Four knee-jerk reactions from the weekend featuring Hull, St Helens and Warrington
We’re a third of the way through the season and what lies ahead is becoming clearer for clubs in the Super League table.
Wakefield without doubt have a fight on their hands, while only really Castleford and Hull FC will be nervously looking over their shoulders in case they are revitalised.
Newly-promoted Leigh have done enough to suggest their only fight will be a bid for the play-offs, and that’s the same for the remaining eight teams.
Warrington have clearly written 2022 off as a blip and sit top of the pile, and Willie Peters has done a fine job to start life at Hull KR.
The Easter weekend has been and gone and following the latest round of games, there were some knee-jerk reactions that caught our eye on social media.
‘Hull are going the same way as Bradford’
There’s nothing like a losing run to create negative hysteria. Hull have lost seven on the bounce and sit second from bottom in Super League under new coach Tony Smith, sacked by arch rivals Hull KR last season.
Fortunately, relegation shouldn’t become a worry thanks to Wakefield’s dismal form. But that hasn’t stopped one fan from proclaiming that Hull are going the same way as Bradford.
That’s Bradford who suffered two administrations and a liquidation in amongst being relegated from Super League.
A more realistic assessment is that Smith is facing the same issues that Daryl Powell had at Warrington last season, and this time in 12 months the picture could be very different.
However, Hull’s recruitment over the past five years has left a lot to be desired and they will surely need to come up with a new strategy for 2024.
“We will be a big club again” insists Hull boss Tony Smith
In terms of the future, they are almost the perfect answer to IMG’s tick box grading – they might not achieve Grade A on first view, but they are regarded as one of the six strongest clubs if assessing elite potential.
Hull KR might have something to say about that though if they carry on – especially as their work to improve their own stadium and its surroundings continues, and Hull FC have ongoing challenges in their relationship with the MKM Stadium.
For whatever reason, Hull have not quite managed to establish themselves as a big club regularly competing for silverware. But all the pieces appear to be there.
‘Warrington should drop Kasiano and Mata’utia for youngsters’
After virtually writing off the last campaign, Warrington could hardly have had a better start to the new Super League season – winning eight in a row before hitting their first bump in the road against Wigan on Friday night.
Sadly, it only takes one defeat for some to turn on their own players.
Sam Kasiano was a target of some fans’ ire, despite the fact that Warrington only ran with one forward interchange on the bench – and that was academy captain and first team debutant Lucas Green.
Mata’utia too has not been immune from criticism, though is almost an automatic starter given the Wolves’ lack of options in the centre positions and Connor Wrench’s injury.
Despite being second best on the night, Warrington only went down by seven points and had a couple of calls go against them.
WATCH: Wigan try splits opinions in top-of-the-table clash
The question marks have to be over Daryl Powell’s selection, which in hindsight maybe he would admit. Mata’utia should have started in the forwards, as he has done this season, with Greg Minikin at centre to at least enable an extra forward on the interchange bench.
Let’s not forget the situation was only caused by Gil Dudson’s brainless act in Catalans, plus a suspension for Joe Philbin. The untimely departure of Thomas Mikaele has also contributed to Warrington’s shortage in the pack, which they are hoping to plug with a new signing imminently.
Warrington need to put faith in the likes of Green, Tom Whitehead and Luke Thomas when they are short on numbers, just as the likes of Wigan and St Helens do in their time of need.
‘St Helens won’t make the play-offs’
You would have thought that after four successive Super League titles, that St Helens had some credit in the bank with their fans.
Not the case with some, who are already predicting that they won’t make the play-offs for the first time.
They’ve won four lost four so far, and have a game in hand at home against a Huddersfield side they have already beaten away, which if they were to win, would put them fifth in the table.
Paul Wellens is being compared to Keiron Cunningham and it’s all just getting a little bit unsavoury from some, at this early stage. As I said, it’s unbelievable the hysteria a loss creates.
Speculation over Lewis Dodd’s future isn’t helping, nor is a seemingly constant revolving door in the back-row due to injuries and suspension.
But Saints remain favourites for Super League, and they will be up there.
‘Wakefield are voting against IMG proposals’
This will no doubt kick-off an interesting week as rugby league prepares to vote in its latest new era.
Wakefield chief executive Michael Carter revealed that they would be voting against IMG’s proposals, the first dissenting voice from an existing Super League club.
Carter bows out at the end of this season and he has done a sterling job of stabilising Wakefield and providing them some highs on the pitch. It’s a shame that the new stand development couldn’t have happened a few years sooner when they were riding the crest of a wave.
He has previously warned that the sport faces going part-time and losing its status as a ‘big-five’ sport in the UK – and urged clubs to back IMG’s plans.
But following eight (now nine) straight defeats at the start of the Super League, Carter has now backtracked and said his club will vote against. He said: “Until key issues are resolved, we will not be voting in favour.”
With the off-field developments at Wakefield, they are arguably now in a stronger position than ever to actually compete for a ‘licence’.
Or maybe it just goes to show that if you’re not in Super League when the hammer drops, you’ll find it extremely hard to get back in…
