Warrington Wolves provide SEVEN players in Super League Team of the Week from play-off eliminators
From left to right: George Williams, Edwin Ipape and Matty Ashton all feature in our Super League Team of the Week from the play-off eliminators
The 2024 Super League play-offs have now begun, and over the weekend, we saw a number of outstanding individual displays in the play-off eliminator ties.
There were just two games, with Leigh Leopards winning away at Salford Red Devils on Friday night and Warrington Wolves getting the better of St Helens on home soil on Saturday evening.
Despite just four teams being in action, three are represented in our Team of the Week.
Warrington dominate after a dramatic 23-22 Golden Point success, with Leigh also featuring heavily following their 14-6 triumph, while St Helens see two players named.
Without further ado, here is Love Rugby League‘s Team of the Week from the play-off eliminators…
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1. Matt Dufty (Warrington Wolves)
Dufty made 214 metres on Saturday evening, the most of any player involved across the two ‘eliminator’ games, with the Australian showing no sign of his recent injury hampering him as he took in 21 carries. The Wire full-back, who recorded an assist, bust through 11 tackles to aid that metre tally.
2. Matty Ashton (Warrington Wolves)
Team-mate Ashton was in red-hot form out on the wing against Saints, with his two tries the icing on the cake of a terrific performance. The speedster’s 23 carries was the second-most of the weekend across Super League, and he made 187 metres in the process with an average gain of eight metres.
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3. Toby King (Warrington Wolves)
Three from three for the Wolves, with England international King earning a spot in our Team of the Week after his two-try showing. The centre also recorded an assist, so was directly involved in three of the four tries scored by Sam Burgess’ side on Saturday evening. King ended the evening with 123 metres to his name.
4. Mark Percival (St Helens)
Yes, we know that Percival kicked it out on the full and that led to Warrington’s winner. BUT, we thought the Saints centre was superb prior to that. He made 150 metres, taking in 24 carries – the most of any player involved across the two games over the weekend. Grabbing a try, he also kicked three conversions – including the one to take the tie into Golden Point.
5. Tommy Makinson (St Helens)
Makinson is the only other Saints player to make our Team of the Week, and again, he does so despite his early error which led to a Warrington try. After that, the winger was unstoppable, making 112 metres with two clean breaks as he got over the try-line twice, with the first of those tries an absolute stunner.
6. George Williams (Warrington Wolves)
Back to Warrington, and acting skipper Williams, who gets in having kicked the winning drop goal during Golden Point extra time. That came at the end of an impressive individual display, making things happen throughout the initial 80 minutes for the Wolves. Recording two assists, the playmaker made 76 metres. He also chipped in with 16 tackles in defence.
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7. Gareth O’Brien (Leigh Leopards)
O’Brien has played second fiddle to Lachlan Lam in Leigh’s halves over the last few months, but he finally gets a spot in our Team of the Week after a mammoth showing against former employers Salford. The veteran made 26 tackles, including seven on the marker, and caused the Red Devils issues when he put boot to ball. His second half try was a deserved reward.
8. Tom Amone (Leigh Leopards)
Prop Amone is an absolutely remarkable player, and proved once again why he’s earned himself a gig back in the NRL in 2025 on Friday night. The powerhouse made 80 metres in 14 carries to help drive the Leopards’ into the areas they needed to be in, and delivered 26 tackles in defence – not missing a single one. Perfection.
9. Edwin Ipape (Leigh Leopards)
Every time you think Ipape can’t get better, he does. Team-mate Lachlan Lam called him a ‘freak’ post-match on Friday, and we’d agree – what a player. Against Salford, his burst forward, subsequent assist for O’Brien and his own try were the highlights – but he’s just an absolute rock in defence an a danger with the ball in hand. A centre, front-rower and hooker in one. Incredible.
10. Luke Yates (Warrington Wolves)
Getting Yates in midway through this season as opposed to the start of next year has proved an absolute masterstroke from the powers that be at Warrington, and the forward proved exactly that again on Saturday evening. Making 33 tackles, he then bust through one in attack en-route to making 59 metres in 12 carries.
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11. Zak Hardaker (Leigh Leopards)
Hardaker has been absent from the Leigh teamsheet in recent weeks, and started on the bench at Salford. He was thrust into the action early on after Frankie Halton’s failed HIA, and did anything but let boss Adrian Lam down as he made 32 tackles, the third-most of any Leopards player. The former Man of Steel took in 16 carries and yielded a return of 85 metres.
12. Matty Nicholson (Warrington Wolves)
Back-rower Nicholson’s last home appearance for Warrington saw him make 40 tackles, including three on the marker. Heading the other way with the ball in hand, he bust through two tackles on his way to a metre tally of 38, made across seven carries. His average gain came out at six metres.
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13. Ben Currie (Warrington Wolves)
Currie’s tally of 54 tackles was by far and away the most made by any player involved across the two play-off games over the weekend, making nine on the marker to halt Saints before they’d had chance to get going. The veteran also made 66 metres, taking in nine carries.
