We take a look at the play-off and relegation battles stand going into the last round of the regular season of Super League.
There are three groups who have to play for heading into Round 29: Catalans Dragons, St Helens, along with Leeds Rhinos.
Saints have this kind of unassailable lead at the peak of the table they had wrapped up the League Leaders’ Shield for the second year in a row from the middle of August – though head coach Justin Holbrook is going to be eager to venture into the play-offs on the back of a win.
Catalans’ collapse from the last few months has seen them slide out of contention and they’re guaranteed to finish seventh in the table the same as last season, albeit slightly off in terms of their points overall.
Leeds, meanwhile, overcame a turbulent start to steer clear of the relegation battle in the final weeks of the season, making head coach Richard Agar the role as the successor on a permanent foundation of David Furner. The Rhinos are put to complete eighth.
Salford Red Devils, Warrington Wolves, along with wigan Warriors are assured of areas in the play-offs, although who they will confront and what their final placing will be depends upon the results of this week’s fittings.
That leaves Hull FC along with Castleford Tigers fighting it out with the two teams now but the Tigers occupying the remaining place by virtue of a much superior points difference.
While the men of Lee Radford are about minus-107, daryl Powell’s side currently have a points difference of plus-106. Consequently, a win away to Wigan on Thursday, live on Sky Sports, could make sure of Castleford’s play-off location – the night, regardless of Hull do in your home to St Helens.
The Black and Whites should therefore hope that they can turn out to be the third team when they are supposed to sneak into the play-offs to overcome Saints at Super League this season and that Castleford lose to the Warriors.
Simply avoiding defeat against Castleford would be sufficient for Wigan irrespective of Warrington and Salford get on to secure second spot and home benefit for their first match in the play-offs. Defeat for Wigan might see them end as low as fourth, as both Warrington and Salford could overtake them.
If Wigan lose, the anglers could take instant and they win away to Leeds by virtue of some far superior points difference. Yet conquer to the Challenge Cup winners at Headingley will leave them at risk of completing under Salford – if Ian Watson’s men defeat Hull KR – as low as fourth.
At present, the Red Devils – that could finish as large as fifth – so are only 13 supporting Warrington in terms of factors difference. A triumph over Rovers, plus defeat for the side of Steve Price, could see Salford move .
Should both teams lose or win – or perhaps draw, in the event ten moments of extra-time that is golden-point neglects to generate a winner – they would be level on points and it would come down to determine where they finish.
The is points percentage, which can be calculated by dividing points scored by points replicated and multiplying that amount by 100 if teams are level on points difference. If teams are still level, it goes to tries goals scored, drop goals scored and finally – the throw of coin.
Given Salford have scored 134 tries to the 116 of Warrington moving into these games, it’s exceedingly unlikely to move any farther than that should the nightclubs be level on points, points difference, and points percent.
St Helens are already seeded through to Round 2 of the play-offs by virtue of finishing top of the Super League table. They will host the winners of the game between third and second.
The winner of that game at Totally Wicked Stadium goes directly to Old Trafford for the Grand Final. The failure gets another chance, however.
Round One sees two games occur: second third and fourth versus fifth. The former’s loser would play the winner of the latter in around two, with the winner from that game moving on to play with the loser of this game at St Helens for the remaining Grand place.
Still not certain how it works? We’ve got a useful video describing the process below…
Super League hasn’t known a relegation struggle with four clubs level over 20 points battling to avoid finishing bottom of the table and dropping in the Championship for the 2020 season.
London Broncos, Huddersfield Giants, Hull KR, along with wakefield Trinity are the four that need to wait until Round 29 is finished to determine how they standout.
In a further twist, Wakefield and the Broncos confront each other in Mobile Rocket Stadium in the final round of the regular year, live on Sky Sports on Friday, and that usually means a win for either will assure them of a place in Super League for second year.
Trinity possess a points difference to the three teams but conquer for them and preventing defeat for Rovers and the Giants from Catalans and Salford respectively could see them finish base.
Victories for the guys of Simon Woolford and Tony Smith’s side would visit them stay up. Were they to lose, it could come down to tie-breakers with the failure of this game between Wakefield and London – .
If the Giants lose along with the Broncos win, subsequently Huddersfield would become reliant on Rovers dropping at Salford to remain up. In the case of both Rovers losing and also the capital city side winning, the East Hull outfit will require the Giants to lose by a margin of 13 points larger than their reduction to remain up.
In the unlikely case of a draw after ten minutes of at Huddersfield Wakefield and Hull KR would face an anxious wait to determine which tie-breakers come into effect if they possibly lose.
It could be the exact same in the situation that is more improbable that Wakefield and the Broncos draw, and Hull KR and Huddersfield do in their own games.
Whichever team ends up being relegated will go down with a record number of wins and things, emphasising how lots of the sides from Super League have been this season.
No matter the outcome, it promises to become a evening for all four clubs around Friday as they aim to make sure their fate stays in their hands.
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