Wigan Warriors lift League Leaders’ Shield as Warrington Wolves clinch play-off spot in Super League’s ‘Frantic Finale
Wigan Warriors sealed top spot and the League Leaders’ Shield with a 10-6 win over close rivals Leigh Leopards; Catalans Dragons finish second and also head to the semi-finals; Warrington Wolves’ win over Huddersfield Giants sees them take the final play-off spot
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The final round of the Super League season was billed as a ‘Frantic Finale’ and it did not fail to deliver. Let’s relive all the best moments here…
Wigan clinch League Leaders’ Shield as Catalans seal semi-final spot
Wigan Warriors can now sit back and relax after taking the spoils in a bruising 10-6 encounter against close rivals Leigh Leopards which saw them lift the League Leaders’ Shield.
The Warriors did what they needed to do in the first half as tries from Jai Field and Jake Wardle gave them their 10-6 advantage, Lachlan Lam going over for the home side to make it a close game.
Both sides had tries wiped out in the second half, but the Leopards will be aggrieved by Oliver Gildart’s score being controversially disallowed as there was not clear enough evidence for the video referee to overrule the call of obstruction.
However, the Warriors showed their defensive steel to stay top of the table and take the all-important trophy, Matt Peet’s side cementing themselves as firm favourites to be heading to Old Trafford on October 14.
The Catalans Dragons also did what they needed to keep second spot with a 19-8 win over the Salford Red Devils to claim a semi-final spot. St Helens now play Warrington Wolves in the third place vs sixth place eliminator after a 30-12 victory over Hull FC.
Wigan, Catalans and St Helens all finish on 40 points but the Warriors’ superior points difference proved to be the deciding factor.
Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet…
“That is probably a game we needed, we will learn a lot from that.
“I don’t think we particularly played play-off rugby but we will learn a great deal from that and I thought it was a fantastic game.
“I am proud of everyone at the club.
“There were incidents throughout the game that were 50/50 but we will just control our team.
“It gives us that steel and it highlights some areas. We haven’t been in such a close game for a while.”
Warrington sneak into the play-off as Leigh travel to the Robins in Eliminators
Warrington knew that if they secured a win they were in the play-offs and they did just that against the Huddersfield Giants.
Tries from Matt Dufty and James Harrison, plus 12 points from the boot of Stefan Ratchford, helped the Wolves to a 20-8 win and kept them in sixth spot.
They now face the tough task of heading to reigning champions Saints, who now have nine wins in a row and want to make it five successive Super League Grand Final wins too.
The second eliminator is fourth versus fifth as Hull KR take on Challenge Cup winners Leigh Leopards.
The Leopards headed into the ‘Frantic Finale’ in fourth and with a 34-point cushion over the Robins.
However, Hull KR ran rampant in a 56-12 victory over relegated Wakefield Trinity and overturned that points deficit to move up to fourth and clinch a home tie.
The best of Super League’s Frantic Finale:
What happens next?
You can watch the Eliminators live on Sky Sports on September 29 and 30.
The first game kicks-off at 8pm on Friday and sees Hull KR vs Leigh Leopards before St Helens vs Warrington Wolves on Saturday from 12.45pm.
The winner of Hull KR vs Leigh Leopards will then face Wigan in the semi-finals, with the winner of St Helens and Warrington Wolves travelling to face Catalans Dragons for that sought-after spot at the Grand Final.
