- 4 months ago
James O’Brien looks ahead to Round 25 of the 2025 Super League campaign and what is at stake for Yorkshire’s clubs on a weekend that provides three derbies - Huddersfield Giants v Leeds Rhinos, Castleford Tigers v Wakefield Trinity and Hull KR v Hull FC
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Yorkshirepost.co.uk
00:02Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Yorkshire Post Rugby League podcast.
00:07We're getting down to the nitty-gritty now in Super League.
00:11Three games are remaining for our teams, plenty at stake.
00:15And we're going to talk about all the different permutations that have happened this coming weekend.
00:20The action gets underway for Yorkshire's clubs on Thursday when Leeds visit Huddersfield Giants.
00:27Because we're just obviously long out of the equation.
00:30Leeds-Rhinos secure a playoff place for the first time since 2022.
00:34And then on Friday, Cass take on Wakey.
00:36Cass, again, similar situation to Huddersfield.
00:39But Wakey very much in the driving seat for the playoffs, particularly after last weekend, which we'll come on to later.
00:45We're going to start with what is actually the last game of round 24, 25 even, sorry, which takes place on Sunday.
00:53That's all KR versus Hall.
00:54A lot could have influenced what happens to these two teams by the time they come to meet on Sunday.
01:04Joined by James O'Brien, who's obviously going to be there, or he'd better be.
01:08And no Sunday off this weekend, James.
01:12Basically, I mean, if results go all KR's way, then they could clinch it at Craven Park by beating the arch rivals.
01:21I mean, nothing would sort of give anyone to all KR any greater satisfaction than that, would it?
01:27No.
01:28And I think we teed this up a couple of weeks ago, didn't we?
01:30This scenario, dream scenario for all KR, a nightmare scenario for Hull FC, who will be hoping that they can get a couple of favours on Friday night.
01:39But firstly from Wigan, sorry, beating St. Helens, so Wigan stay in touch with Hull KR, put a bit more pressure on Hull KR, make sure they can't win it mathematically on Sunday.
01:51And then obviously, Cass as well.
01:54If Cass beat Wakefield, then that sets up the chance for Hull to move back into the playoffs with two rounds to go.
01:59So it's all to play for.
02:00It's a very exciting weekend.
02:02Like you say, it's the nitty-gritty now.
02:04The margins for error are really small.
02:08And you can take a big leap as well with a win or a big swing results-wise.
02:13So, yeah, it's the exciting part of the season.
02:15I think this is what most fans wait for.
02:17Those at the top, well, those at the bottom don't.
02:22They're just waiting for the season to be over.
02:23Bless them.
02:24And we've been in that position, haven't we, as sports fans before.
02:27It's horrible.
02:27But there is excitement at the top.
02:29There's a lot of excitement.
02:31Hull KR, like I said, it's just a dream.
02:33If St. Helens beat Wigan, they can go there on Sunday.
02:38They'll still be very nervous, knowing Hull KR fans, fearing the worst.
02:41And Hull FC gloating because they've denied them the chance to win the league leader shield on home soil.
02:48But it'd be an unbelievable opportunity for them to win the trophy in front of their fans
02:53for the first time in God knows how long, going back to the 80s or even before that,
02:58where they've been crowned the winners of a competition on home soil.
03:03I've had the odds slip up, obviously.
03:05Well beaten at Leeds Rhinos two weeks ago.
03:07We didn't speak last week because you were elsewhere.
03:11But bounced back in very impressive style.
03:15It wasn't a rousing victory of any sort of kind,
03:18but they got a job done against a very much informed St. Helens team
03:22and got over the line to put themselves within, like I say,
03:27just this one victory from clinching a second trophy of the season.
03:32Yeah, that was a really important result.
03:34Because Wigan have rediscovered the form.
03:37It's no surprise that they're always going to do it at this stage of the season.
03:39Bevan French comes back in and bang.
03:42They look like the champions that they are.
03:44So there's no secret behind it.
03:46If you're missing your best player, you're going to struggle.
03:49They're in relative terms and they have done that.
03:51But now they look like they're firing again.
03:54And Leeds have had a sniff of, I know we're talking about Hulker,
03:57but Leeds have had a sniff of second spot.
04:01But Wigan look like they've really got the bit between the teeth now.
04:04And even if the results go their way this weekend,
04:07if they go to Saints and win and Hulker slip up,
04:10then the league leader Shields back on, isn't it,
04:13going into the last two rounds.
04:15So, yeah, Hulker are so close,
04:17yet so far away from that second trophy of the year.
04:22You mentioned Leeds there, which brings us nicely on to them.
04:26They obviously had a good week, another good weekend.
04:29They continue to be impressed under Brad Arthur.
04:34Trip to Huddersfield on Thursday night.
04:36It seems a relatively simple task for Brad Arthur's men,
04:43and it probably will be.
04:45But Huddersfield have had on occasion in the last few weeks,
04:49they have shown a capability for causing the odd upset
04:53and producing a sort of 80-minute performance,
04:55which has been missing far too often perhaps for them this year.
04:59Yeah, they have had a week-on, week-off kind of vibe going for a while now.
05:04I know they've strung two wins together recently,
05:07but they got hammered at St. Ellen's,
05:09then they beat Warrington at home,
05:11then they go and get hammered by Wakefield.
05:13So, if there is a positive for Huddersfield fans,
05:16it's that the sequence is in their favour this week,
05:19if you look at it like that.
05:21But they've got a lot of players missing,
05:22a hell of a lot of players missing.
05:24And so too do Leeds,
05:26but Leeds are in a place at the moment where they can handle that.
05:29They've got 10 players out this week,
05:30but they're still able to put a strong 17 out there
05:34and that's probably the difference at this moment in time.
05:37Warrington, sorry,
05:38Warrington,
05:39Huddersfield are missing key players in key positions as well.
05:42So, yeah, like you say,
05:43I'm expecting a one-sided result there.
05:47I'd expect Leeds to win that comfortably.
05:49They should do if they don't.
05:52Yeah, it doesn't really set them up for the back end of the season
05:55and what's to come.
05:56They've got Wigan in the final round,
05:57which is looking like a humdinger at the moment.
05:59If results go,
06:01Leeds is where they could go to Wigan,
06:02knowing that that is the win there.
06:06They get a top two finish.
06:08They get a week off.
06:10They get a home semi-final.
06:12So there's so much to play for,
06:13even though they have, like you said,
06:15nailed a top six spot for the first time in a few years.
06:19Yeah, so it's all to play for Leeds.
06:21But first mission is Huddersfield.
06:23I think they'll overcome that challenge quite comfortably.
06:25And Brad Arthur, in the last couple of weeks,
06:28perhaps even longer than that,
06:30he has made a big thing, hasn't he,
06:32about what he calls a home, quote, final.
06:34Yeah.
06:35Obviously, it's a semi-final,
06:37but he's very keen for Leeds to sort of experience that again.
06:41And I think you've pointed out,
06:42it's been eight years since Leeds actually had a home semi-final
06:47in the playoffs of Super League,
06:49which given how successful they've been in over the years,
06:53obviously apart from the last few years,
06:55is a remarkable sort of place to be in really for a club like that,
07:00isn't it?
07:00Yeah.
07:01And it was actually in a press conference a few weeks ago
07:04where I put that to him and he didn't know about it.
07:06So now it's forming part of their motivation.
07:08So if they do get to Old Trafford and win,
07:11I would like a few drinks part for me around the Leeds area
07:14in October, but no.
07:17And still, the sports editor will do that anyway.
07:20Well, obviously, yeah.
07:22I won't be able to take any credit.
07:24It's all mostly his work, isn't it?
07:27Transforming his team from where they were last year
07:29under Rowan Smith.
07:30I think it was Peter Smith, our esteemed colleague,
07:33who pointed out that the difference in the trips to Hull FC,
07:38where last year the fans were calling for Rowan Smith's head
07:41after a dismal performance against the whole side
07:44that couldn't buy a win.
07:45And Leeds go back this year under a bit of adversity
07:48with the injuries that they've got.
07:51And the Nill Hull, who were obviously up there this year
07:54and competing with them for the title, effectively.
07:58I know they're lower down the table
08:00and they've got a lot of work to do to get to that point,
08:02but they're in the race out of the Hull at the moment.
08:04And that was another big win for Leeds.
08:06So Brad Arthur's done an unbelievable job.
08:10He sorted the defence first
08:12and they had a great foundation there
08:14that he made them hard to beat.
08:16And you're thinking the attack's pretty clunky,
08:19they're going to be able to sort that out
08:20and now the scoring point's fun.
08:21So they've got both areas, again, boxed off at the moment
08:25and then they're looking in really good shape
08:26for the playoffs.
08:28And you mentioned, I mean, before we're going to get on
08:30to Cass and Waker shortly,
08:31but just you mentioned about the good job
08:33that Brad Arthur has done as well is worth mentioning.
08:36I know they've got to pump 34-0 by Leeds at the weekend,
08:41but John Cartwright, the impact that he has had at Hull FC,
08:45OK, you know, they're very much in a two-horse race now
08:48with Wakefield to get that sixth and final playoff spot
08:50and they might just miss out.
08:52And given how close they will have come,
08:54I'm not saying they're going to, obviously,
08:55but if that is to be the case,
08:57there will be immense disappointment.
08:58But also there should be quite a lot of praise
09:00going Carter right's way for the job that he has done
09:02on a team that was, to all intents and purposes,
09:07just awful last year.
09:09They were on the knees, weren't they, when he came in?
09:11Yeah.
09:12If anything, it's probably a bigger transformation than Leeds
09:14because Leeds are the components there, didn't they?
09:17And they just needed some kind of order
09:19with a philosophy, but yeah, Cartwright picked up
09:23or inherited a real mess.
09:26The squad was all over the place.
09:28Morale was at rock bottom
09:29and he's pulled them all together in pre-season,
09:32got them going, because you wouldn't have looked
09:34at their recruitment in the off-season
09:36and thought this team is going to be playoff contenders.
09:39It just seemed like, right, we've got this squad
09:42that's going to get us through this season,
09:43stabilise, and then we'll go from there.
09:45But what they've actually done is competed
09:47all the way through in most games,
09:50probably up until last weekend
09:52where they were blown away a little bit,
09:54but they've always hung in there
09:55and that's the characteristic you want
09:58from any team, isn't it?
09:59Just hang in there and give your all
10:01and then you get the fans back on side
10:03and you can go from there
10:04and I think they've done that.
10:05They've got the fans back on side,
10:07they've got a platform now
10:08and it's looking good for Hull,
10:09whether they make the...
10:12I don't mean...
10:13I mean, in years...
10:14Sorry, next year and beyond,
10:16it's looking good for Hull.
10:17Now they've got that back,
10:19whatever happens over the next couple of weeks,
10:22they have got a good foundation there
10:24to build on
10:25and it is looking bright for Hull.
10:27They've just got to get through this weekend first.
10:32I mean, I remember talking to you earlier in the season
10:33and they pulled off some cracking results
10:34and they were turning heads.
10:37Yeah.
10:37They beat Wigan, I think it was,
10:40and there were a couple of other
10:40notable results as well.
10:42But I think probably what's surprised you
10:44as much as anyone else
10:45is the fact that they're still in the race
10:47at this stage.
10:49I think you were saying even back then,
10:50well, we said,
10:51yeah, it's all very well and good,
10:52but nothing's expected of them this year.
10:53They're probably not going to be able to make it last
10:55over the course of a whole season.
10:56But what is impressive
10:59is the fact that they have still.
11:00We are three games out,
11:02still talking about them being in the playoffs.
11:03Yeah, and that is a massive positive for them
11:08that they have hung in this long,
11:09but the big frustration will be their home form
11:12and that's what's done them.
11:14Or that's what could do them in the end.
11:18They haven't won many times at home.
11:20I think they've just won a couple of home games.
11:22And if that's your record
11:23and you do miss out,
11:24sorry, they've won three,
11:25haven't they?
11:25Because they beat Salford as well
11:29in a bit of a walk-up.
11:30But, yeah, just that's where
11:33if they do come unstuck,
11:34they'll look back and go,
11:35if we'd have won a couple more games at home,
11:37we're in the playoffs.
11:38So that will be a big frustration.
11:40But, yeah, they are a long way ahead
11:42of where most people thought they'd be.
11:44I think Richard Mila before the season,
11:46he was very realistic.
11:48He said a top eight finish would be massive for us
11:51and a big improvement.
11:52And they've done that, haven't they,
11:53effectively already?
11:54I think they have done that mathematically.
11:57So, yeah, whether they finish six or seven,
12:00obviously they'd be gutted to miss out
12:02on the playoff run.
12:03But, yeah, they've got a lot to look forward to,
12:07especially under these new owners
12:08who are ambitious,
12:09a lot like Wakefield,
12:10who we're going to get onto in a second.
12:12So it is looking good for the Yorkshire clubs.
12:14We've got three in the playoffs
12:15for the first time since 2017.
12:17So that's something worth celebrating as well,
12:20I think.
12:21Definitely, definitely.
12:23You mentioned Wakefield there.
12:24Obviously, they are the team
12:25that can prevent Hull FC
12:27getting into the top six
12:29and getting themselves a playoff spot.
12:32You sort of briefly mentioned it earlier as well.
12:35We were talking about Huddersfield,
12:35obviously,
12:36when we were talking about the Giants
12:37taking on Leeds on Thursday night.
12:40Trinity well-worthy winners
12:43at the weekend,
12:44beating them 48-2
12:46to put themselves back into that sixth spot
12:48with three games remaining.
12:49They came up against the Cass side this weekend,
12:51who are probably like Hull were last year,
12:55I guess,
12:55in a sense,
12:56in the way that
12:57they just can't wait for the season to end.
13:00Cass are this year's Hull,
13:01effectively,
13:02and Wakefield was,
13:04again,
13:04I know there's a lot of local pride at stake
13:06with this fixture,
13:07as there always is,
13:08but you can only really see one winner there,
13:10can't you?
13:12Yeah.
13:12Yeah.
13:13For the reasons you've just outlined,
13:17and I think I drew comparisons with Hull as well,
13:21the same situation
13:22where you're just waiting for a coach to come in
13:23who's in Australia watching on,
13:25and it's all unravelling,
13:27and you think,
13:27what's he thinking watching over
13:29from the other side of the world?
13:31But like Hull,
13:33there's big changes going on.
13:35Obviously,
13:35Richard Milo went in at Hull as director of rugby,
13:38and there's a few eyebrows raised there.
13:40Chris Chester's gone in at Cass
13:41with more experience behind him
13:45and a great reputation
13:47at doing what he's now starting to do
13:49at Cass in terms of bringing
13:51the right kind of profile of players in.
13:53He's signed to a couple of big
13:55Fijian wingers,
13:56which is going to help,
13:57and he's really excited
13:58about the recruitment they've done.
14:00They've got Ryan Carr coming in
14:01in pre-season,
14:03who's a highly regarded Australian coach,
14:06so they've got a lot to look forward to,
14:08but again,
14:09like you mentioned,
14:10like Hull last year,
14:10they're just limping to the finish line,
14:12and the fans will probably
14:14be wishing the days away now,
14:16which you shouldn't be doing
14:17as a sports fan,
14:17but especially after that
14:19Leeds derby recently,
14:21you think, right,
14:22they're going to lift it this week
14:23and then Leeds turn up at Weldon Road
14:24and put 64 points on them,
14:26I think it was,
14:27so that Cass might be fearing the worst.
14:29You do usually get a derby bounce,
14:31like you say,
14:32but just based on that,
14:34the golfing quality might be too much this week,
14:36and Wakefield should win comfortably,
14:39which they have been doing this season
14:40against the sides down the bottom.
14:43They've been quite ruthless,
14:45as we saw last week against Huddersfield,
14:47they put 48 points on them,
14:49and generally that's been the theme of the season.
14:52They had a close game against Cass at home,
14:54but other than that,
14:54they have been really putting the weaker teams,
14:58so to speak,
14:58to the sword this season,
15:00I'd expect the same this week,
15:01and it was always,
15:02I think it was always looking like this
15:03with this playoff race.
15:05Wakefield came into the last four rounds,
15:07now they've got to play Huddersfield,
15:08Cass and Salford in the final round,
15:10so,
15:11I mean,
15:12they're not gimmies,
15:12are they,
15:13but it's a very favourable running,
15:15although they have got
15:16Hulke R at home next week,
15:18so if they do slip up this week,
15:20that's it,
15:21that's as tough a game as you could have
15:22to potentially stay in the race
15:25for the top six.
15:27So much going on this week,
15:28so much to keep on top of,
15:30permutations-wise,
15:31because it is looking good for Wakefield at the moment,
15:33it's looking good for Leeds at the moment,
15:35and it's looking good for Hulke R at the moment,
15:37but it could all flip,
15:38and it could all,
15:39all you need is one bad weekend,
15:41and you're getting nervy again at you.
15:44Well,
15:44you could come back next week
15:45for next week's podcast
15:46and be talking about
15:47a completely different picture for us.
15:49It could be upside down this time next week,
15:52and that's the beauty of sport,
15:53and that's why we're all in it,
15:55and we all love it,
15:56and we all hate it.
15:57We haven't got enough time to speak about
15:58Leeds United and their transfer window,
16:00but yeah,
16:01I'll just leave it at that,
16:02the fact that it does grip you,
16:04it does,
16:05it does grip you,
16:07and yeah,
16:08these are the,
16:08these are the days we live for in Super League.
16:11You get to September,
16:12there's a different kind of feel,
16:13the nights are getting darker again,
16:15yeah,
16:16and it's all,
16:17all building towards a,
16:18a really fascinating playoff campaign.
16:21Whoever makes it,
16:22whether it's Hulke or,
16:23or Wakefield,
16:25it's got the makings of a really,
16:26yeah,
16:28fascinating battle,
16:29because it's sort of like Hulke,
16:30I'm wigging all the way through,
16:32hasn't it,
16:32pretty much until these,
16:34last couple of months,
16:36but yeah,
16:37Leeds are going to have a say,
16:38Centrelands are going to have a say,
16:39Lee are going to have a say,
16:40and whoever makes it out of Wakefield,
16:42and Hull will have a say as well,
16:44because Wakefield have beaten,
16:46Leeds a couple of times this season,
16:48Leeds won't fancy players,
16:49play Wakefield if they finish third,
16:50and Wakefield finish sixth,
16:52so yeah,
16:53a lot to look forward to,
16:54and I'm very excited about it.
Be the first to comment