- 4 months ago
On this week's Rugby League Talk Podcast from The Yorkshire Post, The YP's rugby league writer James O’Brien reflects on the 2025 campaign for all six of Yorkshire’s Super League clubs from Hull Kingston Rovers at the top, through play-off hopefuls Leeds Rhinos, Wakefield Trinity and Hull FC through to Huddersfield Giants and Castleford Tigers down the bottom
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00:00Hello and welcome to Rugby League Talk, the Yorkshire Post podcast that brings you the
00:10latest take on Yorkshire's leading clubs, either in Super League or below. On this week's
00:15show we're joined as ever by the YP's highly esteemed Rugby League correspondent, James
00:19O'Brien, and with just one round of the Super League regular season remaining, we thought
00:23it high time we looked back at the campaign of our six Super League clubs, 4KR, Leeds
00:28Rhinos, Wakefield Trinity, Hull FC, Huddersfield Giants, and Castleford Tigers. As expected,
00:34as is the same every season, it's been contrasting fortunes for our teams, and we're going to
00:38go bottom up to start with. So we'll start off with Cass, who are currently in second from
00:45bottom of the Super League standings at the moment, and then we'll finish off on a high
00:51with Hawkingston Rovers, who could obviously clinch the League leader's shield when they
00:55host Warrington Wolves tomorrow. James, as I say, we'll run through the six teams. We'll
01:00start with Cass. Mid-season change in coach, Danny Maguire. It was always going to be a
01:06tough first season for Danny. It proved to be the case. Many people think he was jettisoned
01:14far too early. Where has it sort of gone wrong for Cass, or is this what was expected?
01:20Yeah, I think they're pretty much as expected. I think I had them to finish bottom, and that
01:26was before all Salford. The bottom fell out of Salford, so to speak. Yeah, it's just gone
01:35to the form book or the squads. When you looked at the start of the year, they'd probably had
01:39the weakest squad in the competition coming into the season. So where it went wrong was
01:46probably in the years before this one. They just haven't been able to get it right. They've
01:51obviously brought in Chris Chester. That's probably been the biggest signing of the year. He's
01:55already got to work in the recruitment market. He's got a couple of big names coming over from
02:00Australia. So it does look brighter. Certainly, he sat there this time last year and said it's
02:07going to be markedly different in 2025, and that's been the case. But you can look at the
02:12early work they've done. Chris Chester's obviously coming in. As I mentioned, he's bringing Ryan
02:17Carr in as well, who's got a really good reputation as a young and up-and-coming coach. So there
02:25is light at the end of the tunnel for Cass, but yeah, this season has just gone to scripts.
02:30Basically, there have been a few highs, not many. That Wakefield one stands out, obviously,
02:35a couple of weeks ago. They've got the jungle rocking again, but they're going to need a
02:39lot more nights like that next year to climb the table. Because as it is now, they're a
02:47long way behind the likes of Lee. Wakefield have been to a championship comeback and they've
02:53soared past Cass. So they've got a lot of work to do just to get up to that next bracket of
02:59clubs who are chasing the playoffs. What impact do you expect Ryan Carr to have?
03:06I think he's got a good reputation. He's only young. I think he's younger than me, so he's
03:11really young. But yeah, from his work at Feverell, he only spent a year there. He took
03:19them to the grand final from memory. He's spent a bit of time on the Leeds Rhinos coaching
03:23staff as well. Since then, he's been to the NRL, got more experience there. So he's
03:29coming back with that under his belt. And Chris Chester obviously likes him a lot. Chris Chester,
03:35obviously, he oversaw Lee's resurgence. You've got Adrian Lamb in there and he gave him the
03:41tools he needed to do his job and look at Lee. Now they're already assured of their highest
03:46ever Super League finish. So he's got that blueprint there from his time at Lee and he's
03:53bringing that to Cass now. And I think Ryan Carr proved to be a shrewd appointment.
03:58Okay, moving on to Huddersfield. Similar situation really coming into the season.
04:03Novice coach, a very popular novice coach given his history with the club, Luke Robinson.
04:09They've had odd moments, odd flashes where everything's come together for them and they've
04:17produced a decent result here and there. But again, it's been very sort of similar campaign
04:22to Cass's, hasn't it?
04:24Yeah, and again, they were predicted to finish in the bottom three and that's where they're
04:28going to finish, I think. Is that right?
04:33Yeah, 10th and that will be pretty much as where they've been since the finished third
04:40in 2022. They were great that season. They didn't often lose at home. I think they lost
04:45once at home during the regular season and it's just flipped on its head since then.
04:50The Accu Stadium, as it's known now, is a great place to go for visiting teams, not so
04:55much Huddersfield and the news this week that they're staying there for one more season at
05:00least. Or, Ken David did say it would be the last. So, yeah. What can you say about Huddersfield?
05:07I think the injuries, they had a nightmare pre-season and they've never really recovered from that.
05:13It's very hard if you come into the season with five, six key injuries to play catch up and overcome that.
05:20You just pick up more and more injuries and it just snowballs and that was the case for Huddersfield.
05:24When they did start to get something like the strongest side out in the middle period of the season,
05:31the results did improve, but the injuries hit injuries of it again and they've been very inconsistent towards
05:37the end. So, Danny Maguire, obviously, he paid the price with his job at Cass.
05:42That was a bit of a strange decision at the time given they put so much faith in him as a rookie head coach.
05:47Huddersfield are going the other way. They're sticking with Luke Robinson.
05:50But the first half of next season is crucial for him. If he has a better pre-season,
05:56goes into the season with a stronger squad, there are no excuses to hide behind them.
06:01So, then he would be under pressure.
06:04Yeah, yeah. Hull FC still obviously pushing for that final, you know,
06:11Titanic battle with Wakefield for that sixth and final playoff place. Odds are against them,
06:16given the way the fixtures have come out in the final round of games.
06:21But I think pre-season, nothing too much was expected from them, including probably yourself as well.
06:28John Cartwright, unknown quantity, obviously, over in Super League.
06:32Well-respected coach from his time down under.
06:35But you can't underestimate the impact he's actually had on the club, can you?
06:39I mean, the fact they've delivered some knockout blows on some big teams along the way this season.
06:45Home form has been an issue all season still.
06:47It was previously an issue before John Cartwright came in.
06:51But, you know, even if they do make the playoffs, even if they don't make the playoffs, sorry,
06:57you would still have to view this as a positive season for the club as a whole, given where they were
07:03and how they ended up at the end of last season, surely.
07:06Yeah, I think we mentioned this last week.
07:09The one thing he has sorted is the culture there and getting the group together.
07:13And they do look like a together group now.
07:15And that's shown in the results, I think, up until the last couple of seasons.
07:20Hull FC just tailed off massively at the end of the season.
07:23They collapsed to heavy defeats.
07:26Last season, that just happened throughout the year.
07:28But obviously this year, they're hanging in games.
07:30They have lost a few recently prior to last week's game against Warrington.
07:33But they don't or they haven't lost to the extent of the last year where they were lost by 50 points.
07:42I can't remember how many times it was close to double figures, if not into double figures.
07:46So they are staying in games, hanging in there.
07:49They've got the attitude right.
07:51Like I say, they've got that positive culture back.
07:53And that's a massive step for them.
07:55And they've made some decent signings for next year as well.
07:58So they've got that foundation now to build on regardless of what happens this week.
08:02I was surprised to beat Warrington so comfortably.
08:06I know Warrington are in dire straits, it seems, at the moment.
08:09But Hull decimated by suspensions and injuries.
08:12Went out there with the young side and put 30 on Warrington to keep this.
08:16And there's pressure on them as well.
08:18As I mentioned recently, the expectation levels have risen.
08:22And they've got to go with those expectation levels.
08:25And they've taken it down to the playoff or the battle for their last playoff spot down to the final round.
08:32And that's an achievement in itself from where they were last year.
08:34This time last year they were fighting to avoid the wooden spoon in the final round.
08:38So massive year of progress and one more step to go.
08:44See if they can make it interesting going into the final night.
08:48And with Gareth Ellis and Richie Myler behind him, John Cartwright,
08:52that's a pretty strong sort of management coaching team that they've got there now, isn't it?
08:57The structure off the field seems to be strong as well.
09:02And that's clearly benefiting the club as a whole.
09:05Yeah, there's a lot of experience there.
09:08Certainly on field experience.
09:10The modern players out there, so to speak, they've been in the game recently, both of them.
09:16So they know what it takes to be a modern day Super League player.
09:20Richard Myler were derided when he came in as director of rugby.
09:23Adam Pearson brought him in and a lot of people thought we were a bit of a bad player.
09:26They were a bit of a joke at the time because he had no experience in the role.
09:30He'd just finished playing with York after a short spell there.
09:33But he's coming in and he's actually made some real big changes.
09:36Got an appointment in John Cartwright, changed the philosophy
09:41and brought a lot of experience into the squad as well.
09:45They probably haven't seen the likes of John Asiata as much as they'd like,
09:48but they're clearly having a big impact around the place.
09:51Zach Hardacre as well, known as a bad egg to a lot of people.
09:55He's gone in there and shown his enduring quality as well and his leadership skills.
10:02So, yeah, the future is bright for Hull.
10:05They've got a lot of good things going on there and they've firmed up that soft underbelly
10:11and I think that's what they needed to do and show that they're a team again.
10:15And no longer are sides going to the MKM Stadium and think they're going to roll over.
10:21They know they're going to be in for a tough game.
10:23So, I think that was the first objective for John Cartwright and those guys you mentioned there.
10:27And I think they've sorted that and now, like I say, they've got that platform to build on.
10:31Definitely, definitely. Now, of course, obviously they've got Catalans on the final day.
10:36They played Thursday night at the same time as Hull KR played Warrington.
10:40It's a game they should probably, on paper, they should win.
10:43But it's likely to be made irrelevant if Wakefield go to Salford as expected by everyone, given the season Salford have had.
10:53If Wakefield take care of business at Salford.
10:56Just in terms of Wakefield themselves, it's been an absolutely fantastic season, hasn't it?
11:02I mean, you know, they went down to the championship, everyone thought it was all doom and gloom.
11:06Matt Ellis has come in, Daryl Powell has come in.
11:09And basically, in a bigger way, in a different way to John Cartwright and Richie Myler and Gareth Ellis, I suppose, at Hull FC.
11:18But they've transformed the club completely, haven't they?
11:22And they've probably surprised a few people, maybe even a few people, you know, maybe even a few supporters,
11:28with what they've actually been able to achieve this year.
11:30Yeah, so it's a completely different vibe down at Bellevue.
11:34In that relegation season, we were, the new stand was getting done.
11:38I think from memory, my memory is shocking.
11:40But we were in those, the stand behind the post, which a lot of fans call flats.
11:46So we were on the bottom level there and we had to pull our own table out and stuff before games to get set up.
11:52And we were watching from there and you didn't have a clue what was going on.
11:55And that kind of feel was mirrored, mirrored on the field as well.
11:59Just, you know, just, just not a nice experience going there.
12:03Now you go in there, you're in a modern, modern stand.
12:07We're treated like royalty with a buffet.
12:11That's right.
12:13So yeah, the buffet is just, yeah.
12:16Between there and cast, they've got probably the best food in Super League at the moment.
12:20That's the biggest compliment they could probably do.
12:22I think there's another podcast alone on that in terms of quality of Super League food.
12:26Maybe that's one for the winter.
12:28Rhinos have gone downhill.
12:29They used to let you go into the cafe and pick what you wanted from, from a decent sized menu.
12:36Now it's just pie and peas.
12:37So they've gone downhill a bit, but we're going way off track here.
12:42Yeah.
12:43In terms of working, like I say, you just turn up there now in the atmosphere.
12:46They've got a really good vibe going around the place.
12:48My LSF for every win is on there, giving it the big Steve Evans celebration afterwards.
12:52Yes.
12:53I don't think that's the best comparison.
12:56It's pretty similar.
12:58Yeah.
12:59But yeah, in terms of performance, obviously they lost the cast the previous week.
13:05And everyone thinks, oh, they're going to turn up and get stuffed by OKR.
13:08They go the other way.
13:09That's what work you've got in on this season.
13:11They've shown that they can beat the top teams.
13:14It was just such a timely win.
13:16If they lose that game, it's out of their hands going into the last round and they'll probably miss out.
13:20So what a performance to pull out of the bag.
13:22The 26-0 up at half-time against the League League Shield elect.
13:26But it doesn't really surprise me, having watched Wakefield quite a lot this season.
13:30They have got that in them.
13:31But at the same time, their fans will be thinking, well, we've got Salford this week.
13:35Have we got another cast performance in us?
13:37Salford have improved since they forfeited that game against Wakefield recently.
13:43They've got that togetherness back.
13:46Even though they've got a lot of low knees in there, they are competing hard.
13:49But it's very hard to see Wakefield going.
13:52Unless they're turning a performance worse than that one against Cass,
13:56it's very hard to see them losing it at Salford.
13:59They might make it nervy for themselves.
14:00That's what they tend to do this season.
14:03But I would expect them to get the job done.
14:06I don't think Hull FC against Catalan is a foregone conclusion.
14:10If Catalan turn up and play like they did at Headingley last week,
14:14where they found defensive desire from somewhere after weeks of seemingly
14:18winding down to the end of the season.
14:20So, Hull have got that job to do first.
14:22But if they do, it makes it pretty interesting going into the last round.
14:25But you would expect Wakefield to win quite comfortably in the end.
14:28Definitely, definitely.
14:30Just moving slightly higher up,
14:32Leeds Rhinos can still finish third going into this final round of games.
14:37But if they're going to do that, obviously, they're going to need a result.
14:41They're going to need a favour from Cass for a start.
14:43Sorry, no, hold on.
14:44Huddersfield.
14:45Yes, sorry.
14:46They're going to need a favour from Huddersfield on Friday.
14:49Maybe a favour from Cass.
14:50Why not?
14:51Cass can do some kind of favour as well.
14:53But obviously, they themselves have got to take care of business at Wigan.
14:59And, well, it remains to be seen whether they have anything to play for,
15:03obviously, coming out on Friday, depending on what happens at Hull KR,
15:06who we'll come on to in a minute.
15:08But on Leeds Rhinos, Brad Arthur, they had a bit of a dip.
15:13It seemed to have a bit of a mid-season dip.
15:15And then, I don't know, you might correct me,
15:18but as soon as he sort of committed himself for at least another year at the club,
15:23wasn't it, I think, mid-season, things picked up again.
15:27And it's almost like the players had that belief again that there was something
15:31worth playing for, something worth sticking around for,
15:33because they knew that a coach who had brought so much to them both individually
15:37and as a team was actually going to be there for a longer part of the journey,
15:42as it were.
15:43Yeah, I mean, they were doing all right despite that uncertainty.
15:47Like you said, they did have a big form spike after his decision,
15:51and then that came crumbling down last week against Catalan,
15:55which we just mentioned previously.
15:57That was a surprise performance that looked very frenetic.
16:01It was a worrying performance, if that's the way to put it.
16:05But given the recent form, you can put it down to an off night.
16:09There have been rumours that they're going to...
16:11We recorded this before the squads had come out,
16:14but there are a few rumours that they're going to put out.
16:17Quite a few academy players against Wigan,
16:20saving themselves for the first home playoff tie in eight years next week.
16:26That's a massive game against St. Helens.
16:28So you can see why Brad Arthur would do that.
16:31You're looking at it and thinking, right, we need to beat Wigan.
16:33But even if we beat Wigan, we need other fields to go to Lee and win.
16:37So it is a long shot getting third.
16:41And if you finish third, you probably play Wakey next week,
16:46and then you'd have to go to Wigan.
16:47So I can see his thinking if that is what he ends up doing.
16:53But yeah, I don't think Leeds are putting too much stock in what happens this week.
16:58It's all about next week and beating St. Helens,
17:00which they haven't done very often recently,
17:02and they haven't done at home since 2017 either.
17:05So that's the big one for them.
17:08And on the schedule, not so much sending four Yorkshire clubs
17:14to Lancashire on a Friday night on the final night of the season.
17:17It's the championship playoff games on Friday night as well,
17:20which just seems bonkers.
17:21I don't know why you'd put them on the final night of the Super League season.
17:25I would have probably attended Bradford v Featherstone if it was Sunday.
17:30That would be ideal, and it has been in previous years.
17:32I don't know why they've put them both on Friday night.
17:34It doesn't make sense.
17:35We do know why, because this is rugby league.
17:38The people who run rugby league don't actually,
17:41don't often make decisions based on common sense, do they?
17:45No.
17:46I mean, why would you clash two decent playoff ties?
17:50Halifax, who have had an amazing season, the first season under Kyle Eastman.
17:54They've had a tiny squad at the start of the season.
17:56It's been like that all the way through.
17:58In the finished fifth, we go to Oldham.
18:00Great tie.
18:01Clashing with, however, four more games in Lancashire on the same night.
18:06And then, like I say, Bradford's Feather as well on Friday night.
18:09It was just bonkers.
18:11Just a bit.
18:12Just a bit.
18:13To bring us to the main event or the main character, really, in this season for Yorkshire,
18:19Hull KR.
18:20It's already been an outstanding season for them.
18:22They showed so many signs of what was to come last season,
18:26but sort of came up short, as we know, both in Challenge Cup and the grand final.
18:31It's theirs to lose, obviously, the League Leaders' Shield.
18:36You referred to it a bit earlier as League Leaders' Shield elect.
18:42And that is the case.
18:44I mean, it is in their hands.
18:45It requires a big turnaround in terms of points as well for Wigan to actually overhaul them
18:51if Hull KR were to stumble on Thursday night against Warrington
18:54and Wigan were to beat Leeds.
18:56But just reflecting on the season as a whole, perhaps even regardless of what happens this week,
19:03it has been a massive season of achievement already for Hull KR, hasn't it?
19:07Not that that should be any reason for them to sort of take their foot off the gas
19:11and not that that's any reason why they will, obviously, are they?
19:15No, it has been an incredible season.
19:17Yet every defeat feels crushing for them at the moment.
19:21I saw a lot of reaction to the defeat of Wakefield.
19:24Everyone's saying that they're Cups now and they're not as good as they think they are
19:28and all this stuff, which comes with the territory, doesn't it?
19:30When you're at the top, you're there to be shot at.
19:31You've got a target on your head.
19:33And they're finding that at the moment.
19:35But they do respond pretty well to setbacks.
19:38I would expect them to go out and win on Thursday night.
19:41However, it would put a bit of pressure on them.
19:44If Leeds do name a young side, then you're looking at it thinking,
19:47wow, if we slip up here, there's every chance we can turn over our points difference.
19:51So there's that added element to it.
19:54But I'd back them in front of the home fans at Priam Park.
19:58I'd back them to beat Warrington, who were in Hull last weekend
20:02and rolled over for one of a better phrase against LFC.
20:06So I wouldn't expect them to find something from deep within
20:11and deny Hull Kiara a trophy.
20:13And this time last year, that was a playoff semifinal.
20:15So at the same venue.
20:18So just shows how far Warrington have fallen in the past 12 months.
20:22And obviously, Hull Kiara found another level.
20:25They've won the Challenge Cup.
20:27They can win the League Leader Shield for the first time.
20:29And then they talk about energy levels and how they're flagging.
20:32They'll be put to bed.
20:33They'll win another trophy.
20:34Then they get 16 days off before a semifinal.
20:37So that's perfect preparation.
20:39And they'll be able to recharge the batteries.
20:41And then Hull, who will it be?
20:44They play the lowest ranked team.
20:46So if Wakefield go to Lee and shot them in the first round of the playoffs,
20:51it could be Wakefield or Hull going.
20:53Another Hull Derby at Graving Park if Hull FC pull off a minor miracle
20:57with a bit of help from Salford this week.
20:59So a lot to look forward to for Hull Kiara over the next few weeks.
21:03And like I say, they've got a lot of doubters to prove wrong.
21:06And I'm sure they will.
21:07But for me, probably Wigan are the favourites to win at Old Trafford.
21:11I don't see Wigan losing in the playoffs sadly.
21:15Oh, right.
21:16Oh, right.
21:17Okay.
21:18We'll come on to that, obviously, over the next couple of weeks.
21:20Just on Hull, on the Robins, anything you can put your finger on as to why?
21:26They are kind of stumbling towards the league, League of the Shield.
21:30That's not a criticism given what they've achieved and where they've come from,
21:33you know, two, three, four years ago.
21:34But is there anything that sort of accounts for that sort of stumble, as it were?
21:40I would say they have had a very challenging running.
21:44They've played a lot of teams who are going for the playoffs,
21:48who are already settled in the playoffs.
21:50So it is good prep for the playoffs in one sense that the battle hardened,
21:56although they will get that time off that I mentioned.
21:58So I think it's just a case of that, exactly that, playing sides who are playing for stuff.
22:05They haven't played the likes of Salford, Cass, Wakefield in these last few weeks.
22:11Not Wakefield, sorry.
22:12Huddersfield.
22:13So there is that.
22:14And obviously they went all the way in the Challenge Cup as well.
22:16They've only had one week off through the season,
22:18and that was when they split the round.
22:20They split whatever round it was.
22:22So there is a bit of that.
22:24But like I say, once they get this week out of the way,
22:28they're not approaching it like that.
22:30They've got a trophy to win, but once they play this game on Thursday night
22:35and they've got two weeks off, they'll come back refreshed.
22:38And I think we'll see the whole KR that we've seen for most of the season
22:43when it comes to the playoffs.
22:44And you wouldn't fancy going there, would you, as a visiting side in the playoffs.
22:49They've got that crowd behind them.
22:51They've got a good record at Creighton Park,
22:53and they're playing for a place at Old Trafford.
22:55And they got the monkey off the bat last year by getting to the first grand final.
23:00So, yeah, they've got a lot going for them.
23:03But as I say, Wigan are looking ominous,
23:05and they always thought they would once they've got Bevan French back.
23:07And they always tend to have a dip around that two-thirds way through the season.
23:12So now they're coming on strong.
23:14Like I say, we'll speak about that when it comes to the playoffs.
23:16But OK, I'll back them to win the league leader's shield on Thursday night,
23:22and that we fully deserve.
23:23They have been the best team during the regular season.
23:26YorkshirePost.co.uk
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