Predicting the final Super League Table (Sunday 17th July 2022)

 Hello and welcome back to my blog. It's that time of the year again. It's the Super League run in. There are eight games left of the year but there is so much still to be decided. Toulouse and Wakefield are still locked in an intense battle to decide who will be relegated. There is a very tight race for the play offs, with all the teams between 5th and 10th fighting to make it in. Although it looks like Saints have bridged a big enough gap now to get the League Leaders Shield, 2nd place (and the other team to get a bye through the first week of the play offs with Saints) is still being fiercely contested between Wigan Warriors, Huddersfield Giants and the Catalans Dragons. In this blog, I will predict every game left this season and then tally up the points to get the final table. If I've learnt anything this year, it's that I am not great at predictions so this will probably be miles off. However, it's just a bit of fun, so I hope you enjoy it. The winning team will be highlighted in green. Without further ado, let's get into it.

Round 20:

Leeds Rhinos v Wigan Warriors

Warrington Wolves v Hull KR

Hull FC v Castleford Tigers

Catalans Dragons v Huddersfield Giants

Toulouse Olympique v Salford Red Devils

Wakefield Trinity v St. Helens

Round 21:

Wigan Warriors v Hull KR

Castleford Tigers v Wakefield Trinity

Toulouse Olympique v Hull FC

Huddersfield Giants v Warrington Wolves

Catalans Dragons v Leeds Rhinos

Salford Red Devils v St. Helens

Round 22:

Huddersfield Giants v Hull FC

Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves

St. Helens v Castleford Tigers

Hull KR v Toulouse Olympique

Leeds Rhinos v Salford Red Devils

Wakefield Trinity v Catalans Dragons

Round 23:

Castleford Tigers v Catalans Dragons

Warrington Wolves v Toulouse Olympique

Hull FC v St. Helens

Hull KR v Leeds Rhinos

Salford Red Devils v Huddersfield Giants

Wakefield Trinity v Wigan Warriors

Round 24:

Huddersfield Giants v Castleford Tigers

Hull FC v Wakefield Trinity

Leeds Rhinos v Warrington Wolves

St. Helens v Hull KR

Wigan Warriors v Toulouse Olympique

Catalans Dragons v Salford Red Devils

Round 25:

Salford Red Devils v Hull FC

Toulouse Olympique v Catalans Dragons

Wakefield Trinity v Hull KR

Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants

Warrington Wolves v Castleford Tigers

Wigan Warriors v St. Helens

Round 26:

Hull FC v Toulouse Olympique

Huddersfield Giants v Warrington Wolves

Hull KR v Wigan Warriors

St. Helens v Wakefield Trinity

Castleford Tigers v Salford Red Devils

Catalans Dragons v Leeds Rhinos

Round 27:

Huddersfield Giants v Wakefield Trinity

Hull FC v Hull KR

Leeds Rhinos v Castleford Tigers

Salford Red Devils v Warrington Wolves

St. Helens v Toulouse Olympique

Wigan Warriors v Catalans Dragons

If these were the results and I correctly predicted EVERY game (I know, even the idea of me correctly predicting 48 games is laughable) the table would finish:

1st) St. Helens 46pts

2nd) Wigan Warriors 44pts

3rd) Huddersfield Giants 37pts

4th) Catalans Dragons 34pts

5th) Castleford Tigers 28pts

6th) Hull FC 26pts

7th) Leeds Rhinos 23pts

8th) Salford Red Devils 22pts

9th) Warrington Wolves 20pts

10th) Hull Kingston Rovers 16pts

11th) Wakefield Trinity 14pts

12th) Toulouse Olympique 12pts

This table is actually very similar to how the table is now. In fact, it's nearly exactly the same. The top two would be St. Helens and Wigan Warriors. I don't think this is a shock to anyone. Huddersfield and Catalans have been great this year, but Saints and Wigan have been head and shoulders above everyone else this year. Wigan's battering of Hull FC and Saints' commanding victory over Huddersfield this weekend alone show why they are the two top sides in the competition. Talking of Huddersfield and Les Dracs, they take a deserved 3rd and 4th spot. They've been clear of the chasing pack but just haven't been able to break into the top two. However, both teams have the quality to do well in the play offs, Catalans in particular who have the experience from last year. Castleford will continue in their recent decent form and will comfortably hold on to their play off place. They will hold on to 5th if my predictions are correct.

Interestingly, I've got the Mighty Black and Whites to hold on to 6th. Recently, they've blown hot and cold, due to their injuries. However, with players starting to return over the next few weeks, including the oh so crucial Jake Connor in the Saints or Wakefield game (if he's on schedule). Therefore, I can see them picking up a few important victories. Leeds will stay 7th if my predictions are correct. After an abysmal start to the season under Agar, a 7th place finish would probably be decent. Rohan Smith has undoubtedly picked up their form, but losses like their Toulouse yesterday show they have still got a long way to go before they are a champion side again. It also shows their form is still a bit up and down. Therefore, I don't think they'll quite break into the playoffs, but still expect some commanding victories over the coming weeks and for them to push Hull FC all the way to the finish line.

If my predictions are correct, the playoffs would be Huddersfield Giants v Hull FC and Catalans Dragons v Castleford Tigers. These are two good games, but you would expect Huddersfield and Catalans to pick up the two points. However, the play offs are a weird place and stranger things have happened so it could go either way. Irregardless of what does happen, you would expect a Saints v Wigan Grand Final. The only thing that might offset that balance in my opinion is if Saints end up playing Catalans in the Semi Finals as last season they were brilliant matches and Catalans did manage to beat Saints this season.

Looking down the rest of the table, I expect Salford and Warrington to miss out. Salford will miss out but not really look that bad over the coming weeks. Beating Catalans today is a huge statement and shows they are no pushovers. I think they'll pick up a few more impressive victories this year. However, like a lot of teams challenging for the playoffs, their form has been on and off as of late. A very poor first half from them caused a loss against Huddersfield at Magic. No doubt they'll tighten this aspect up but I don't think their form will improve loads. It is almost a case of too little too late for them, as if they had a better middle part of the season, they could have been a real, serious threat to Castleford and Hull FC. I think the reds will finish 8th if my predictions are correct. As we all know, Warrington have had a woeful season and I don't expect much to change from that angle. They'll pick up a few wins but won't really challenge for the play offs and continue their mediocre, on and off form. 

Hull KR will be really poor in the rest of this season I think. Like, their cross city rivals, they've been badly hit by injuries. They picked up another today in Dean Hadley. However, they'll still pick up at least a win in the rest of the season so they are clear of the relegation battle. I wouldn't expect them to fight for the play offs though. If my predictions are correct. they'll finish in a disappointing 10th place.

Now for the relegation battle. I think Wakefield will stay up. I don't know how to analyse that one really. I just don't think Toulouse are good enough away from home to stay up. They might pick up a win against Warrington which would see them stay up. However, even though Warrington are somewhat of a laughing stock, I think they should have enough at home to beat the Frenchmen. If it was an away game, this would be a different story. Next week's game against Salford could be crucial for them. Wakefield have a lot of Super League pedigree and experience. When it really matters and is do and die, I think they have it in them to stay up. Wakefield have proven this too earlier this season, with results against Hull FC and three against Warrington. Therefore, I ultimately think Wakefield survive which would be a huge loss to Super League, as Toulouse bring so much.

So there we have it then. They are my final SL table predictions. I have a big announcement to finish with. I will be at Rochdale v Cornwall on August 14th to interview the Cornwall players and head coach face to face. It will be the first time I ever interview people face to face, which is very exciting. I'll write them up in a blog the following week. Also, over the next 8 weeks I aim to do at least 10 blogs, so I hope you enjoy them. Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll see you for my next blog. Bye!