Stobart Super League Round 24 Review

Stobart Super League XVII Round 24 Review by Simon Reuben


Bradford Bulls kept alive their top eight hopes by getting the better of Hull KR at Odsal.

Still uncertain about their future, Bradford in ninth needed the win over eighth place Hull KR in order to give themselves a chance of playing in the end of season ply-offs.

It was the under-strength visitors who took the lead thanks to a Michael Dobson fifth-minute penalty but the Bulls scored the first try of the game when Jamie Langley ran onto Ben Jeffries' short pass to cross.

But Langley then coughed up possession from the re-start and that gave Hull KR the position for Scott Taylor to crash over.

The Bulls re-took the lead when Shaun Ainscough gathered Luke Gale's pinpoint kick to score. But Rovers would not go away and Ben Galea combined with Dobson to create an overlap for winger David Hodgson to score out wide. Dobson's third goal made it 14-12 in their favour at the break.

Two tries in a five-minute spell gave Bradford the boost they needed. Keith Lulia created an opening for Jason Crookes, who finished strongly at the corner, and Langley produced a turn of pace to go through a gap and bump off full-back Louis Sheriff to score his second try.

Luke Gale added both goals to put his side 10 points clear but Rovers struck back on 63 minutes when Liam Salter went in at the corner. Dobson kicked his fourth goal.

However, the Bulls claimed the points when Gale broke clean through the first line of defence and second rower Elliott Whitehead was in support to score. Gale kicked his fifth conversion and added a penalty before winger Craig Hall grabbed a last-minute consolation try for the visitors, with Dobson kicking his fifth goal.

So with 3 games left only points difference keeps Rovers ahead of Bradford.

Bradford Bulls 32 (Langley 2, Ainscough, Crookes and Whitehead tries. Gale 6 goals.) defeated Hull KR 26 (Hall, D. Hodgson, Salter and Taylor tries. Dobson 5 goals.) Att: 10,217


Leeds Rhinos romped to a 12-try win over Widnes Vikings at Headingley Carnegie Stadium.

With just two weeks to the Challenge Cup Final, Leeds decided against risking Jamie Peacock, Jamie Jones-Buchanan and Rob Burrow, who were all carrying minor injuries, but it took the them just six minutes to break through as Ryan Bailey bulldozed his way over to leave Kevin Sinfield with a simple conversion.

Danny McGuire then combined neatly with Carl Ablett to send winger Ryan Hall diving over in the corner. McGuire's 200th Super League try almost arrived when he received the ball well inside his own half and was caught just short of the line.

However, Shaun Lunt was up in support and he grabbed the Rhinos' third try, Sinfield again adding the goal.

Widnes had a spell of pressure and centre Stefan Marsh shrugged off three tacklers to get his side on the scoreboard. Patrick Ah Van tagging on the goal.

The Rhinos were soon back on the rampage. Zak Hardaker and Richard Moore scored tries, both improved by Sinfield, before Hall ran on to McGuire's clever kick to the corner for his second try.

Another Vikings score came as Rhys Hanbury made an excellent break before putting Frank Winterstein in for their second try, Ah Van again succeeding with the kick.

Brett Delaney added the Rhinos' seventh try just before half-time, Sinfield's touchline goal stretching the score to 40-6 and putting Widnes out of the contest.

With nothing to lose, the Vikings came at Leeds and cut the gap to 40-24 with two quick-fire tries in rapid succession by Cameron Phelps and Marsh to restore some pride.

But Leeds weathered the storm and hit back to run out comfortable winners. Darrell Griffin, Kylie Leuluai, Steve Ward and Hardaker all scored further tries before substitute Jimmy Keinhorst crossed for the first Super League try of his career in the final minute.

Sinfield was successful with 10 of his 12 conversion attempts on a night but there was some concern about Danny McGuire who was helped off the field with a knee injury.

Leeds Rhinos 68 (Hall 2, Hardaker 2, Bailey, Delaney, Griffin, Keinhorst, Moore and Ward tries. Sinfield 10 goals.) defeated Widnes Vikings 24 (Marsh 2, Phelps and Winterstein tries. Ah Van 4 goals.) Att: 13,326
 

Huddersfield Giants made it two wins on the bounce as they were made to fight all the way by Salford City Reds at the Salford City Stadium.

The Giants went ahead after a burst by Jason Chan on 7 minutes enabled Scott Grix and Leroy Cudjoe to put Jermaine McGillvary over out wide. Huddersfield were reduced to 12 men after 20 minutes when Cudjoe was sin-binned for a professional foul.

But with a man Brett Ferres touched down for his first try for the club after signing from Castleford. Grix's conversion stretched the lead to 10-0.

Salford at last got on the scoreboard as Vinnie Anderson swept over from Luke Patten's pass with Daniel Holdsworth