Tryline UK

Yesterday's play off between Hull KR and Warrington was a blood-and-thunder encounter between two sides who gave their all to reach the Grand Final. In a tense and thrilling match, Hull KR came out on top by two points. There were two tries scored by each side with Joe Burgess' try sparking a fresh debate about the referee making an on field decision and the video referee having a high threshold to overturn that call. The mood music suggests that this method of decision making will change for next season. Let's start by looking at the incident in more detail. It appeared that the ball was grounded initially short of the try line but then ended up raised, over the try line. Whether at any stage between those two moments any point of the ball touched the try line cannot be determined. Sometimes this happens in Rugby League. In amongst a mass of bodies, the ball ends up over the line but no camera angle can see it. Reaching an evidence-based determination as to whether a ball

A play-off structure was introduced in 1998 to determine the winners of Super League. Since then we have had a top 5 system, a top 6 system, a top 8 system, a top 4 system, gone back to the original top 5 system and, most recently, a separate top 6 system.  On average, a play off system lasts for about 5 or 6 years before we change it. I'll start this post by saying I would have no objections to each side playing each other home and away and the side that finishes top are the champions. That is the fair way of deciding the best team in a way a play-off system can never. I am generally not in favour of lowering the bar too much. Saying that, the lack of secondary prize (such as European competition places in football and rugby union) would be problematic in terms of maintaining interest and to lose the Grand Final now it has been established would be a loss to the sport. Still the point of this post is not to theorise over whether a play off system is the right approach. It is estab

This weekend saw us enter the home straight of the Super League season and the way that the fixtures fell meant that, whatever the results, we were going to see some drama. On Friday night, Hull KR travelled to Wigan knowing that a win would put them on the brink of winning the League Leaders' Shield. The reverse result would put Wigan as overwhelming favourites. St Helens needed one win from three matches to all but secure play off rugby, to continue their record of being the only side to compete in every Super League play off series. Catalans' season had entered do-or-die territory as they faced Salford. The Red Devils would take a huge step towards play off rugby with a win and a huge backwards step with a loss. Leigh and Leeds also faced opponents who they would be expected to beat, knowing there was no room for error. Yet the story of the weekend, in terms of the long term future of Super League,  involved the side who sit 10th in the league. Castleford Tigers. On the fiel

There has been a lot of controversy in Super League regarding players staying down after head contact, in what many perceive as an attempt to draw referees' attention to head contact and see their opponent sin-binned or sent off. People will have different views on this. Some may see it as fair game; players are paid to win matches at all costs. If your opponent is reduced by one player, you are simply furthering that aim. Others see it as against the spirit of the game. There is no rule which prohibits players drawing attention to foul play by staying down. But many feel it to be against the unwritten morals of rugby, about toughness, fair play and respect. This is not a new problem. In 2022, the RFL introduced a 'green card' to combat perceived play-acting. That law was as follows: " Should the referee call time off at the request of either a Physio, Doctor or Head Trainer to allow a player to receive attention, then the player will either leave the field for a concu

Though many have tried, there are only four sides who have ever laid hands on the Super League trophy. The most recent 'new' winner was Leeds in 2004. As the 'golden generation' marks its 20th anniversary, Hull KR are trying to crack what has increasingly become a Super League duopoly. Since 2006, the trophy has gone between St Helens, Leeds and Wigan. Since 2018, the Super League title has simply moved from one side of Billinge Hill to the other. Huddersfield finished 1st in 2013 but did not make the Grand Final. Castleford were swashbuckling in 2017 but spluttered in the big games. Catalans topped the pile in 2021 but could not get over the line and had another near miss in 2023. Warrington have established themselves as a top club over the past decade or so but are without a title to show for it. Salford sizzled in 2019 but the big prize proved a step too far. It is a positive for the sport that the number of challengers has increased over the course of the last deca

As we enter the home straight of the Super League season, Wigan sit on top of the Super League table with a game in hand. Every trophy available currently sits in Wigan's trophy cabinet. There is no on-field relegation from Super League this year. Leeds have an outside shot at a play off spot but a tricky run in. And, frankly, even if they do get there, with the manner of Leeds' performances this season it would probably be a face-saving exercise which would simply have the effect of delaying mad Monday by another seven days. At the start of this weekend, it was hard to see any other outcome aside from  Wigan  retaining the League Leaders' Shield. With Hull FC's surprise victory over Wigan and a top two clash between Wigan and Warrington on Friday night, the dynamic of the league has changed slightly. By 10PM on Friday night, Wigan and Warrington could be tied on points. With an improbably large win, Warrington could go top (though Wigan would still have a game in hand)