WRAP: 2023 Betfred Super League Round 27

AJ Lucantonio wraps up all the action from the final round of the 2023 Super League season, with thanks to Rugby League Project.

All listed times are AEST (NSW/QLD/VIC/ACT).

RELATED: See the full list of 2023 Betfred Super League Draw and Results.

Huddersfield Giants 8
Warrington Wolves 20

Venue: John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield
Crowd: 5656
Date: Saturday 23 September 2023 at 5:00am

Huddersfield Giants (8)
Tries: Chris McQueen, Will Pryce

Warrington Wolves (20)
Tries: James Harrison, Matt Dufty
Goals: Stefan Ratchford 6

Huddersfield: Pryce, Halsall, Marsters, Naiqama, McGillvary; Connor, Lolohea; Ikahihifo, Milner, Greenwood, Hewitt, McQueen, Yates. Int: Peats, Wilson, English, Cudjoe.
Warrington: Dufty, Thewlis, Wrench, Ratchford, Russell; Williams, Drinkwater; Mikaele, Walker, Harrison, Currie, Nicholson, Crowther. Int: Clark, Kasiano, Philbin, Holroyd.

The Warrington Wolves have secured a finals spot with a 20-8 win over the Huddersfield Giants after Salford's home loss to Catalans.

It was a fast and furious start for the home side in the opening minutes of the contest scoring two tries in the opening quarter of the contest. Matt Dufty crossed first after just six minutes when he was on the end of a lovely pass from George Williams. Six minutes later, this was added to when James Harrison crossed next to the posts and it was an imposing early lead for the visitors.

Huddersfield did have some attacking chances, but some stout defence from the visitors held them out for most of the first half. However, in the shadows of half-time, retiring veteran Chris McQueen capped his brilliant career by crossing for a farewell try and it was 12-4 at the break.

There was a distinct lack of tries in the second half, and the Wire chose to keep going up by two's. Stefan Ratchford knocked over the first of his four second half penalty goals six minutes into the stanza. Huddersfield took advantage of some limited field position and Will Pryce celebrated his last UK appearance with a try.

Ratchford added three further penalty goals to secure the victory as fans celebrated the Salford demise in the stands as after a season that best depicted a roller-coaster. They were going to be playing finals footy!

St Helens 30
Hull FC 12

Venue: Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens
Crowd: 14036
Date: Saturday 23 September 2023 at 5:00am

St Helens (30)
Tries: Jack Welsby 2, Jonny Lomax, Mark Percival, Lewis Dodd
Goals: Mark Percival 5/5

Hull FC (12)
Tries: Cameron Scott, Lewis Martin
Goals: Tex Hoy 2/2

St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Hopoate; Lomax, Dodd; Mata'utia, Roby, Lees, Batchelor, Sironen, Knowles. Int: Walmsley, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Delaney, Mbye.
Hull FC: Litten, Martin, Tuimavave, Scott, McIntosh; Hoy, Clifford; Taylor, Dwyer, Satae, Lane, Fash, Cator. Int: Lovodua, Brown, Gardiner, Jebson.

St Helens have secured a top 3 finish in their first season under Paul Wellens with a 30-12 victory over Hull FC.

It was a tense opening quarter of the match with no tries being scored. Mark Percival added a penalty goal after ten minutes for a 2-0 cushion. However, Hull's determined defence could only hold a side like St Helens out for so-long and soon they conceded their first try. Percival got through the gap between Carlos Tuimavave and Darnell McIntosh to score the half's only try, which he converted himself for the final points of the half.

After such a tight first half, whichever side crossed first in the second stanza was going to closest to victory. Lewis Dodd crossed immediately after the resumption for Saints after a clever little grubber kick saw him win the race to the ball and score and it was 14-0. Hull did hit back with a lovely try to debutant Lewis Martin who steamed onto the ball at pace to crash over. Tex Hoy converted from touch and it was 14-6.

After Hull's try, there was a lull in the action with both sides keen to crash their way through the opposition. However, the class of Saints was on full display when Johnny Lomax crashed his way over with 16 to go. This was then added in quick time by Jack Welsby exposing a tiring Hull middle third and within a blink of an eye, it was 26-6.

Hull did collect a consolation try. Cam Scott snatched a Saints pass out of the air and raced away 75 meters on the heavy turf to score an interception try. Hoy converted and it was 26-12. Welsby completed his double in the shadows of the final siren to secure an 18 point deficit and third spot for the conduct of the finals.

Salford Red Devils 8
Catalans Dragons 19

Venue: Salford Stadium, Barton-upon-Irwell
Date: Saturday 23 September 2023 at 5:00am

Salford Red Devils (8)
Tries: Ben Hellewell
Goals: Marc Sneyd 2

Catalans Dragons (19)
Tries: Sam Tomkins, Julian Bousquet, Matt Whitley
Goals: Sam Tomkins 3
Field Goals: Sam Tomkins 1

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess; Croft, Sneyd; Ormondroyd, Bourouh, Singleton, Watkins, Stone, Partington. Int: Atkin, Addy, Sidlow, Hellewell.
Catalans: Tomkins, Davies, Romano, Ikuvalu, Johnstone; May, Pearce; Navarrete, McIlorum, Dezaria, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia. Int: Bousquet, Da Costa, Chan, Ma'u.

The Catalans Dragons have ended Salford's season with a 19-8 victory away from home.

Matt Whitely put the home side in front after 10 minutes after Tyrone May engaged the line and drew in the defence. Whitely accepted the offload and crashed over out-wide. Sam Tomkins added the extras for a 6-0 lead.

The rest of the first half was a tense and gritty affair with Salford refusing to go down without a fight. Tomkins knocked over a penalty goal with just under 10 minutes to play in the first half for an 8-0 lead. Marc Sneyd answered with a penalty goal of his own in the shadows of the break and it was only a converted try difference at the change of ends.

Salford came out aggressive in the second half and their efforts were duly rewarded when Ben Hellewell charged over. It was a simple short ball and Hellewell crashed through two poor attempts of tackle to give his side the equaliser they needed, and it was 8-8.

Sensing the tightness of the contest, Tomkins took a gamble and shot a field goal with 11 to play. The kick was successful, and it put Salford on the back-foot chasing points late in the match. That solitary point proved decisive with Catalans going onto score two late tries through Julien Bosquet and Tomkins to seal Salford's fate in the 2023 Super League season.

Wakefield Trinity 12
Hull KR 56

Venue: Be Well Support Stadium, Wakefield
Date: Saturday 23 September 2023 at 5:00am

Wakefield Trinity (12)
Tries: Liam Kay, Kelepi Tanginoa
Goals: Will Dagger 2/2

Hull Kingston Rovers (56)
Tries: Jez Litten 2, Matthew Storton 2, Brad Schneider 2, Ryan Hall, Tom Opacic, Jack Walker, Mikey Lewis
Goals: Brad Schneider 8/11

Wakefield (Trinity): Jowitt, Kay, Pratt, Croft, Kershaw; Dagger, Gale; Atoni, Hood, Bowden, Ashurst, Tanginoa, Pitts. Int: Smith, Battye, Salabio, Schofield.
Hull KR: Walker, Senior, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall, Hall; Lewis, Schneider; Luckley, Parcell, King, Batchelor, Storton, Minchella. Int: Abdull, Sue, Linnett, Aydin.

Wakefield's time in Super League has ended in disappointing fashion, thrashed by Hull KR to the tune of 56-12.

The fun began nice and early for the visitors with Jack Walker crossing after just five minutes of play after a lovely chip from Mikey Lewis and it was clear to see that it wasn't going to be a happy ending for the home side. This was added to 9 minutes later when Lewis crossed and it was 12-0 early. 

Wakefield collected some field position and it was Kelepi Tanginoa who crashed over for the home side to cut the deficit in half. Rovers responded with 6 to go in the half when Lewis again turned provider with a crash ball to Matty Storton, who powered over. Brad Schnieder added the extras and it was 18-6 at the break.

Refusing to go down without a fight, Liam Kay crossed in the corner for the home side six minutes into the second and it was 18-12 but the fight ended right there. Eight minutes later, Rovers crashed over to score A Jack Walker kick deflects into the hands of Matt Parcell, who then finds Schneider to dive under the sticks. Schneider then converted his own try.

A break up field saw Hull kick through but Max Jowitt obstructed the chaser and it was a yellow card. Rovers went bananas in the sin-bin period. Schneider's grubber was collected by Tom Opacic who won the race to the loose ball and scored to make it 30-12.

Four minutes later, Schneider fooled the Wakefield defence to crash over for his second try of the contest. This was followed up by a penalty try in the 66th minute when Storton crossed after another superb bit of lead up play by Lewis. With under 10 to play, Lewis again ran riot, this time linking with Ryan Hall to cross. This was followed by a quick-fire double to Jez Litten to secure a 56-12 victory and a date with Leigh next week.

Leeds Rhinos 48
Castleford Tigers 0

Venue: Headingley Stadium, Leeds
Date: Saturday 23 September 2023 at 5:00am

Leeds Rhinos (46)
Tries: David Fusitu'a 3, Derrell Olpherts, Sam Lisone, Luke Hooley, Sam Walters, Jack Sinfield
Goals: Rhyse Martin 7

Castleford Tigers (0)

Leeds: Hooley, Fusitu'a, Newman, Handley, Olpherts; Martin, Sinfield; Oledzki, O'Connor, Walters, Gannon, McDonnell, Donaldson. Int: Edgell, Lisone, Nicholson-Watton, Johnson.
Castleford: Rooney, Qareqare, Broadbent, Turner, Eden; Austin, Miller; Matagi, Horne, Massey, Edwards, Mellor, Lawler. Int: Mustapha, Martin, Hall, Watts.

Leeds have capped a disappointing year in dominating fashion, thrashing the Castleford Tigers 46-0 at home.

Despite some early attacking chances from the visitors, the Rhinos defence held firm and would do so for the entire 80 minutes. Luke Hooley opened the scoring after 12 minutes with a great individual effort. A penalty opened up the Tigers defence again minutes later and it was David Fusitiua down the short-side who charged over the top of Greg Eden to score.

Derrell Olpherts joined the scorers-sheet when he was on the end of a well-worked overlap and ran past some would-be defenders for a 16-0 advantage. Jack Sinfield got his first try for the Rhinos in Super League as he picked off Jacob Miller's pass and scored under the posts as the half came to a close and it was 22-0.

Cas wanted the season to end and end quickly. A poor mistake from the restart gave Leeds cheap possession. A clever cross kick from Sinfield allowed Fusitua to fly high and cross for his second of the contest. Liam Watts and Sam Lisone had a final scrap to end the year, but the pair were quickly dispatched to the sin-bin. Fusitua's 150th career appearance was capped with his hattrick after another blind-side raid five minutes later.

Lisone made up for his sin-binning when he joined the scorers list before the hour mark charging onto Sinfield's pass. Sam Walters capped his final appearance in a Rhinos shirt crossing to secure the 46-0 home slaughter of the Tigers to end their season on a high.

Leigh Leopards 6
Wigan Warriors 10

Venue: Leigh Sports Village Stadium, Leigh
Crowd: 10308
Date: Saturday 23 September 2023 at 5:00am

Leigh Leopards (6)
Tries: Lachlan Lam
Goals: Ben Reynolds 1/1

Wigan Warriors (10)
Tries: Jacob Wardle, Jai Field
Goals: Harry Smith 1/2

Leigh: O'Brien, Briscoe, Gildart, Chamberlain, Charnley; Reynolds, Lam; Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Hughes, O'Donnell, Wardle. Int: Mellor, Davis, Nakubuwai, Holmes.
Wigan: Field, Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Dupree, O'Neill, Ellis, Pearce-Paul, Farrell, Smithies. Int: Powell, Mago, Hill, Nsemba.

Sheer grit and determination highlights this dual between Wigan and Leigh. It was a tight contest, but at 10-6, it was enough to secure a minor premiership for the Warriors.

Leigh made some early handling errors, immediately putting them on the back-foot and after the 44-18 hiding they were given earlier in the year by the same opposition. It wasn't exactly the start they would've been hoping for.

Wigan pounced crossing for two quick tries. Jai Field opened the scoring after 18 minutes, showcasing his fleet footed stepping and shrugging away from three defenders to cross. Harry Smith nailed the side-line conversion for a 6-0 lead. Despite further attacking raids, Leigh held on resiliently, but it was a short-lived fight.

Jake Wardle scored in his seventh consecutive match in the 27th minute. Liam Marshall made a fantastic break after a set-restart and Wardle muscled his way over on the left edge to push Wigan further ahead. The touchline conversion from Smith was just wide of the uprights but Wigan held the 10-0 advantage.

Leigh hit back in the shadows of the half-time hooter. Lachlan Lam supported a break to collect the ball inside and race under the sticks, with Reynolds converting the score to reduce Wigan's lead to 10-6 going into the interval.

The second half was what could've been. Field's second try was called back for obstruction ten minutes into the stanza. While for Leigh, temporary centre Oliver Gildart's effort was denied thanks to Ben Nakubuwai impeding the Wigan defence. These efforts were to no-avail as Wigan's gritty defence held Leigh out and secured their status as this season's League Leaders Shield winners.

Final 2023 Super League table

Q = Qualifiers
E = Eliminators
R = Relegated

RELATED: Click here to view the full final Betfred Super League table.

Top Tryscorers
Tom Johnstone (27)
Abbas Miski (27)

Top Pointscorer
Stefan Ratchford (202)