XIII Oceans

Super League XVI – Round 11

Welcome to the big weekend.  Two games in four days for most and it’s on the back of some scintillating rugby.  I’ve had a great week watching the highlights from the last round of games, particularly those from The Stoop where some some great tries were scored.  I haven’t seen Castleford look as exciting since Stuart Raper.  Steve Menzies almost got caught on his intercept by easing off the gas and to add to the laughter I read the League Express letters page.  Amidst the usual tribal banter were two pearlers as one fan questioned the integrity of the Albert Goldthorpe Medal voting as a player didn’t get top points, suggesting it might be a deliberate ruse to deny him top spot.  Great one, trumped by the guy who said the reason why Leeds had stopped winning is because refs have been instructed to blow for forward passes this year.  Brilliant.

Before we got into this week’s previews though I thought it would be interesting to analyse Brian McDermott’s post-match comments from last week.  Despite my open doubts about his coaching ability I do like the man and find his choice of words fascinating at times.

“I am concerned. Concerned for a group of players who are desperate to do better.  I am not confident of much at the moment but what I am confident of is that there’s a group of people there, staff and players included, who are in a place where they don’t want to be.  They’ve a massive work rate and great desire and at moment it’s puzzling because on game day it’s just not happening for us.”

What do you think?  There’s a degree of disassociation littered throughout.  McDermott does not place himself in there by using the more collective term of “we”.  I like the way he’s saying it.  I also like the choice of we because it emphasises a more complete team which does not mean his comments are the opposite.  By disassociating himself he sounds like an independent observer who can see what the players are going through but is also able to be less emotional about it.  By doing so he is hoping to giving his team some confidence and in a game where mental toughness is as important as physical or technical prowess it’s a point of note.  Where his comments raise eyebrows is with that latter part of the last sentence.  Puzzling is not a word you should be throwing out there because its laden with personal and professional doubt.  He might not have wanted to say that but it’s spoken right there and that’s a concern for Leeds.  If your coach is questioning himself the players will start to even if they won’t openly express it.

Super League Power Rankings (as voted last week):

Huddersfield
Warrington
Wigan
St Helens
Castleford
Leeds
Catalans

******GAME OF THE ROUND******

Wigan v St Helens
Rugby league’s own ‘El Classico’, Th’Classic.  Wigan can’t buy a win at home and Saints have won five in a row which means we should be in for a cracker on Friday afternoon.  The champions do not give in easily in this game with an excellent record against Saints irrespective of Saints’ fortunes.  Saints fortunes?  Okay they have won a few in a row and look like they have found their feet with the ball too.  Jonny Lomax has provided the wizardry since the Easmond saga and he will be thrust into the limelight as Saints key half back with the previously supporting newcomer, Gaskell, missing for six weeks.  At Hull KR you could see the quality of Wigan’s ability to shift the ball wide which has been missing a bit this year.  It’s a flowing and natural style which is the smoothest in the league.  All of which brings us back down to that battle in the middle of the park.  Saints quality in moving the ball forward is there for all to see and was stopped by Wigan last year in a very effective manner.  With the changes around the PTB questions have surfaced around Wigan’s defence and whether it has hit them a bit harder than expected.  Me?  I think it’s as much an issue of form than it is rule interpretations.  Other teams have shown you can disjoint Saints by winning that collision, something which was evident earlier in the season.  Saints have every right to be confident about coming away with the two points and if they do it will be off the back of the confidence they have gained from knocking over a few less intense opponents.  For me the biggest mental step us has to be with Wigan.  There will be nervous energy off the pitch and it’s an energy that could just as easily be harnessed by a strong start or half-time talk at the back of the stands during haute cuisine time.  It is that tight.  Drive and determination can win the day for Wigan and if they can’t find it on Friday the fans will know.  Wigan.

Bradford v Leeds
Welcome to the Airport derby.  Attendees are reminded of the respective baggage allowance limitations on Thursday.  Neither team is allowed more than four wins this season and additional allowance will only be permitted should your team win.  If you are seated in the middle you may notice to the side of you people leaving in droves should your team be getting flattened.  All attendees must have taken their position approximately two hours before departure.  As it is expected that our in-flight drama will fill the entire eighty minutes of activity there will be little time for breath although refreshments are available at the customary exorbitant prices.  No passengers allowed.  Leeds.

Hull v Hull KR
I don’t know about you but this is a game I look forward to seeing every time it is on.  Hull can be playing garbage or Rovers can be in one of those win-one-lose-one streaks they so often go on because it doesn’t matter.  This time both teams have been playing garbage so we’re in for a treat.  Whenever these two teams front up you can guarantee atmosphere which gives us drama despite what can sometimes be a bit of a mess with the ball.  Is there a bigger question around this though?  Not do you let Mason go (or cash in on him if there’s a fee involved)?  But just how much better does Paul Cooke look with hair?  Makes you wonder what Keith Senior would be like without his trademark sex offender haircut.  Hull KR.

Crusaders v Huddersfield
Not too much to talk about for the only one that isn’t a derby other than Huddersfield planting a flag firmly at the top of Super League after metaphorically thrashing Leeds for their first win there in colour.  Fireworks aplenty resulted in Nathan Brown’s plea to the officials to protect players and whilst we have to admit this is a tough game I am on his side.  There is a world of difference of applying pressure to outlaw behaviour.  In the past this would be the type of game a pretender loses or struggles with so as a contender I now expect a comfortable win and with Salford at home on Monday there shouldn’t be too big a distraction.  Huddersfield.

Harlequins RL v Catalans Dragons
Harlequins RL late unsalvaging of a point last Friday in my game of the round has delayed this game’s true title of the Down And Out derby.  Their draw means we can be a little bit more excited for the Two Cities derby.  In terms of form the two teams couldn’t be further apart and again defence will be the focus point for either team’s progression.  Isn’t it funny how quickly confidence and consequently form can change?  Sports are often exhibitions in confidence and momentum which is why we can learn a lot about our own human psychological make up.  If you either think that you can or think that you can’t you’re probably right is a notable phrase and right now Catalans Dragons know they can win this.  Will Harlequins RL have the same strength of belief?  I talked last week about Leeds’ fragility and was proven right as Huddersfield shook them to the ground with a great first half zilling.  Factor that sort of mental deterioration to a team which hasn’t won in five games whilst shipping, on average, 44 points.  Can you really back against Catalans?  I don’t think I can.  Catalans.

Salford v Warrington
Congratulations to Salford who were officially on fire.  Got to feel sorry for those who abandoned that glittering performance to watch their football team suffer a historic loss at Wembley.  If you were one of those who went to The Willows I wish you more success and I want to wish it this weekend.  Can Salford really carry that form into the Ship Canal derby?  Well Warrington got into a good groove last week blitzing the Crusaders and they have superior fire power and resistance.  Bradford wilted and look like a team which is still struggling to gel.  It reminded me or Predator as each try went over and everybody looked around at each other to try and understand what was going on.  Warrington will not be so dumbstruck.  Warrington.

Castleford v Wakefield
A chance for £1m derby revenge and boy will it be sweet for Castleford.  Fair play to Wakefield and their fans because neither have quite given up the ghost in the way Halifax did a few years back.  Now, having been in a similar position many a times myself when I was a teenager, I do not envy going to your big rivals knowing that you are likely to face a tonking.  Similarly it is a local rivalry and strange things can happen.  Watching Wakefield this year it’s more likely to be The Twilight Zone than Tales Of The Unexpected.  Castleford.

Due to personal commitments and the silly two games in three days approach I am unlikely to be able to produce a preview for Bank Holiday Monday’s games.  If I can I will.