Play Off Wrap #1 - Cas cause a shock, Wigan march on

In contrast to the poor Super League play-off crowds this weekend, the action on the field was gripping.

We suggested in our preview that Warrington would return to the type of performances that we all know that they can produce. After all, we have seen them do this earlier this season, raising their game for important Challenge Cup matches.

In fact, it was the opposite that was true. Warrington’s performance on Thursday night was as lethargic as their last two months in Super League. Their star man, Blake Austin, was a passenger from the 30-minute mark due to a knee injury and was withdrawn at the interval. Whilst this would not have helped their cause, it did not determine their fate, as they looked equally as abject before his withdrawal.

Warrington will rue not taking chances in the first 20 minutes, when they had the better of the play. Whether that was through Stefan Ratchford’s missed penalty attempt or several unforced errors in Castleford’s red zone. Castleford had few attacking chances in the first 20 minutes but worked their way back into the game and took a lead before the half hour.

If they did not have belief before, they certainly did from this point. The game was nip and tuck thereafter. After Jake Mamo scored for Wire shortly after half time, you got the feeling that they would kick on. That never happened and they were hit with a sucker punch in the form of a Jordan Rankin try shortly after gaining parity. 

After a tense finale, it was Castleford who hung on for the 2-point win. This game highlighted the important of goal kicking. Ratchford missed two penalty attempts, meanwhile Mata’utai nailed his and an impressive touchline conversion. Ultimately, these moments counted.

Castleford were shorn of several big players, but they were workmanlike in victory. That is not a word that you would associate with Daryl Powell’s men. We are more used to seeing an expansive, flamboyant style. But the determined effort that we saw on Thursday is what they need to keep progressing through the play offs.

As for Warrington, their season coughed and spluttered towards an ugly end. It is difficult to reflect on their season. On the one hand, they won one of the two major trophies so did improve on last year. I suspect many Warrington fans would have been pleased with that return in February, given how few sides win both major prizes in the one year.

On the other, their squad is far more capable that a 4^th placed finish and does not represent an improvement in the league. Arguably, with their first-round play-off elimination, despite having a better squad, they have gone backwards in the league. Steve Price must ensure that the late-season malaise that has set in does not continue into the start of the 2020 season.

Thursday’s game was enjoyable for its closeness albeit lacked in quality at times. Friday’s game between Wigan and Salford was both close and high-quality. It was encounter that would have worthily graced the Grand Final.

If anyone was in any doubt whether Salford were contenders, that doubt was extinguished on Friday. Whilst they were defeated, on another day, the outcome come have been very different. For example, Ken Sio was within centimetres of giving Salford a second-half lead (but for an excellent Gildart cover tackle). They very much had Wigan on the ropes at the end of the game but could not break down their resistance and find the equaliser.

Salford have only played one play off match before, although many of their team have experience in these occasions. They will have learned a lot from the match though, especially regarding patience. A needless, risky offload from Krisnan Inu on his own try line led to a Wigan try that blew the game open. That is not an offload that you would foresee a Wigan player making in a similar position.

That error was critical, and Wigan shortly doubled up with a George Williams try. Wigan’s clinical nature in that period of the game was the deciding factor in the match. Salford learned that if you give Wigan an inch, they take a mile.

As for Wigan, there is probably not much to say that has not been said before. At this time of year, in these kinds of matches, they prove an incredibly difficult team to stop. There is some difference though. This time the cornerstone of their pack is their younger players. Morgan Smithies especially has come in for some rightful praise for making a staggering 72 tackles.

Martyn Sadler made an excellent point on this week’s Rugby League Back Chat, pointing out that the likes of Smithies, Partington and Byrne may not have even had much of an opportunity this year but for the indiscretions of former Wigan players Gabe Hamlin and Taulima Tautai.

This week, we will find out the identity of our first Grand Finalist, as St Helens host Wigan for that honour. Meanwhile, Salford will host their first ever Super League play off. If their fans are half as loud as they were at the DW Stadium on Friday night, that promises to be quite an occasion!