Tuesday 29 May 2018 15:35, UK
Brian Carney looks through three things which have caught his eye in the world of Rugby League...
On a busy Friday night of Betfred Super League action, the Sky Sports cameras were at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, where at half-time - on the scoreboard at least - it looked like Hull FC would spring a massive surprise and defeat Warrington.
By the end the Wolves, the favourites, were victorious but still the headlines belonged to the city of Hull. And that is because of the magnificent effort of the team from the east side of the city.
I must say it took me completely by surprise to see that Hull KR had beaten Wigan. Just a couple of weeks ago, Wigan and Hull KR had a Challenge Cup clash that ended, ultimately, in victory for Wigan but not before some nervy moments.
So when they met again my thoughts would be that Wigan would put the Rovers to bed rather easily. Not a bit of it.
This was a magnificent and much needed result for Tim Sheens' side. We are now, I think it is safe to assume, in year three of head of rugby Jamie Peacock's five-year plan for Hull Kingston Rovers. Another stint in the qualifiers surely wasn't on the agenda and I think they may avoid it.
There next run of matches sees them play Castleford twice and league leaders St Helens and that is a really difficult proposition.
However, following that they have Huddersfield, Salford and Widnes - all sides around them in the table - before they end with matches against Warrington and Hull FC.
If they can win those three matches against their fellow strugglers and knock off another top side you may see one of the great escapes by the Robins.
Well done to Tim Sheens and the east side of Hull for what I believe was the shock result of the season and one that can maybe save the Robins' season.
While we have a way to run before we find out the top-four Super League sides and who will get those semi-final spots, we are getting ever closer to knowing the identity of the bottom four as round 23 begins to appear on the horizon.
Last Friday saw some huge wins for sides under pressure. Hat tip to Wakefield and Huddersfield. Saturday saw the Catalan Dragons knock over the reigning champions Leeds and give themselves genuine optimism of escaping the clutches of the qualifiers.
Widnes are currently bottom of the table and the immediate reaction would be to say that they are bottom four certainties. But I am not so sure.
Chris Chester said a few weeks ago that he felt the points margin to get into the top-eight would drop drastically from previous seasons, when it has been 20 stroke 21 points.
He estimated a figure closer to 16 this year. I think he may be right and if he is every club, no matter where they currently sit, should feel they have a chance still of making the top-eight in Super League.
Following Hull KR's win over Wigan and Catalans' defeat of Leeds, you would be a brave person to assert with any degree of confidence right now who will be the bottom four.
I had a great two days in Blackpool, watching some truly exhilarating Betfred Championship action.
The sun was shining. I believe the beers in town were cheap and everything was set fair for a well-attended jamboree of rugby league.
But the people just did not turn up and it puzzles me. If it was played on a non-Bank Holiday weekend and the attendance was low, you would be told it was because people had work on Monday.
If it was played during a period of inclement weather in the country and the attendance was low you would be told people didn't travel because of the bad weather.
All the ingredients were there but maybe supporters of the clubs just want to see their side and no more. Because judging on the weekend's attendance at Bloomfield Road, a great and hospitable ground, it is too big a stadium.
So what is an ideal capacity? Well sadly, we are probably looking at a stadium of no more than 7,000-8,000. Is that really a Summer Bash weekend to look forward to or marvel about? I don't think so.
The power brokers will need to sit down and think long and hard about the future of what I found a thoroughly enjoyable weekend.
I have no doubt that those who went enjoyed it to. But many, I feel, didn't stay long before or beyond the game their team played. I could be wrong about that - it is hard to tell.
But for example on day one when the last game involves two of the biggest clubs in that division, with Toronto certainly in profile, and the Leigh Centurions both in playing personnel and support you would think that fans from the other teams would want to stay and watch. I don't think that happened.
Plenty of questions arise after the Summer Bash but I had a brilliant time.
