Super League youngsters shine in sensational promotion/relegation final as League 1 club defy odds

Ben Olawumi 13 Oct 2024 10:09 PM

Hunslet will play in the second tier in 2025 having gained promotion courtesy of a thrilling 22-20 win at Swinton on Sunday night in the Championship/League 1 promotion final, with the Lions relegated to the third tier in the process.

Dean Muir’s Parksiders last weekend clinched the League 1 play-off title with a win at Keighley Cougars, while Swinton finished 12th in the Championship.

Normally, Alan Kilshaw’s side would have preserved their second tier status with that 12th-place finish, and Hunslet would have been promoted as play-off winners.

But as announced back in March, the Championship will reduce in size to 13 clubs for 2025, while League 1 will increase to 11 teams.

As a result, only the League 1 champions (Oldham) were automatically promoted, not the play-off winners.

As the play-off winners, Hunslet had to face the side that finished 12th in the Championship away from home in a ‘winner takes all’ battle, with the victors taking their spot in the second tier next year and the losers taking a spot in the third tier.

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Super League youngsters shine in sensational promotion/relegation final as League 1 club defy odds

That clash took place at Heywood Road on Sunday evening, with Hunslet defying the odds to earn promotion in an absolutely thrilling encounter which saw Super League youngsters shine.

Hosts Swinton raced into a 10-0 lead thanks to tries from ex-Salford Red Devils flier Rhys Williams and Mitch Cox.

But with just four minutes of the first half remaining, Mackenzie Turner intercepted and raced away downfield to score a try which brought Hunslet back to within four points.

And at the start of the second half, the Parksiders came out firing. By the 49th minute, they were 18-10 to the good following tries from Cameron Berry and Huddersfield Giants young gun George Flanagan Jr.

19-year-old Flanagan, who was named Player of the Match by Salford head coach Paul Rowley on co-commentary duty for The Sportsman, signed for the Giants ahead of the 2023 campaign but is yet to feature for them at senior level.

His appearance in Sunday’s promotion/relegation final was his 13th of the year as a loanee for Hunslet.

Mikey Wood’s try just before the hour had Swinton back to within two points of their League 1 opponents, and it had appeared that a try from St Helens youngster Jonny Vaughan had won it for the hosts.

As Saints’ dual-registration partners, versatile ace Vaughan – who featured eight times at first-team level for Paul Wellens’ side in 2024 – has made 10 appearances in total for the Lions this term, including his run out in Sunday’s final.

But that try would not prove the winner. With the conversion missed, Hunslet grabbed the decisive effort with just four minutes remaining as prolific try-scorer Jack Render acrobatically dotted the ball down in the left-hand corner under pressure from numerous defenders.

The conversion on that effort was also missed, but the visitors held on to claim a 22-20 triumph which sees them return to the Championship for the first time since 2015! Swinton meanwhile will play in League 1 next term for the first time since 2022.

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Championship and League 1 line-ups for 2025

As a result of IMG’s impending gradings, we can’t be 100% sure of how the Championship will shape up for 2025.

But, if Wakefield Trinity are promoted as expected and London Broncos are demoted back down into the second tier with no other movement, this is how it looks.

The 13 clubs are listed alphabetically…