Beware!The Wolves are biting back
IT’S a big weekend for the Qualifiers, where Super League places are at stake, including my club Hull KR’s trip to Leigh this afternoon.
It’s a significant game early on in the competition, and one that we at Rovers would like to win.
That would put pressure on everyone else around us – and defeat for Leigh would turn the spotlight on them too.
We go in as underdogs so all the pressure is on them, and sometimes that can get to people.
But for either side a loss won’t be a disaster – there will still be five games to go and there will be plenty of twists and turns to come.
Our form has been a bit scratchy, and I think some of that comes down to not having a lot to play for once we had secured top spot in the Championship.
We weren’t great against Halifax at home on Sunday but the good thing is we ended up winning – and that’s usually the sign of a good side when they’re off-form. It’s certainly a good characteristic to have but we don’t want to make a habit of it. I don’t think the Challenge Cup win at Leigh earlier this year will have much relevance, apart from giving our players the belief that they can go there and win. And I’m sure it will make sure that Leigh take us seriously because they know if they don’t turn up with their A game then they could get beaten. Also this afternoon is Warrington against Catalans – and having beaten Widnes already, I think if the Wolves win we can almost say they will be stay in Super League. You’d expect that with the quality of players that they have on their books. But I do worry about the Dragons after the way they performed against London last week, and they don’t tend to travel well.
Tomorrow London host Featherstone and I’ve been impressed with how the Broncos have been building under Andrew Henderson.
They’re always difficult to beat and certainly at Hull KR we’re happy we’ll be playing them at home and not down at the Broncos’ ground in the capital.
But arguably the most interesting match of all is Halifax against Widnes.
’Fax can give them a real game, and if Widnes are serious about staying in Super League I think they need a really strong performance.
Halifax are a well-coached team that is difficult to break down and they’re in a good vein of form.
It might be closer game than a few people think.