Water is wet, the sky is blue, and St Helens are in the Betfred Super League play-offs and gunning for further glory. Having recently confirmed a 25th consecutive appearance in the end-of-season finals, Kristian Woolf’s side this weekend booked a semi-final spot by thrashing Hull FC 60-6 at the MKM Stadium.
The three-time reigning champions, aiming to become the first team in the Super League era to win four successive league titles, will host the lowest-ranked elimination round winner at the Totally Wicked Stadium on the weekend of September 16th and 17th.
Wigan Warriors are in pole position to join them in the semis, despite going down to a shock 30-12 defeat away to relegation battlers Wakefield Trinity on Sunday. Huddersfield Giants and Catalans Dragons also lost in Round 23, but they remain in third and fourth respectively, while wins for Castleford Tigers, Leeds Rhinos and Salford Red Devils kept the race for the last two play-off spots tight.
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But how do the Super League play-offs shake out? Here’s how:
FINAL REGULAR ROUND (September 1-3)
Teams finishing 1st and 2nd advance straight to semi-finals
ELIMINATORS (September 9 and 10)
3rd versus 6th
4th versus 5th
SEMI-FINALS (September 16 and 17)
1st versus lowest-ranked eliminator winner
2nd versus highest-ranked eliminator winner
GRAND FINAL (September 24)
Semi-final winners face off at Old Trafford
Standings after Round 23:
1st – St Helens (38 points) – Assured of semi-final berth
2nd – Wigan Warriors (32 points) – Assured of play-off spot
3rd – Huddersfield Giants (29 points)
4th – Catalans Dragons (28 points)
5th – Castleford Tigers (24 points)
6th – Leeds Rhinos (23 points)
Teams still ably to qualify for play-offs:
7th – Salford Red Devils (22 points)
8th – Hull Kingston Rovers (20 points)
9th – Hull FC (20 points)
10th – Warrington Wolves (16 points)
Teams out of contention:
11th – Wakefield Trinity (14 points)
12th – Toulouse Olympique (10 points)
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
