St Helens went and won the World Club Challenge in February. Less than three months on they are languishing in seventh spot on the Betfred Super League ladder having recorded as many defeats as victories in their 10 games so far this season.
While there will be no pressing of panic buttons at Langtree Park just yet, nobody would have expected the four-time reigning champions to be trailing behind the newly-promoted Leigh Leopards heading into the meaty part of the season.
Paul Wellens’ side looked to be finding their best form when they bagged a stirring 28-6 win over Warrington Wolves in Round 10 but they followed that up last time out with a weak collapse from 12-0 up to lose 24-12 away to Catalans Dragons.
And they now find themselves in amongst a busy pack of clubs scrapping it out for potential play-off spots as the Super League season approaches the halfway stage, with many of those adversaries coming up on the Saints’ fixture schedule.
READ MORE:
- Woolf wants England-Tonga series to lead a new dawn
- Catalans overturn deficit to beat Saints
- St Helens 9/2 to beat Salford by 6-10 points - Betfred*
While Warrington have returned to the top, Wigan Warriors have showed consistency in winning eight of 11 matches and Hull Kingston Rovers’ six-match winning run has reinforced their status as the league’s most improved side, the scramble below will be one of the key storylines running through to June’s Magic Weekend and beyond.
So here The Sportsman looks at the scrap for a top-six spot, along with the stand-out fixtures to come over the next six weeks.
CATALANS DRAGONS (4th) Pld 11, Pts 14
Rd 12: Away to Castleford (11th)
Rd 13: Home to Wakefield (12th)
Rd 14: Magic Weekend v Wigan (2nd)
Rd 15: Home to Hull KR (3rd)
Rd 16: Home to Leigh (6th)
Rd 17: Away to Hull FC (10th)
SALFORD RED DEVILS (5th) Pld 11, Pts 14
Rd 12: Away to St Helens (7th)
Rd 13: Home to Hull FC (10th)
Rd 14: Magic Weekend v Hull KR (3rd)
Rd 15: Away to Castleford (11th)
Rd 16: Home to Wigan (2nd)
Rd 17: Away to Wakefield (12th)
LEIGH LEOPARDS (6th) Pld 11, Pts 12
Rd 12: Away to Huddersfield (9th)
Rd 13: Home to Warrington (1st)
Rd 14: Magic Weekend v Wakefield (12th)
Rd 15: Home to Hull FC (10th)
Rd 16: Away to Catalans (4th)
Rd 17: Home to Hull KR (3rd)
ST HELENS (7th) Pld 10, Pts 10
Rd 12: Home to Salford (5th)
Rd 13: Away to Leeds (8th)
Rd 14: Magic Weekend v Huddersfield (9th)
Rd 15: Home to Wigan (2nd)
Rd 16: Away to Hull FC (10th)
Rd 17: Home to Castleford (11th)
LEEDS RHINOS (8th) Pld 11, Pts 10
Rd 12: Away to Wigan (2nd)
Rd 13: Home to St Helens (7th)
Rd 14: Magic Weekend v Castleford (11th)
Rd 15: Away to Wakefield (12th)
Rd 16: Home to Huddersfield (9th)
Rd 17: Away to Warrington (1st)
HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS (9th) Pld 10, Pts 8
Rd 12: Home to Leigh (6th)
Rd 13: Home to Castleford (11th)
Rd 14: Magic Weekend v St Helens (7th)
Rd 15: Away to Warrington (1st)
Rd 16: Away to Leeds (8th)
Rd 17: Away to Wigan (2nd)
HULL FC (10th) Pld 11, Pts 8
Rd 12: Away to Wakefield (12th)
Rd 13: Away to Salford (5th)
Rd 14: Magic Weekend v Warrington (1st)
Rd 15: Away to Leigh (6th)
Rd 16: Home to St Helens (7th)
Rd 17: Home to Catalans (4th)
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
