11 conclusions: Magic Weekend decision, Hull FC pathetic, Hull KR sensational
Brad Fash, Jack Farrimond and Elliot Minchella
Magic Weekend is done and dusted – and all across rugby league, it’s been another seismic weekend of action.
There are talking points quite literally everywhere you look; with nothing settled in Super League and somehow, the Championship managing to be even more unpredictable.
Sit back, relax and let us take you through the big talking points of the weekend with our Monday conclusions.
Hull KR are the real deal
If it is Hull KR who end up finishing top of the league this season, then the results over these last two or three weeks will have been hugely significant.
Winning at Warrington was a major psychological boost for a side who couldn’t win on the other side of the Pennines, before the manner in how they dismantled Catalans Dragons on Sunday also caught the eye.
Rovers are responding to every question being thrown their way. It’s now within touching distance to claim that first trophy since 1985. They are the real deal.
Magic 2025 needs settling quickly
The dust has settled on the 2024 Magic Weekend but attention is already turning to what will happen next year.
Elland Road has not been ruled out, but there are a whole host of venues to potentially go at including Newcastle, Nottingham and more. Dublin was even mooted by Rhodri Jones over the weekend.
But supporters – and everyone in the game, for that matter – need to know what is happening next. Get the decision made, settle on a venue early and allow people to plan.
St Helens can’t be ruled out… yet
It looks increasingly like it’s two from three when it comes to who will be walking out at Old Trafford in October: or does it?
There’s no getting away from the fact St Helens were disappointing on Saturday evening against Wigan Warriors. But without their entire first-choice spine, it was always going to be difficult for Paul Wellens’ side.
The good news is that all their key players will return before the play-offs with the first of those – Jonny Lomax and Sione Mata’utia – back this weekend. A fully-fit Saints side cannot be ruled out of anything: it’s just a case of how sharp they are when the play-offs begin.
Who misses out if Leigh make it?
With fourth, fifth and sixth losing, the door to the top six has now been firmly opened for Leigh Leopards after they handsomely defeated Salford Red Devils on Sunday at Magic Weekend.
However, if the Leopards do get into the play-offs, who misses out? Catalans arguably look the most vulnerable as things stand; they were dreadful against Hull KR. But Salford also didn’t inspire much hope in their defeat to the Leopards.
It’s a race that looks as though it will go all the way to the wire.
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Jack Farrimond can handle the pressure
Having been left out of Wigan’s side recently in favour of Ryan Hampshire, Jack Farrimond produced a display on Saturday afternoon that showed he is capable of leading the reigning champions around the park.
Farrimond, with centre Adam Keighran alongside him in the halves, was fantastic in the Warriors’ win over St Helens. Harry Smith and Bevan French will eventually be back: but can Farimond produce enough in the gap between them returning to potentially convince Matt Peet he’s worthy of a long-term run in the side?
Hull FC’s fans deserve so, so much more
The prospect of Hull FC finishing bottom of Super League is now very much on the cards after their humiliating defeat to London Broncos on Saturday. They were embarrassing against the Broncos, and the scale of the job awaiting John Cartwright in 2025 was brutally laid out at Elland Road.
Backed by a big travelling army once again at Elland Road, there has been some criticism of Hull’s supporters from a former player recently. But they deserve so much better than what they were served up on Saturday.
They have every right to be angry.
Luke Robinson looks like the best fit for Huddersfield
He’s been an apprentice for long enough and served time as an assistant coach – and Luke Robinson is making a decent fist of showing he deserves the Huddersfield Giants job full-time.
While he might not be the most glamorous name out there, Robinson clearly has the respect of Huddersfield’s players, and he has instilled a togetherness in the group that was absent during the final weeks of Ian Watson’s tenure.
They weren’t brilliant on Sunday, but they did enough to beat Castleford Tigers. Is Robinson making a strong enough case for the role?
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Could Bradford miss out on the play-offs?
It’s unlikely but, given results this weekend, it’s a little bit more possible than it was a week ago.
The Bulls are still inside the top six by four points with six games to go, but having lost to Featherstone on Sunday, plus results elsewhere going against them, it means the teams all the way down to ninth can still realistically make the top six.
If the likes of York and Doncaster put together a late run, someone will have to miss out. It couldn’t be the Bulls, could it?
Mark Applegarth has silenced his doubters
There were some who were surprised when Mark Applegarth was appointed as York’s new head coach, given how difficult things were for him at Wakefield Trinity last season.
But Applegarth has proven those people wrong. The Knights are absolutely flying in the Championship and on Saturday, they went to France and defeated second-placed Toulouse. All of a sudden, York are firmly in the play-off picture under Applegarth.
He deserves immense credit for the job he’s done.
It’s one from four to go down… again
Halifax’s defeat to Swinton on Sunday has dragged them right back into trouble. On a bizarre weekend when the three teams directly below them all won, the Panthers are now just two points clear of the drop zone once again.
Second-bottom goes down automatically but the side finishing 12th isn’t even guaranteed to be safe, with a play-off tie against a League 1 team to potentially relegate them, too. Are Fax in genuine trouble?
