Set of Six: Widnes Vikings on a roll and injury woes for Leeds Rhinos
Monday 29 February 2016 12:29, UK
Widnes topping the Super League table, injury woes for Leeds and Huddersfield plus reffing concerns make this week's Set of Six...
Vikings on the charge
What a start to the year it has been for the Vikings. Sure they're a game ahead of some of their title rivals, but after finishing last season in the bottom four, this is a dream start to the campaign. On Sunday they cruised to their first away win over Huddersfield in 20 years and went top of the Super League standings with a 36-18 victory.
Head coach Denis Betts is delighted with his team's efforts and is hoping that their top-of-the-table standing will make them more ruthless.
"The lads are really made up with the fact we've been away from home three times and we've come out with six points from four games. We would have taken that early in the year," said Betts.
"This next month the games are going to be coming thick and fast and it will be a real test for us. It becomes a war of attrition and the squad gets tested.
"It's nice [to be top] at this stage, we've made a really good start but we've got to make sure we get a bit more ruthless."
Rhinos not on the charge
It is quite the opposite for Brian McDermott's men, who suffered yet another defeat over the weekend, this time to Catalans. The home side had a few seasoned pros in their side but still Leeds would have at least hoped to give them a fight. As it was, a late comeback in the final 10 minutes courtesy of two tries was the only positive that came out of France that day. McDermott bemoaned the 'soft defence' of his side in Perpignan, but he should be more worried about the soft defence of their title.
"We had too many periods where we were loose and defensively too many soft periods in the early stages, but we had a crack and had a dig," said McDermott.
"I'm really pleased that the players found a way to get back into the game and effectively make it a close encounter, but I won't be consoling myself or consoling my players too much with that because we were poor in too many areas."
Challenge Cup
Fortunately for Leeds they weren't the only defeat that stood out this weekend. Four Kingstone Press League 1 clubs were knocked out of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup by amateur opposition on Saturday.
Newcastle Thunder were thrashed 30-4 at Halifax club Siddal, Hemel Stags went down 12-6 at Cumbrian outfit Kells, London Skolars were beaten 13-0 at Pilkington Recs, of St Helens, and South Wales Scorpions lost 37-20 at Featherstone Lions.
Who will follow Chester at Hull KR?
There was to be no fairy-tale start to life without Chris Chester for Hull KR but they have to put that behind them as they begin their search for a new coach.
Willie Poching took charge of the side following the standing down of head coach Chester earlier in the week and was rewarded with a spirited performance from the squad, despite the 31-22 loss to St Helens.
Jamie Peacock has certainly faced more than his fair share of challenges on the field, but Rovers' football manager faces his first real test in his new role at the KC Lightstream Stadium.
Peacock's next appointment is going to be a huge test - whoever they do decide to bring in will want to spend some money on players. Hull KR's issues will not be solved with a change of coach as they just do not have the strength in depth to compete and are desperate for more talent.
"If you line Hull KR's team up with some of the leading squads, well I'm afraid they just do not compare," said Sky Sports pundit Terry O'Connor.
"I am not being disrespectful to the players, but if you were looking at your Hull KR fantasy team, how many players would you want to bring in? They need more players and a coach who can come in and get the best of what they have.
"It's going to be a difficult job."
Referees under the spotlight again
Salford's Ian Watson was not happy with a refereeing blunder that cost his side the chance of a big win over Wigan.
Referee George Stokes and his touch judges failed to spot a knock-on by Wigan forward Taulima Tautai in the build-up to the match-winning try by winger Dom Manfredi.
"I'm really disappointed with the way it ended because it looked like we should have had a share of the points," said Watson.
"The fact he knocked on at the last play-the-ball before the score doesn't help and the fact that we could see it in the stand and the referee and his officials can't is a big disappointment."
Giants by name, not by nature
There must be something in the water in Huddersfield that is causing injuries to all the players.
They started the season with a long injury list and have been adding to it since then, and their misery was compounded by yet another injury as Jamie Ellis succumbed to a shoulder problem 24 minutes into the game against Widnes.
"Three-quarters of our salary cap have watched today's game from the stands," said head coach Paul Anderson.
"One or two might have a chance for Friday [against Leeds], but we've got to battle on - the key for us is to stick together.
"I thought Widnes were very good, but we were poor and pretty soft if I'm honest. Our side was the same team that almost beat Wigan but our attitude was not quite right.
"If your attitude is not right, you get challenged and Widnes did that. They ran harder than us and they had more vigour in everything they did."
