Tiddlywinks, stitched up eyelids and Melbourne’s unlikely hurdler - 7 things we learned from this weekend’s rugby league
Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email
Castleford Tigers stand just one win away from making history after the runaway Super League leaders’ latest win.
Victory at Salford on Friday puts them just one point away from mathematically securing top spot for the first time in their history.
Elsewhere, Championship Hull KR shook up the Qualifiers by winning at Leigh and Wakefield returned to form in style by accounting for Leeds.
But our man Nigel Wiskar’s eagle eyes extend beyond the norm - here’s his pick of seven things he’s learned in the world of rugby league...
1. Child’s play for Powell
(Image: PA)
Castleford can seal the first top spot finish in the club’s 91-year history against Wakefield on Thursday - but it might not be coach Daryl Powell’s biggest challenge of the week.
The Tigers boss revealed after Friday’s 23-4 win over Salford that his own competitive nature will ensure his side don’t let up, despite having five matches to play before their home semi-final.
And it seems home games against his children bring out Powell’s will to win just as much as Super League matches.
“If anyone’s seen me play tiddlywinks against my kids then we won’t be taking our foot off the gas, no,” Powell laughed.
“Wakefield will be rubbing their hands together at the prospect of spoiling any sort of party Cas want to have and we’re mindful of that.
“We need to maintain our standards right the way through.
“The League Leaders will be a tick in the box when it’s absolutely nailed on, and for us it’s a piece of history.
“But there are further battle to be won, and we’re conscious that we don’t start jumping up and down.”
2. Melbourne winger in hurdling storm
It might have been the World Athletics Championships last week, but that was little excuse for what Melbourne winger Suliasi Vunivalu came up with on Saturday.
The Fijian winger stunned Sydney Roosters defenders and everybody watching when he took a running leap at the defence in the second half, narrowly avoiding kneeing Connor Watson and Aidan Guerra in the face.
It was unlike just about anything you’re likely to see on a rugby league field, and resulted in a penalty, Vunivalu being placed on report, and a Roosters try soon after.
After the game Storm coach Craig Bellamy said: “I’ve seen a couple things like that closer to the try line but I’m not quite sure what Suli was trying to do there.
“It was probably a bit of a brain fade or snap or whatever he’d like to call it.
“I agree it’s a penalty, without a doubt - but I don’t know what they’re going to charge him with.”
3. Grassroots exposure
The best junior and amateur players in the Hull area and beyond have been getting a welcome publicity boost of late due to the work of a keen filmmaker.
Shawn Boatin was playing rugby union for Hullensians when a local freeview TV channel screened one of their their matches and provided the idea for what has become Grassroots Rugby Media.
Boatin explained: “There was a huge buzz around the club leading up to the game.
“I thought it would be cool if there was regular media coverage around the sport, and then Grassroots Rugby Media was born.
“I started GRM at the end of the rugby union season so I had to cover rugby league, but I have really grown to love it - there are lots of big hits and fast passing plays which looks great on camera.”
Boatin’s videos have been viewed over 200,000 times in just four months and now features in the Hull Daily Mail’s excellent rugby league coverage.
He also takes pictures and has featured 52 amateur and junior teams since April.
Check out the latest summary video here.
4. Blocker’s eye-opening injury
(Image: Action Plus)
If Matty Smith’s, er, eye-watering account of his latest injury made you squirm, stop reading right now…
The St Helens scrum-half outlined the horrific aftermath of a teammate’s stray finger in the game against Leeds.
“I lacerated my eyelid,” said Smith, “My tear duct and eyeball actually came away from the corner of the socket. My pupil moved to the corner of my eye and all the blood came came through behind my eye.” Eeek.
Over to Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach, former Balmain Tigers and Kangaroo prop who spent a season at Warrington in the late 80s.
Roach told Triple M this week: “We had a doc who’d had a few sips of alcohol. I got a bad cut on my eye and he sewed me up.
“I went out after the game, went to bed and woke up but couldn’t shut my eye. He’d stitched my eyelid to the top of my head.” Double eeek.
5. Young Bull the new Sinfield?
(Image: Bradford Bulls/Thomas Pearson)
There was one bright spot for St Helens supporters after what coach Justin Holbrook described as “the most embarrassing game” he’d been involved in against Hull - confirmation of James Bentley’s imminent arrival from Bradford.
The 19-year-old back rower has been one of the best players in the Championship this season, scoring 15 tries in 22 appearances, and was well sought-after elsewhere.
“It’s really exciting for us that he chose our club,” Holbrook said after the 8-6 defeat. “He had plenty of choices and opportunities so it’s good to have him on board.”
Bentley was featured in Mirror Online’s series of scouting reports on the country’s best young players recently, prompting the following Twitter response from Chev Walker, who coached him at the Bulls.
Walker wrote: “Closest I’ve seen to Kev Sinfield, in his preparation and dedication to getting better.”
Watch this space.
You can read Bentley’s scouting report here.
6. England star on the move?
(Image: Getty Images AsiaPac)
It looks like James Graham could be switching clubs in the NRL next season if the latest stories Down Under are anything to go by.
The England front-rower- on a reported $1million (£610,000) a year - may be edged out of Canterbury Bulldogs next season as the club struggle to stay within the NRL's $9.1million salary cap.
That’s alerted basement side Newcastle Knights, comfortably under and with money to spend.
Coach Nathan Brown, who led Saints to the Super League title in 2014, said: “We had a fair bit of interest in James Graham a long time ago but he didn’t want to leave.
“But in this situation Canterbury might not have a choice and may have to let a player go they don’t went to.”
7. If you know, you know
In-the-know rugby league fans may have noticed two noted broadcast pundits drop in references to a renowned weekly video during recent matches.
The regular updates - which will appeal to viewers only of a certain taste and are circulated on social media - have a cult following among certain Super League players and the odds of it being a coincidence are simply unthinkable.
Keep your ears open to see if the naughty boys try it again in coming weeks.