Monday 18 January 2016 16:40, UK
Do the highs and lows of 2015 give us any indication of what's likely to happen in 2016? Before we look forward, let's take a look back.
How many people remember that last season began with a sending off in Round 1 at Widnes?
Patrick Ah Van was given a red card for a high tackle on Josh Charnley and it looked as though Wigan were going to win easily. But, as frequently happens in rugby league, the team with 12 men found the motivation and energy of 14 and out-enthused Wigan to earn an impressive 22-22 draw.
A few weeks later Leeds gave us an early indication of their fire power when they came from 12-0 down at Hull and scored at more than a point a minute in the second half. They looked awesome.
Just when the Rhinos looked unstoppable after a great start to the season, Warrington stopped them by restricting them to just one try. The Wolves were that good it convinced many people that it could be their year on a beautiful spring evening at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
After an impressive start to the season Albert Kelly demonstrated his individual brilliance in Round 7. Rovers defeated the unbeaten St Helens and he scored a sensational solo effort after he intercepted and ran 90 metres.
His half-back partner, Terry Campese, then stole the show in the next game as things just got better. East Hull triumphed over west at the KC Stadium and people started to view Hull KR in a different light.
It was at Easter that the Tigers started to show their potential, firstly with a win at Warrington and then an even better result when they ended Hull KR's three-match winning run in the middle of April.
The wheels fell off at Wakefield when they lost by 80-0 at Warrington and you have to say now that they did well to survive and win the Million Pound Game after such an experience like that. It took them nine games to recover and record a win, but there's something in their DNA which appears to help them survive in Super League. It'll be fascinating to see if they can do it again or if they finish at the bottom this year.
The Round 13 clash at Huddersfield was a great guide to what would happen in the last game there in 2015. The Giants were narrowly ahead 24-22 against the Rhinos until Leeds kicked a penalty goal to earn a point. Later in the season it wasn't a draw but a dramatic win that changed rugby league history.
After already losing seven games Catalan found themselves under pressure in early May but were inspired by Zeb Taia in a memorable performance when they came from behind to beat St Helens.
It was one of those games that made you wonder if the Dragons were the 'real deal'. That thought was reinforced when Tony Gigot scored a hat-trick as the Catalans slaughtered Wigan 58-16 but once again the Dragons faded at the end.
Round 16 was the MAGIC one. Wigan showed their bounce-back ability when they beat Leeds, Denny Solomona scored a hat-trick for the Tigers, as did Kevin Brown and Feleti Talanoa, whilst the greatest drama took place after Jermaine McGillvary scored a late try for the Giants and asked Danny Brough to attempt a conversion from the sideline. Great kick. Top weekend.
A glorious night in Leeds mid-June reminded me of the highs and lows of professional sport. Ash Hanley had been the hero at St Helens with a hat-trick, two months later his error allowed Denny Solomona to score the winning try for Castleford.
It's easy to forget by the time you leave Old Trafford on the Saturday night in October that Leeds had a patch in the season when they played seven, lost four, drew one and won only twice. Being able to handle the emotional rollercoaster is perhaps the greatest skill a player or coach possesses.
The Tigers backed that win up with a victory over St Helens. It was my favourite game of the season which ended with Ben Roberts drop goal earning his team a 25-24 win. I hope we get another one like that this year.
Close finishes seemed like a regular story-line as Matthew Smith's last-gasp penalty gave the Warriors a 26-24 win over Leeds after an epic contest in Wigan. The dramatic theme continued with Jordan Turner's late try for St Helens at Warrington. The Saints had beaten Huddersfield the week before 35-34 with a late drop-goal, but for the neutral this was an even better way for the regular season to come to a close.
The next phase of the season was a new experience for every team and it began with the two eventual Grand Finalists looking like the two teams most likely to get to the Grand Final.
Zak Hardaker looked like a gold medal-winning slalom skier as he zig-zagged his way through the Warrington defence. Huddersfield recorded a rare but well deserved win at St Helens in Round 3 and Wigan kept the Wolves scoreless for the first time at the HJ Stadium, with Tony Clubb's try ending the 28-0 victory.
St Helens took advantage of any fatigue that the Rhinos had suffered following their Challenge Cup Final victory and won at Headingley to plant a seed of doubt among Brian McDermott's men. This seemed to grow rapidly in a week after they lost by 30 points in France and I thought that the treble was all over when Castleford won for a second time after Luke Gale and Ben Roberts had completed a classic Castleford performance.
Very few people need reminding what happened after that. But it's amazing when you reflect just how different things might have been. If Liam Sutcliffe hadn't been injured would we ever have seen Kevin Sinfield in the Leeds side again after he was dropped from the team at the end of April?
There are so many ifs, buts and could-have-beens in sport. The time spent looking back has taught me that no team goes through the season without its challenges. Dealing with adversity, coping with setback and reacting in a positive manner are the essential tools needed to stand a chance of success in this game. Oh, and yes, you need a little bit of luck as well.
Good luck to all the teams in 2016.
