11 Conclusions: Matt Dufty future, coach of the year, Hull KR’s huge boost

The end of the season is upon us, and the play-offs are well underway in the Championship – with Super League’s edition starting this weekend too.

That means there are some huge storylines going around the sport at the minute, and some major talking points.

After Round 27 of the Super League season, here’s everything we learned over the past few days..

Leigh have all the motivation they need

There were some startling Leopards-shaped omissions from the Dream Team on Sunday, including half-back Lachlan Lam and centre Tesi Niu, to name but two.

Coaches always pretend these kinds of things don’t motivate their players: but they do. Leigh still aren’t quite being talked about as Old Trafford contenders in the way they should be, either. Write them off at your peril.

Hull KR will benefit from a week off..

Rovers, in truth, just look like they need a break right now. They were sloppy and under-par again on Thursday in defeating Warrington Wolves, and the opportunity to rest up for a few days has come at a very good time for Willie Peters’ side.

They can recharge their batteries and go all guns blazing into a home semi-final in a raucous atmosphere.

..while Wigan might not

Wigan appear to be in the kind of mood where they would want to play every single week as it stands. They were once again magnificent on Friday night and they head into the play-offs as the form side, and probably the favourites to go all the way once again.

Will a week off puncture their momentum? Perhaps. But they could arguably come back even fresher too. You pity the side that has to travel there in two weeks.

Leeds need to risk Jake Connor

Brad Arthur has made all the right noises about Connor’s fitness but even if he isn’t 100 per cent, the Leeds Rhinos star simply has to be on the field on Saturday evening against St Helens.

Without him, Leeds don’t have anywhere near the same potency, and they clearly miss such a talismanic figure. It’s without question that if Connor is even remotely good to go, he gets thrown in.

St Helens spine still isn’t right

Paul Wellens may have finally decided to keep Jack Welsby and Tristan Sailor in the same positions for a second week in a row: but did things really improve? You could argue St Helens continued to look laboured and sluggish.

He’ll probably have to keep Sailor at fullback and Welsby at half-back this weekend in the play-offs but if they under-deliver, there will be serious questions asked.

Paul Rowley could be coach of the year

Why not? It may sound ridiculous given how Salford have finished bottom and won just three games all season. But without Rowley, there’s a strong argument that the Red Devils wouldn’t have even made it to the end of a turbulent campaign.

He deserves immense respect from the game.

But so could another man..

Especially if Wakefield Trinity go on and win at Leigh Leopards this weekend. Daryl Powell was in the Championship 12 months ago and there were some – albeit not many – asking if his time at the top level of Super League was done.

How wrong those critics were. Powell has rejuvenated Wakefield and taken them into the Super League play-offs for the first time in over a decade. He deserves immense credit – and to be in the conversation for the best coach of 2025.

Matt Dufty’s Warrington future looks bleak

It wasn’t just the fact the Wire’s star fullback was placed at centre on Friday night. Granted, Dufty did okay – his part in the build-up for Josh Thewlis’ second try was impressive, but there were some real negatives, too.

It was more what Sam Burgess said post-match, effectively refusing to go into too much detail about whether he would be there in 2026. That hints that there could be big changes in the off-season and with Cai Taylor-Wray clearly ready to go, it could be a fascinating few months for the Australian.

Kyle Eastmond: future Super League coach?

It’s hard not to think he has a big future in the game after watching his Halifax side not only beat Oldham on Friday evening, but dismantle them, in truth.

The Panthers are one win away from a Championship Grand Final, though they will have to end York’s 19-game winning run to get there. They’re a punching chance, as any team is in a semi-final – and whatever happens, Eastmond deserves huge credit for the job he’s done in his first year as a head coach.