the performance of Lewis Dodd, who has his coach’s trust to play the game as he sees it.
Dodd must be a contender for the England scrum-half shirt at the World Cup and you could envisage him playing alongside Jonny Lomax for both club and country.
But the Dragons halfback partnership still needs work and I’m not sure if I’ve seen a poorer performance from Mitchell Pearce. Both he and Josh Drinkwater wanted to be the main organiser, and, as I’ve often said, that’s not going to work.
I also said I’d be giving player ratings out of ten for the starting XIIIs from a match each round, so here goes…
St Helens: Welsby 8, Hopoate 8, Hurrell 8, Percival 8, Makinson 8, Lomax 8, Dodd 8, Walmsley 8, Roby 8, Lees 8, Mata’utia 8, Batchelor 9, Knowles 9.
Catalans: Tomkins 5, Davies 5, Whare 5, Langi 5, Yaha 5, Pearce 3, Drinkwater 3, Dudson 5, McIlorum 5, Napa 5, McMeeken 5, Whiteley 5, Garcia 5.
Well done Matty Peet
Wigan fans might have to read this twice, but well done to Matty Peet and his team for a solid showing and a fine victory at Hull KR.
I reckon you could see Lee Briers’ influence, and I don’t think you’d have enjoyed the kind of creativity and adventurous approach evident on Friday under Adrian Lam last season.
Let’s hope Wigan keep going in this more positive vein.
As for Castleford, yes, it’s game one, but there’s already some pressure on Lee Radford after that defeat by Salford, especially with a trip to Warrington and a reunion with Daryl Powell coming up on Thursday.
Given the respective round-one performances, it’s hard to see anything other than a home win, I believe by 22.
There’s an intriguing match-up on Friday, when Leeds head to Wigan, and I foresee another victory for coach Peet, this time by seven.
I think Saints will have too much for Hull in that Channel 4 game and will win by 18, while I’m going Huddersfield by seven at home to Hull KR.
In Saturday’s third game, Catalans will be desperate to bounce back against Wakefield, who I think will be beaten by 24.
Fears that Toulouse face an uphill task were confirmed by their home defeat by Huddersfield and I can’t see anything other than hosts Salford beating them on Sunday – by 36.
Featherstone ready to go one step further
We’re only a handful of games in, and there’s no doubting the competitiveness of the Championship, but even at this early stage, it’s hard to see anyone stopping Featherstone this season.
I went to watch them play Leigh, who most people believe will be their main rivals for promotion, and after a thoroughly enjoyable evening, came away realising Rovers really are a force to be reckoned with.
And that’s not just out on the pitch, where they were simply too strong for their visitors as they powered their way to a 28-6 win, because they’re getting things right off it too.
The Millennium Stadium, which many of us still think of as Post Office Road, has been steadily improved, and even on a miserable Monday evening weather wise, there were more than 4,500 in, creating a great atmosphere.
What was very noticeable is that Featherstone have a lot of sponsors, plenty of advertising hoardings around the place, a thriving hospitality set-up, and vociferous supporters, all with smiles on their faces.
There appears to be a real passion for and pride in the town as well as a club which has such a rich heritage and such a strong position in the Rugby League history books.
Chairman Mark Campbell and the rest of the backroom staff have succeeded in making the fans feel part of things. There’s seems to be a genuine connection, with everyone pulling the same way on the same piece of rope.
Rovers have been craving a Super League place as long as the competition has existed, and having been so near, yet so far, in recent years, I think their time is coming.
They’ve got a proven coach in Brian McDermott, who had so much success with Leeds, and a strong and deep squad, with cover for all the key positions should injuries or suspensions kick in.
And on top of that, while defending well, they play an attractive, attacking brand of rugby, which is great to watch and gets the supporters excited, not something, on last Monday’s evidence at least, I can say about Adrian Lam’s Leigh.
In many ways, Featherstone remind me of those other Rovers, Hull Kingston, and I can see them following in the footsteps of the Robins by getting into Super League, establishing themselves, then kicking on.
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