Ranking all six play-off sides’ chance of Grand Final glory with four contenders and St Helens SIXTH

The Super League play-offs get underway this weekend with two mouthwatering ties, as four teams’ seasons are on the line in two huge knockout ties.

Leigh Leopards take on Wakefield Trinity while Leeds Rhinos face St Helens, with the winners progressing to face the top two of Hull KR and Wigan Warriors next weekend.

And ahead of the run-in to Old Trafford getting underway, we’ve taken a look at the chances of all six teams and ranked them from worst to best..

6. St Helens

Yes – as of right now, we have St Helens as rank outsiders to go all the way.

Why? The answer everyone knows already: they don’t really have anything to suggest they can win multiple big games against big teams.

Granted, they’ve won at Leeds this year, which should give them at least some confidence they can go to AMT Headingley on Saturday evening and pull off a shock. But they’d then likely have to go to Hull KR, which would be a step too far.

It seems unthinkable to say given how dominant they were just a few years ago, but the chances of St Helens being the ones lifting the Grand Final trophy aloft come October are slim at best.

5. Wakefield Trinity

There’s absolutely nothing stopping Wakefield going to Leigh and winning on Friday evening; they’ve done it already once this year, after all.

But back-to-back away wins to reach Old Trafford is going to be a tall order. That doesn’t mean Wakefield haven’t had a good season – they’ve been magnificent, and it’s somewhat of a surprise Daryl Powell’s name isn’t in the running for Coach of the Year.

But they’re the second outsider in our eyes. However, there’s four serious contenders..

4. Leigh Leopards

We’re backing them to get through this weekend, given how impressive they’ve been in recent weeks – but Leigh Leopards have a tough task on their hands to reach a first Super League Grand Final.

Should they win, all the signs point towards a daunting, winner-takes-all trip to Wigan next weekend. That holds no fear in one regard given how they won there already this season: but that was all the way back in February.

The Warriors are a very different beast compared to seven months ago. But make no mistake about it, Adrian Lam’s side are contenders – we just think there’s a handful of sides ahead of them in the running order.

3. Leeds Rhinos

It’s a bit of a toss of a coin between third and fourth, but we’re just giving the edge to Leeds as it stands. They’ve stuttered a little in the past couple of weeks but Brad Arthur’s side have shown all year long they are the real deal.

Expect that to come to the fore once again in the play-offs. They have no fear of going away from home and needing to win a big semi-final, and Headingley will be thunderous on Saturday evening when they take on St Helens.

With their big guns back in the side, Leeds should get through this weekend.

2. Hull KR

The Super League leaders are right in the mix to be crowned champions of England for the first time in the summer era. They’ve limped a little in recent weeks, with their performances undoubtedly dipping compared to earlier in the year.

However, the week off will have likely done them some real good and allowed them to reset, refresh and refocus. Barring a big pair of upsets this weekend it will be Leeds Rhinos at home next week standing between the Robins and a second straight Grand Final.

That’s not a foregone conclusion – they lost to Leeds at home earlier this season, after all. But they’ll be heavy favourites going into that clash: or whoever it is that are travelling to Craven Park next weekend.

1. Wigan Warriors

The favourites. And for good reason.

It’s not just their form – which, by the way, is starting to tick into gear just as we get to the right part of the season. It’s the fact that Matt Peet’s side are the only one inside the six with a tried and tested recent record of getting to Grand Finals and winning them.

You could argue St Helens fall into that bracket but it’s been a little too long between drinks for them now. The Warriors, on the other hand, appear ready to go after a third successive Super League title in some style.

You’d get very short odds on them walking out at Old Trafford next month.

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