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Round 9 Round Up

28 Apr 2024

Round 9 Round Up

There was a full weekend of action in Round 9, as we take a look back at the six Betfred Super League matches spread across four days…

They say to never write off the Saints and this phrase rang true on Thursday night when the action unfolded at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Paul Wellens' men were at home to an in-form Huddersfield Giants, who were looking for a sixth straight win.

St Helens found themselves trailing 12-0-in the first twenty minutes, as Kevin Naiqama and Adam Swift came back to haunt their former club. Naiqama slid over in the corner to score on the last play before Adam Swift raced the length of the field and regathered his own chip kick to touch down.

It wasn't long until Tommy Makinson turned up when the Saints were in need - the speedster scoring one of his trademark tries on the back of an interception - to bring the hosts back into the game at half-time.

A fierce battle continued well into the second half, but the 62nd minute would see Daryl Clark capitalise on a Giants lapse in defence, as he crossed to level the scores.

With seconds remaining on the clock, captain Jonny Lomax, calm and collected as ever, slotted over the match-winning drop goal to clinch a nail-biting victory for the home side and break Huddersfield's hearts (13-12).

Saints now occupy top spot following the results of Round 9.

There were a trio of home wins in Friday night's Super League, as Hull KR returned to winning ways and Leigh Leopards and Castleford Tigers both claimed their second wins of their season.

Hull KR hosted current Champions Wigan Warriors, producing a spectacular 26-10 win at Sewell Group Craven Park.

The Robins racked up an 18-0 advantage with tries from Sauaso Sue, Oliver Gildart against his former club, and Peta Hiku, who linked up with Niall Evalds as the pair raced away for Hiku to go over.

A tense affair went on to evolve in the second half, and Wigan would finally score through winger Abbas Miski.

But it wasn't long before Ryan Hall would extend the Robins' lead with an acrobatic finish in the corner, as he edges ever closer to breaking Super League's all-time try scoring record.

Wigan's woes continued when powerhouse Kelepi Tanginoa scooped up and loose ball and ran down the length of the field to score - sending the home crowd into raptures, as he side sealed a strong victory.

The Warriors did eventually go over for a consolation try from Liam Farrell, but it was a resounding win for the Robins who continued their fantastic home form.

It took less than two minutes for Castleford Tigers to open the scores on Friday night, as Craig Lingard's men beat London Broncos 40-0.

There were perhaps a few nerves heading into this Round 9 clash, but the Castleford fans needn't have worried so much, as their side produced a dominant display against a struggling London outfit.

Corey Hall and Tex Hoy both made their competitive debuts for the hosts, with Hoy, who enjoyed a terrific 80 minutes, contributing to the opening try as he broke away and found Jacob Miller in support who crossed for the first try of the evening.

Tries would then follow from Rowan Milnes and Paul McShane respectively, before Hoy had a hand in Castleford's fourth score - once again he found space to break away, before shifting the ball to Alex Mellor who dotted down.

An Innes Senior brace on either side of half-time, as well as his brother Louis Senior dotting down in the later stages, would ensure a comfortable win for the Tigers, which now puts breathing space between themselves and the bottom place in Super League.

The final game on Friday would see Leigh Leopards produce an outstanding performance, as Adrian Lam's men recorded their first ever win against Catalans Dragons whilst obtaining two valuable competition points.

Only four points separated Leigh Leopards and Catalans Dragons at the break - Josh Charnley went over to score on his 50th Leigh appearance, following a brilliant break from Tom Amone.

The Dragons weren't let in by a resilient Leopards despite long spells of possession in the hosts' half, although they did manage to kick a penalty goal before the break.

Playmakers Lachlan Lam and Matt Moylan showcased the dangerous and exciting partnership that has been widely spoken about, as the second half saw a consistent and lively Leopards.

The two backs then combined to send Kai O'Donnell over for a try before Brad Dwyer's scampering run sent O'Donnell away for his second.

The splendid attacking display continued right up until the final whistle, as Umyla Hanley got in on the try scoring act - a quick switch of play saw the ball navigate back the winger's way.

This was before Player of the Match Moylan topped off a memorable win as he breezed through the Dragons defence to score, as the Leopards secured a magnificent 30-2 victory.

On Saturday, a late penalty try saw Salford Red Devils snatch a dramatic 17-12 win over Warrington Wolves, as the two sides went head-to-head in a ding-dong battle.

Tim Lafai and Joe Mellor were Salford's first half try scorers, with James Harrison and George Williams on the scoresheet for the Wolves.

It was a tense, one-point game throughout the entirety of the second half following Marc Sneyd's late drop goal in the first half, and then Stefan Ratchford's penalty kick 53 minutes in, as both sides kept regaining the lead.

Salford's win sees them continue to climb the league ladder, as Warrington miss the opportunity to be level on points with St Helens and Catalans at the top of the table. 

Round 9 then came to its conclusion on Sunday when Hull FC welcomed Leeds Rhinos to the MKM Stadium. It was an extremely close contest with both sides desperate for the two points on offer.

There were vast improvements from the Black and Whites, especially their defensive efforts, as they went down 12-18 on home soil.

There were promising glimpses when Jack Walker found space on Leeds' edge as he broke through a tackle to feed Morgan Smith the opening try - just six minutes in.

But it was Rhinos' Riley Lumb who would end up having a debut to remember, as he bagged a brace in his first ever Super League outing - putting his side 6-12 up a half-time.

Captain Cameron Smith would then go onto the capitalise for the visitors as he crashed over the try-line, but FC immediately responded through Lewis Martin.

An arm wrestle continued right up until the hooter, but ultimately it would be the Rhinos who picked up the two points.

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