The YP's James O'Brien looks ahead to Round 7 of Super League 2025 including Friday's blockbuster clash between Hull KR and Wigan
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00:00YorkshirePost.co.uk
00:02Hello and welcome to the latest of our weekly chats
00:04with the Rugby League correspondent for the Yorkshire Post, James O'Brien.
00:08We're looking ahead to round seven of Super League.
00:11Obviously, lots at stake for all six Yorkshire teams that are involved.
00:16Thursday night sees the Leeds Rhinos take on Salford Devils,
00:21obviously the troubled club over the other side of the Pennines,
00:25who put Leeds open to pick two welcome points up.
00:29But the big game, the big talking point of the week is going to be
00:32Friday night's duel between unbeaten the Hull KR
00:35and the slightly struggling Wigan Warriors, James.
00:40How do you see that one going?
00:41I mean, there's a lot being made about, obviously, you know,
00:43Wigan beat Hull KR in the grand final last year.
00:46But with a win tomorrow night, Hull KR can actually go six points
00:50clear of Wigan, can't they?
00:51Which even at this early stage would be a significant advantage.
00:54Yeah, it would be a significant buffer, even after seven rounds,
00:59only 20 rounds still to play.
01:00That would be a healthy lead over Wigan.
01:03I think Wigan lost five games last season.
01:06Hull KR lost six.
01:07So to be three games behind, even at this early stage,
01:10would be quite a big deficit for Wigan.
01:12Wigan, well, it's easy speaking about winning the game
01:16and going six points clear, but Hull KR have to go out there
01:19and do it again.
01:20They've won nine in a row now.
01:21They're fresh off the derby win.
01:24They look nervy in those early stages.
01:26I think the occasion might have got to both teams, really.
01:30So it's a big test for Hull KR.
01:31We probably say it every week now.
01:33They've got to get themselves up again.
01:35They play the best team in the league,
01:38maybe outside of Hull KR.
01:39Everyone's talking about Hull KR at the moment,
01:41but obviously Wigan are the team to beat still.
01:45And then they've had a week off as well.
01:47It's very rare that Wigan have a week off.
01:49They'll be re-energised and they'll be desperate
01:51to make a statement, make no mistake about that.
01:54As I've said, everyone's talking about Hull KR at the moment,
01:56but Wigan are the holders of all four trophies still as it stands.
02:00They'll be desperate to go out there.
02:02So it's a great test of Hull KR's progress.
02:08They put the perfect record on the line.
02:10And as I say, if they can come and beat Wigan
02:12and make it 10 in a row,
02:13then the fans really will start to believe
02:17that this is their year.
02:18I've fought to your long years without Major Silverware.
02:22And you've touched on Leeds as well.
02:23I think there are no gimmies in Super League.
02:27It's still a tough sport.
02:28You've got to go out there and earn it.
02:29But they're playing a very inexperienced Salford side,
02:32so you'd expect Leeds to go out there
02:34and put a fair few points on Salford
02:36and get those two points.
02:39Just quickly, back on Hull KR,
02:41you mentioned obviously that there were probably
02:42a few nerves in that Challenge Cup game against LFC.
02:45Do you think that will stand them in good stead
02:46for what is another big occasion on Friday against Wigan?
02:50I think so, because of the way they overcame that.
02:52Because you watch those first 15 minutes
02:55and there were uncharacteristic errors
02:57from a lot of seasoned pros out there,
02:59like Gerard Ware, Hargreaves, Elliot Manchella,
03:01the captain just dropped the ball cold
03:03and you never see that.
03:04So there were signs that the occasion
03:06did get to them slightly
03:07and then Michael Lewis goes off
03:08and you're thinking,
03:10oh, wow, LFC might have a great chance here
03:13of getting them and taking advantage.
03:14But OK, I just went the other way
03:16and they just played the game plan out
03:21with a new halfback in Jez Litton
03:23and they actually looked more composed
03:25with him out there,
03:25which is crazy when you lose a man of steel
03:27and someone slots in
03:28and they look better
03:30and then they started,
03:31the passing was slick
03:32and they scored some really well-executed tries.
03:36And like I say,
03:38from the game being in the balance
03:39after 15, 20 minutes,
03:40all of a sudden after 50 minutes,
03:42the outcome were decided
03:43and they were 13-0 ahead.
03:44So that's what good sides do.
03:46They overcome adversity
03:48and within the space of 30, 40 minutes,
03:50OK, I've won the game.
03:52So that's what they can do to them.
03:53And that's what they could do to Wigan
03:54if OK, I nail the start at home.
03:56So it's a big mountain to climb
03:59if you're chasing a deficit at Craven Park.
04:02Definitely, definitely.
04:03Elsewhere on Friday,
04:04Wakefield are going over to St Helens.
04:06St Helens will be favourite for that one.
04:08But it's on the road that Wakefield
04:10have had most of their,
04:12if not all of their success this season,
04:13I think.
04:14You'll correct me on that probably.
04:17No, you are right.
04:18No, you are right.
04:19They've won one game at Bellevue,
04:21but that was technically an away game
04:22anyway against Gull in the Cups.
04:24So they've got a perfect record
04:26on the road in away games.
04:29They haven't won at Bellevue yet
04:31in the Super League game.
04:33So, yeah, they go there.
04:35They've won at Leeds,
04:36they've won at Warrington,
04:37they've won at Lee,
04:38and St Helens,
04:39aren't the St Helens
04:40of a couple of years ago
04:42or a few years ago
04:43when they won four
04:44Super League titles in a row.
04:47There are vulnerabilities there.
04:48And if Wakefield go in performance,
04:50they have been.
04:51And they haven't been terrible at home either.
04:52They've been in every game
04:54apart from that one
04:54against St Helens.
04:55That's the performance
04:57that disappointed Daryl Powell
05:00the most,
05:00who will be desperate
05:01for Wakefield to go over
05:03to St Helens
05:03and show the true colours, really.
05:07Because they have been
05:08in every game.
05:09They've performed really well so far.
05:11They're probably better
05:11than the table suggests.
05:14Three wins,
05:15three defeats.
05:17They should have definitely
05:18at least got one at home.
05:19One win at home.
05:20So, I think Wakefield are travelling
05:22pretty well at the moment.
05:24And we can go over to Saints
05:25and feel pretty confident
05:26about the chances,
05:27I would say,
05:27based on their away form
05:28and the way they're performing generally.
05:31Yeah.
05:32Going across the rest of the weekend,
05:33obviously,
05:33we're then getting to Saturday.
05:34Hull on the road at Warrington.
05:36Cass at home versus Lee.
05:38Hull FC obviously looking
05:39to bounce back
05:40as quickly as possible
05:41following the Challenge Cup
05:42disappointment.
05:43Cass against Lee.
05:45It's been a tough start
05:46for Cass,
05:46as we all know.
05:48But, you know,
05:49at home,
05:50home advantage
05:51against Lee Leopards
05:52who were sort of
05:53a bit up and down
05:54themselves this season
05:55or they seem to be.
05:56You wouldn't bet
05:57against Cass completely,
05:58would you?
06:01Maybe you would.
06:03Maybe I would bet.
06:04I'm just,
06:05just based on seeing
06:07Lee live last week,
06:08I was the same thing.
06:09You know,
06:09Lee aren't the same
06:10side as last year.
06:12They lost to a few
06:12key players in the off-season.
06:14They had a decent start
06:14to the year.
06:15Obviously,
06:15the big wig
06:16and then I watched
06:20them against OKR
06:20and they were way off it
06:21and then they obviously
06:22got 40 put on them
06:24by Wakefield
06:25the following week
06:25and then they played
06:26Wakefield again last week.
06:27But I thought
06:27Lee were very strong
06:29in that game.
06:30They showed some
06:31real positive signs.
06:32They dominated
06:33that first half,
06:34I felt,
06:35or at least
06:36they looked,
06:37the most likely side,
06:38they looked a bigger
06:40threat than Wakefield
06:40with the ball.
06:42And every time
06:43they got down
06:43on the other end
06:44that looked like
06:45they might score.
06:46So they've got
06:47the key players
06:48coming into form
06:49and they'll take
06:49a lot of confidence
06:50from that
06:50quarterfinal win.
06:52And going to
06:53Cass as well,
06:53Cass have been
06:54unconvincing.
06:56They've got that
06:57one win against
06:57Salford.
07:00Yeah,
07:01they were very
07:01disappointed against
07:02LFC on home soil
07:03last time.
07:05It used to be
07:05a very difficult
07:06place to go
07:07at Weldon Road
07:07but it's not so.
07:09These days
07:10they've just got to
07:12hope like
07:13quite a few of the
07:14teams who didn't
07:14play last week
07:15that after two
07:16weeks rest
07:17they're energised
07:18and they can go
07:19to a league team
07:19who are fresh
07:20from a,
07:22or are still
07:22recovering from
07:23a really intense
07:24Challenge Cup tie
07:25at Wakefield last week.
07:27Yeah.
07:27Just lastly,
07:28a quick word about
07:29Huddersfield Giants.
07:30Sunday their game
07:32at home to
07:33Catalan's.
07:34Any chance of them
07:35breaking the duck
07:36this week?
07:38I forgot we
07:39haven't mentioned,
07:40I didn't mention
07:40all that did I
07:41but they're
07:42obviously coming
07:43off the back
07:43of that derby
07:44and there are
07:46a few signs
07:46there that the,
07:48I think the
07:49performance or the
07:50the forms caught
07:51up with them
07:52a little bit
07:52because they were
07:54winning games
07:54but they were
07:55grinding them out
07:55they were probably
07:57second best in a lot
07:57of those games
07:58but they found a way
07:59to win which is
07:59a great trait
08:00in itself
08:00but that can only
08:01take you so far
08:03I think when you
08:04come up against
08:04good sides
08:05as Hulky are
08:06and were last week
08:08for that middle
08:09section of the game
08:10you do come unstuck
08:11so they need to
08:12find a bit of
08:13fluidity
08:13they need to
08:14find some real
08:15sustainable form
08:16I think
08:16and going to
08:17Warrington
08:18Warrington
08:18another side
08:19who are coming
08:20off a big
08:21cut win
08:21yeah
08:23it's a tough
08:24one
08:24it's still a
08:25tough place
08:26to go
08:26Warrington
08:27even though
08:28they haven't
08:29been convincing
08:30although
08:30recent results
08:31have been better
08:32and with
08:32Mark Sneed in
08:33there
08:33it's a real
08:34tough prospect
08:35for Hull
08:35but
08:35yeah
08:37I think
08:37performance is
08:38key for them
08:38this week
08:39on Todesfield
08:40which was your
08:41original question
08:42it's just hard
08:44to see where
08:45their win is
08:45coming from
08:45I mean
08:46Cattlin at
08:46home
08:47it's not
08:48the ideal
08:49fixture
08:49it's one of
08:50the more
08:50favourable
08:50fixtures
08:51at the
08:51moment
08:51but they're
08:52just injuries
08:53are killing
08:53Odesfield
08:54and they've
08:55lost
08:55two Lola
08:56here now
08:56so they're
08:57without
08:57four spine
08:59members
08:59that's
08:59nine levels
09:00Adam Kloob
09:01Zach Wolford
09:02and now
09:02Lola here
09:03out
09:03so it's
09:04down to
09:04bare bones
09:05again
09:05in the
09:05spine
09:05where he
09:06already was
09:07but now
09:07he's
09:08like George
09:11King
09:11he was
09:11coming back
09:12from a
09:12horrific
09:12ankle injury
09:13he's had
09:15a setback
09:15so he's
09:15out
09:16Harry
09:16Rushton's
09:16out
09:17Matty
09:17English
09:17is out
09:18there's
09:19a lot
09:19more
09:20that I
09:20haven't
09:20mentioned
09:20who are
09:20already
09:21on the
09:21injury
09:21list
09:21so
09:22he's
09:23going to
09:23have to
09:23put a
09:24team
09:24together
09:24somehow
09:25he's
09:25got
09:25Bill
09:25Aylen
09:26from
09:26Hulky
09:26who's
09:28not
09:28got
09:28an
09:28opportunity
09:29in
09:29Super
09:29League
09:29for
09:30Hulky
09:30yet
09:30so
09:30he'll
09:30be
09:31desperate
09:31to
09:31make
09:31an
09:31impact
09:32but
09:32it's
09:33just
09:33hard
09:33with
09:33so many
09:34injuries
09:34in key
09:35positions
09:36to tip
09:38Huddersfield
09:38to win
09:38any
09:39game
09:39at the
09:39moment
09:39so
09:40yeah
09:41he's
09:43had a
09:43tough
09:44old
09:44start
09:45hasn't
09:45he
09:45to life
09:46as
09:46coach
09:46for a
09:46club
09:47that
09:47he's
09:47very
09:47close
09:47to
09:48his
09:48heart
09:48and
09:48which
09:48he
09:48cares
09:49deeply
09:49about
09:50he
09:52must
09:52be
09:52hurting
09:52him
09:53more
09:54than
09:54anyone
09:55else
09:55really
09:55yeah
09:56definitely
09:57he
09:58don't
09:58lack
09:58passion
09:59or
09:59commitment
10:00he's
10:01so
10:02desperate
10:02for
10:02him
10:02to
10:02do
10:03well
10:03but
10:03when
10:05you're
10:05talking
10:05about
10:05injuries
10:07in a
10:07press
10:07conference
10:08week
10:08after
10:09week
10:09it
10:09sounds
10:09like
10:09excuse
10:10making
10:10but
10:10it's
10:11a
10:11pretty
10:12good
10:12reason
10:12for
10:13why
10:13they
10:13are
10:14where
10:14they
10:14are
10:14on
10:14the
10:14table
10:14they
10:16are
10:16winless
10:16they
10:17are
10:17struggling
10:17and
10:18I
10:18think
10:18any
10:18side
10:19you
10:19take
10:20Trey
10:20Field
10:21or
10:21Bevan
10:21French
10:22Harry
10:22Smith
10:23out
10:23of
10:23the
10:23Wigan
10:23team
10:23and
10:24it's
10:24a
10:24completely
10:24different
10:25team
10:25and
10:26the
10:26form
10:28would
10:28probably
10:28drop off
10:29a cliff
10:29it's
10:30the same
10:30with
10:30any
10:30team
10:31in
10:31the
10:31competition
10:31really
10:32you
10:32take
10:32three
10:32or
10:32four
10:33spying
10:33members
10:33out
10:33and
10:33you're
10:34going to
10:35struggle
10:35and
10:35that's
10:35what I
10:36just
10:36feel
10:36I've
10:36found
10:36and
10:37there
10:37were
10:37tips
10:37to
10:37struggle
10:37anyway
10:38so
10:38I
10:40thought
10:42the
10:44recruitment
10:44was
10:45pretty
10:45good
10:45all
10:47things
10:47considered
10:47where
10:47they
10:48were
10:48how
10:49they've
10:49performed
10:50in
10:50recent
10:50seasons
10:51I
10:51thought
10:51they
10:51did
10:52as
10:52well
10:52as
10:52they
10:53could
10:53in
10:53the
10:53recruitment
10:53market
10:53but
10:54unfortunately
10:54we just
10:55haven't seen
10:55quite a lot
10:57of those
10:58new
10:58sign-ins
10:59George King
10:59out
10:59played
11:00yet
11:00he's
11:00had a
11:01setback
11:01he's
11:02played
11:02a couple
11:02of
11:02games
11:03wasn't
11:06there
11:06was
11:07a bit
11:07of
11:07promise
11:07in
11:07those
11:08early
11:08games
11:08yeah
11:08they
11:08were
11:09leading
11:09in
11:09a lot
11:10of
11:10those
11:11games
11:11yeah
11:11and
11:12again
11:13like
11:14I
11:17should
11:19have
11:20maybe
11:20could
11:21have
11:21won
11:21could
11:22or
11:22maybe
11:22should
11:22have
11:22won
11:23sorry
11:23and
11:23it
11:24would
11:24look
11:25a lot
11:25different
11:25now
11:26when
11:26injuries
11:27are
11:27biting
11:27even
11:28more
11:28if
11:28they
11:28had
11:28four
11:29or
11:29six
11:29points
11:30to
11:30lean
11:30on
11:30they'd
11:31have
11:31a bit
11:31of a
11:32buffer
11:32there
11:32but
11:32it's
11:32looking
11:33unfortunately
11:33for us
11:35Yorkshire
11:35folk
11:36it's
11:36looking
11:36like
11:37a long
11:37season
11:38for
11:38Odisfield
11:38and
11:39Cass
11:39at the
11:39moment
11:39but
11:40I
11:40have
11:40got
11:41hope
11:41for
11:41the
11:41rest
11:42of
11:42the
11:47we've
11:47got
11:47great
11:47chance
11:48if
11:48they
11:48win
11:48on
11:48Friday
11:49they'll
11:50be
11:50big
11:50favourites
11:51to
11:51win
11:51that
11:51and
11:51I
11:52think
11:52Leeds
11:52Hull
11:52Wakefield
11:53will
11:53all
11:53be
11:53in
11:54the
11:54shake
11:54up
11:54for
11:54the
11:54playoffs
11:55but
11:55unfortunately
11:55Huddersfield
11:57and
11:57Cass
11:58are