With two games of the regular season remaining, the Leeds Rhinos had their eyes firmly on second spot but knew that they needed a massive points win over a Catalans Dragons side who are destined to finish the season in a very disappointing ninth place in the table.

The Dragons were given a twenty-six-point start on the coupon, the Rhinos loss of the in-form Jake Connor not concerning the bookmakers who couldn’t see anything other than a comprehensive Leeds victory.

For Leeds the win was crucial, as was improving their points difference, as depending on results over the next two weeks they could still finish as high as second, or as low as fifth in the table.

There were three motivations for the black and white side of Hull as they travelled to take on their arch rivals wearing red and white; first was to deny the Robins the league leaders trophy which would be everything but mathematically certain should they win; second was to lift themselves above Wakefield Trinity and into a play-off play place, and third was to ridicule a twenty-six point handicap start which the bookies had allocated them on the coupon.

A victory for the home side would put them four clear of Wigan with two games remaining and supporting a massive points difference advantage meaning that they would be all but mathematically impossible to catch, and meaning that a single point from their remaining two games would give them the shield.

But Hull FC’s need was seemingly greater, a win would put them up to sixth, and would mean that their play-off fate was back in their own hands.

Few games are as highly anticipated as encounters between St Helens and the Wigan Warriors, the original derby, and in terms of the race for play off positions in 2025, this match up was one of the most anticipated in recent history.

Wigan were favourites with the bookies but there was very little to choose between the two sides, Saints with just a two-point start on the coupon as there was really very little to choose between the two sides.

A win for Saints would put them fourth with two games remaining, a win for the Warriors would do their quest for a home semi-final a power of good as they would move two points clear of the Rhinos, who they face in the final round of the season.

Hull FC’s defeat against the Leeds Rhinos left the door wide open for Wakefield Trinity to step into the top six, and a coveted pay off place, should they be able to despatch the challenge of the Huddersfield Giants.

Wakefield were handicapped by twelve points on the coupon as the bookies picked them as strong favourites to win the derby.

Trinity won the game in July at a canter by 46-10 after previously knocking Huddersfield out of the Challenge Cup in March with a 22-12 score line.

A win for the Leeds Rhinos at Hull FC would lift them into third spot in the table with three rounds of the season remaining, a win for the hosts would put them three points clear of seventh placed Wakefield Trinity, and strengthen their claim for a top six spot and a place in the play-offs.

The bookies fancied a win for a resurgent Rhinos but with just a six-point handicap on the coupon they weren’t expecting them to have it all their own way, Hull FC expected to run them close.

Leeds were the winners by just two points when the sides met in May, and in a weekend of intriguing fixtures, this might just have been the most unpredictable.

A round twenty-three encounter between the Wigan Warriors and Wakefield Trinity was a high stakes match with the Warriors needing the two points to put themselves in the box seat for at least second position in the league table, while Wakefield knew that a win would lift them into the six and put their fate back in their own hands in their fight for a playoff spot.

The bookies gave Wakefield a twelve point start on the coupon indicating that they were confident of a home win but concerned that it might not be by a points avalanche despite the return to their ranks of talisman Bevan French.

The importance could not be overexaggerated for either side, their season’s hanging in the balance for very different reasons.

Fourth against sixth was a mouthwatering prospect as St Helens welcomed Hull FC to the Totally Wicked Stadium with two points up for grabs which could lift Saints into second spot in the table or guarantee Hull FC’s position in the top six with four rounds remaining.

The home side were big favourites with the bookies, injuries hitting the Airlie Birds and forcing the bookies to give them a twenty point start in the handicap coupon.

We’re entering the business end of the season, and this was a critical game for both sides to win, Hull FC seeking revenge for their 13-6 loss at the beginning of July.

Leeds Rhinos were 14-8 winners the last time that they met Champions elect Hull Kingston Rovers in a round seventeen encounter, despite being 8-0 behind at the interval.

Hull KR were slight favourites with the bookies, being handicapped by two points on the coupon as they looked to go eight points clear at the top of the table, but a win for the Rhinos would lift them back above St Helens and into third and importantly, level on points with the Wigan Warriors in second.

It was the tie of round twenty-three, the outcome would speak volumes of the prospects of both sides as the end of the season approaches and all talk is of the play-offs and play-off places.

Third place beckoned for St Helens as they faced a Huddersfield Giants side who snook into tenth place in the league, their highest position of the season, thanks to the Castleford Tigers getting a thrashing at the hands of Leeds Rhinos on Saturday afternoon.

Saints were, of course, big favourites with the bookies and were given a twenty-two point handicap on the coupon but the Giants have been playing with a newfound confidence with wins against the Catalans Dragons and Hull FC in the last two rounds.

Saints won the game in round twelve by 46-6 but the Giants aspirations were to run them much closer than that this time, ideally springing a surprise or losing by less than seven points to keep them in tenth spot.

With the Leeds Rhinos having jumped into third spot in the table, the onus switched to the Leigh Leopards who wanted to take their place back as they travelled to the east coast to take on Hull FC, themselves needing the win to maintain their push for the top six and the play-offs.

The bookies were struggling to pick a favourite and went for league position, fourth placed Leigh given a two-point handicap over the side in sixth spot in the table.

The sides drew 22-22 in March and Hull won the round twelve game in May by 26-12 at the Leigh Sports Village.

Leeds Rhinos wee string favourites with the bookies to take the two points in the West Yorkshire derby as they travelled to Castleford to take on a Tigers side in danger of dropping into the bottom two as the season nears its climax.

A win would lift the Rhinos back into third spot in the table and put them just two points behind second placed Wigan Warriors, at least until Leigh and St Helens played their own round twenty-two matches.

Leeds have won both games between the two sides so far in 2025, the round three encounter by 38-24 and again in round twelve by 29-6, and most commentators and supporters believed pre-game that this would be the Rhinos treble.

There was only one show in town in Round Twenty-Two of Super League, the hottest ticket in town as the Wigan Warriors in second welcomed the league leading Hull KR to the Brick Community Stadium for a Friday Night encounter.

Wigan were slight favourites with the bookies, given a two-point handicap on the coupon as they looked to repeat their win from April when they were victors by 28-12 on the road in east Hull.

A win for the Warriors would put them back within two league points of the league leaders, a win for the Robins would see them six points clear at the top of the pile with just five rounds remaining and almost guarantee them the league leaders’ trophy for the first time after being runners up in 2024.

There had been speculation all week as to whether the game between Hull FC and the Salford Red Devils would take place to conclude round twenty-one, fuelled by the departures of Chris Hankinson and club captain, Ryan Brierley, but after some late benevolence from other clubs, the Red Devils coaching staff were able to put in a team sheet.

Salford gave debuts to seven loan players including; Brad Dwyer (Leigh), Harvey Makin and Taylor Kerr (both Wigan), Kieran Nolan and Jake Davies (both St Helens) and Riley Lumb and Ben Littlewood (both Leeds).

Unsurprisingly the home side were given a sixty-point handicap on the coupon with the margin of victory the only subject of discussion, the win to take the Black & Whites back into the top six was not under debate.

Champions, in all but the silverware, Hull KR, followed their massive win against the Salford Red Devils last time out with another seemingly straightforward game against an equally embattled Castleford Tigers as the full house signs once again went up in east Hull.

The visitors were given a thirty-six point start on the coupon as the Robins sought the win which would again take them four points clear at the top with seven rounds remaining, a win for the Tigers by sixteen or more would lift them into tenth above the Catalans Dragons who were scheduled to play later in the afternoon.

After a week off following their one-point victory over the Leeds Rhinos in Round 20, Wakefield Trinity hosted St Helens, the side one place above them in the table with their eyes on regaining the fourth spot that they lost last night. when then Rhinos triumphed over Leigh Leopards.

A victory for Trinity would take them within two of their opponents tonight but more importantly it would lift them three points clear of the chasing Hull FC who play against Salford on Sunday.

Wakefield were slight favourites with the bookies, St Helens with a two point start on the coupon, and it would be a brave man that would back against them claiming the scalp of another side above them in the table.

When Leigh Leopards and the Leeds Rhinos met in Round Sixteen it was the Rhinos who triumphed in a hight scoring encounter as they moved into third spot with a 48-30 home win.

In the first game of round twenty-one the venue was the Leigh Sports Village where current third placed Leigh were looking to go second ahead of the Wigan Warriors, while a win for Leeds would lift them one place above St Helens and within a league point of their opponents.

Leigh were slight favourites with the bookies, being handicapped by two points on the coupon, but it was too close to call for most pundits and experts.