Round 21 of the Super League season provided a few shocks, and with only five more rounds to be completed, the play-off and relegation pictures are a little clearer.

Reigning champions St Helens opened up a two-point gap at the top of the table after defeating Wigan Warriors at Knowsley Road. In a close-fought game, the Saints edged out their close rivals 19-12 and made it eight consecutive wins against the Warriors. The win was made even sweeter for St Helens as their two closest rivals, Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls, both suffered shock defeats.

The Rhinos' recent poor run of form continued when they lost 23-16 at home to Wakefield Wildcats. The Rhinos were leading 16-10 with 18 minutes to go, but two late Wakefield tries from Ryan Atkins and Luke George saw them snatch both points and move to fifth place in the table.

'St Helens, Leeds and Bradford look certain to make the play-offs but with only three points separating the next six clubs, the battle for the remaining three play-off places looks like going to the last round of games'


The biggest surprise of the round came when bottom side Salford City Reds overturned the form book to beat Bradford Bulls 14-10. Salford, who had won only one of their three games under new coach Shaun McRae, included transfer deadline signings, Mike Wainwright, Richie Barnett and Tommy Saxton and all three made significant contributions to a famous victory.

Salford’s win saw them close the gap at the bottom of the table to one point, and drag Hull Kingston Rovers into the relegation battle. Rovers were hammered 60-20 at home by a rampant Warrington Wolves, who scored 11 tries. Wolves scrum-half Lee Briers was the star of the show, contributing 28 points with three tries and eight goals. The win saw Warrington move into sixth place after Harlequins RL dropped out of the play-off places, losing 22-10 at home to Huddersfield Giants.

Hull kept their play-off hopes alive with a convincing 34-18 win in France over Catalans Dragons. It was Hull’s third win in a row and they are hitting form as the Super League enters the business end of the season.
St Helens, Leeds and Bradford look certain to make the play-offs but with only three points separating the next six clubs, the battle for the remaining three play-off places looks like going to the last round of games.

Wakefield, Warrington and Hull are now closing in on fourth-place Wigan. And with the Warriors waiting to hear their punishment for breaching the competition's salary cap, their play-off hopes may be decided, not on the field of play but by the RFL, the game's governing body.

The relegation picture is much simpler and is now a battle between Salford and Hull KR. The Reds will be buoyed by the victory over Bradford and, with the experience and expertise of Australian coach McRae, should have enough to avoid the drop. Hull KR could be dropping out of the Super League and heading back to the National League after only one season in the top flight.