Martin Offiah delivers his verdict on an action-packed and controversial weekend in Super League.
Offiah says the battle to finish top will go down to the wire
Sky Sports' Martin Offiah delivers his verdict on the weekend's action in Super League, including his view on the Bulls' remarkable run, Warrington's win over Wigan, the loss of Danny McGuire for Leeds and Mike Rush's 'Keegan moment'.
Offiah on...
...the gathering Wolves
"They have the Challenge Cup final just over the horizon and they have got some experienced players who don't know if they are going to play in that game. Stefan Ratchford played particularly well as did Richie Myler. So they have a lot of players who are playing for places. Tony Smith also announced the re-signing of ten big gun players and I thought that was a real boost for Warrington. Their pack played fantastically well. It is not often that I say Wigan were second best, but they were second best."
...Mike Rush's outburst after Saints' defeat to Wakefield
"It is a Kevin Keegan moment. In hindsight he is going to look back and think that maybe he shouldn't have made that statement. I think Mike Rush should be looking at the bigger picture of where they have come from and how they have got to third in the table. They have a half-back combination of Lomax and Hohaia that works.
"They have ridden their luck at times, they have played well at times. History dictates they will probably make the Grand Final again and he did not need to say that. You have to control things that you can control and that is your players and other areas. It is too easy to blame the ref."
...bullish Bradford
"Mick Potter keeps talking about going home - he is working for free of course - but I think he should stay in this job because he is doing a fantastic one. They are playing with passion and commitment and refuse to accept their fate on or off the field. Jamie Langley, who scored a couple of tries on Friday night, has been playing fantastically well and all the players demand a lot of credit."
...Danny McGuire's injury
"He is a huge loss to Leeds. At times this season when Danny has been out they have not played particularly well. In 2010 he had another knee injury and they went on to not make the Grand Final that year so they really need him back in the side. He is one of their strike players. It is like Wigan playing without Sam Tomkins - it is really that important."
...small steps for the Giants
"They have been on that horrendous run and they needed this win. They got it just. It is back to back wins but it was not that convincing a win. They really did leave it late being 20-20 with nine minutes remaining and they scored ten points in the last nine minutes. It is a win and at times like this you take what you can get."
...a new Dorn at London Broncos
"You can't make players fitter or better in a couple of weeks but what you can do is give them confidence. The lad, Luke Dorn, has not had much confidence throughout the season. He is an instinctive strike player who has not played much football and Tony Rea has brought him back into the side and he is thriving in these conditions. He has scored four against Castleford and you can see the players are a lot more relaxed and they are playing."
...the Dragons' dip in form
"They are having a dip in form. A lot of teams experience a dip at one point in the season but you just don't want the dip to be now because we are getting to the play-offs. Ironically their last big win was against Hull (who beat them at the weekend) in July but since then they have lost to the Saints, been pushed by the Broncos and lost to the Giants last week. They are dropping down the table but will make the play-offs. They need to start winning."
...the play-off picture
"It is looking pretty tight. In eight Hull KR have not been playing well while Bradford are in ninth. What can they achieve? It would be a fairytale if they could make the top eight. At the top it is going to go down to the wire between Wigan and Warrington. Wigan play St Helens in the last game of the season and I think Wigan will have to win that game to win the league leaders shield."
