Eliminators Preview

The 2025 Betfred Super League Play-Off Eliminators are here, but only two teams can make it through to the semi-finals to compete in a place for the biggest night in Rugby League!

After a record-breaking regular season filled with drama, excitement, jeopardy and unpredictability, six teams remain – and it’s all sudden death from this point onwards.

A place in the Grand Final awaits six clubs – will it be Hull KR, Wigan Warriors, Leigh Leopards, Leeds Rhinos, St Helens or Wakefield Trinity who will feature at Old Trafford on Saturday 11 October?

As the Robins and the Warriors have a bye-week and a straight pass into the semis, all eyes will turn to two tasty Eliminators taking place this weekend, live exclusively on Sky Sports…

The road to Old Trafford is set ??

Here come the @Betfred #SuperLeague Play-Offs ? pic.twitter.com/w9hnyuq8eN

— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) September 19, 2025

Friday 26 September

Leigh Leopards v Wakefield Trinity (3rd v 6th) (20.00) – live on BBC Three and Sky Sports

Expect fireworks when the Leopards host Wakefield Trinity in Friday Night’s Eliminator!

Two of the league’s entertainers will go head-to-head at Leigh Sports Village, with Leigh aiming to make back-to-back Super League semi-finals. Meanwhile, this will be Wakefield’s first Play-Off appearance since 2012 and their fans are going to be travelling in their numbers.

Trinity are the first newly promoted team to reach this stage since Leigh did so in 2023.

The Leopards have reached the Eliminators for a third successive Super League campaign, having lost at this stage in 2023 (6-20 v Hull KR) before defeating Salford Red Devils last year (14-6).

And this time round, it’s going to be Leigh’s first ever Super League Play-Off fixture on their home patch - a place where they've had a remarkable record in 2025 (won 10, lost 3).

The teams have already met three times in 2025, each providing superb spectacles – firstly when Trinity ran riot at Leigh Sports Village back in May (14-40); before the Leopards quickly enacted their revenge the following week in the Challenge Cup quarter finals (12-20).

Adrian Lam’s men then had the most recent say in Round 14, after clinching a pulsating win in Trinity’s backyard (20-24).

Both sides have impressed in the 2025 campaign, but who will book their place in the semis?

Neither side have ever featured at Old Trafford…

2??0??0??0??

We've passed the 2,000 ticket mark for our Play-Off game with Leigh Leopards on Friday!!

We still have tickets remaining both online and in our Retail Store!!

?? https://t.co/CXea3Ptza2#UpTheTrin pic.twitter.com/Unm8uMRwbB

— Wakefield Trinity (@WTrinityRL) September 23, 2025

Leopards 21-man squad: Tesi Niu, Umyla Hanley, Josh Charnley, Gaz O'Brien, Lachlan Lam, Owen Trout, Edwin Ipape, Robbie Mulhern, Frankie Halton, Jack Hughes, Isaac Liu, Aaron Pene, Alec Tuitavake, Matt Davis, Brad Dwyer, Keanan Brand, Ethan O'Neill, Andrew Badrock, Ben McNamara, Bailey Hodgson, Joe Ofahengaue

Trinity 21-man squad: Cameron Scott, Tom Johnstone, Jake Trueman, Oliver Russell, Mike McMeeken, Liam Hood, Seth Nikotemo, Josh Griffin, Jay Pitts, Renouf Atoni, Matty Storton, Oli Pratt, Mason Lino, Mathieu Cozza, Josh Rourke, Jack Croft, Harvey Smith, Jayden Myers, Caius Faatili, Ellis Lingard

Saturday 27 September

Leeds Rhinos v St Helens – (4th v 5th) (20.00) – live on Sky Sports 

There’s a classic set to play out as two of Super League's heavyweights clash under the Saturday Night Lights at AMT Headingley Stadium.

Coming up this Saturday ? Play Off rugby returns to AMT Headingley!

? St Helens
? KO 8pm
? https://t.co/WFZHJeIgWC pic.twitter.com/0roiBAu5Hf

— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) September 22, 2025

It’s a mouthwatering tie between two teams who have their names written all over the Super League trophy. And after 27 Grand Finals, there are still only four clubs to have lifted this piece of coveted silverware.

In Saturday’s Eliminator, Leeds Rhinos host St Helens in what will be the 15th time that these two sides have met in a Super League Play-Off match (including Grand Finals), making this the most played post-season fixture in the competition.

The Rhinos have reached the Super League Eliminator stage for the first time since 2022, when they progressed twice before losing to St Helens in that year’s Grand Final.

Leeds, who are eight-times champions, haven’t tasted Grand Final glory since 2017 when they lifted the trophy against Castleford Tigers.

The Rhinos return to AMT Headingley for our first home Play Off game since the 2017 semi-final win over Hull FC on the way to winning the Grand Final at Old Trafford.

? Tickets for the Eliminator are still available to purchase via https://t.co/5Ly9s1ILIO. Are you joining us?

— Leeds Rhinos (@leedsrhinos) September 24, 2025

On the other hand, Saints (ten-times champions) will be gunning for their title back, having lost their champions status to rivals Wigan Warriors in 2023.

Prior to this, Saints had won four successive Grand Finals (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022).

The Red V were kicked out at the Eliminator stage last year, however. Their Play-Off fixture with Warrington Wolves went right down to the wire, before George Williams slotted over the Wolves’ match-winning drop goal in a nail-biting Golden Point extra-time.

Looking ahead to Saturday’s match, it’s Saints who have won their last seven away meetings with Leeds. In fact, the hosts haven’t beaten Saints on home soil since August 2017.

They’ve played each other a total of three times in 2025, with their last meeting in Round 18 a real blood and thunder battle.

Young Owen Dagnall's first half effort and a penalty goal from Saints captain Jonny Lomax turned out to be the only points of the night as the contest finished 0-6.

Saints then won the reverse fixture in Round 15 (18-4), while the Rhinos triumphed at Magic Weekend in May (17-4).

Which side will reiterate their glory days? And will either of them return to the big stage in 2025?

Rhinos 21-man squad: Lachie Miller, Harry Newman, Ash Handley, Ryan Hall, Brodie Croft, Mikolaj Oledzki, Keenan Palasia, James Bentley, James McDonnell, Jarrod O'Connor, Sam Lisone, Morgan Gannon, Cooper Jenkins, Jake Connor, Tom Holroyd, Jack Sinfield, Max Simpson, Kallum Watkins, Presley Cassell, Chris Hankinson, Joe Shorrocks

Saints 21-man squad: Jack Welsby, Kyle Feldt, Mark Percival, Jon Bennison, Tristan Sailor, Jonny Lomax, Alex Walmsley, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees, Curtis Sironen, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles, Moses Mbye, James Bell, Matt Whitley, George Delaney, Noah Stephens, Jake Burns, Harry Robertson, Deon Cross, Shane Wright

The Betfred Super League Play-Off Eliminators will take place this Friday and Saturday Night (26 and 27 September), live on Sky Sports (K.O. 8pm).