These are still early days in the qualifiers, but the form of Leigh Centurions suggests there will be one or two Super League sides using the upcoming break for the Challenge Cup final to contemplate just how severe the threat of relegation is this season.
Only two sides have a perfect record after the opening three games of the campaign; the Super League champions Leeds, who will surely retain their top-flight status, and Leigh, undoubtedly the Championship’s best side and the one best equipped to push the four Super League sides for promotion.
They have quickly established a tradition of making life hard for themselves in their opening three games, though, and when Featherstone scored twice in three minutes to set up a grandstand finish, it posed a test of Leigh’s promotion credentials which they again managed to pass when it mattered.
Five wins is widely assumed to be the total which secures a top-three finish, with the final promotion place to be decided by the Million Pound Game. With six points already in the bag, Leigh will now be looking to automatic promotion as opposed to going through the sudden-death play-off game: meaning the likes of Salford and Huddersfield will be nervously looking over their shoulder as their top-flight status becomes more and more precarious.
The Red Devils look like the most vulnerable of the quartet of Super League sides as things stand, with just one win to their name. And if Leigh do manage to get into the top three, it almost certainly would set up a Million Pound Game featuring two top-tier sides, with one guaranteed to go down at the expense of the Centurions.
“To have six points from six gives us a really good chance,” said Neil Jukes, the Leigh coach. “We’re in and around the Million Pound Game ballpark with what we’ve got; we’re two points above Hull KR as it stands, which is great. If you’re pushing me, I think 10 points gets you promoted this year.”
Leigh’s star-studded line-up, with 11 of their 17 having Super League experience, looks every inch a top-flight side, and when they led 12-0 after only seven minutes thanks to tries for the former NRL duo Reni Maitua and Mitch Brown, the Centurions looked on course for a comprehensive victory.
But as the half wore on, Featherstone began to wrestle control of the contest away from them, getting a deserved try when Josh Walters touched down – and when Kyle Briggs converted and added on a penalty to make it 12-8 at the interval, they looked more than capable of causing what would have been considered a real upset.
However, Leigh would provide the greater moments in attack when it mattered in the second half. Featherstone’s endeavour and spirit could not be faulted throughout – “I thought the effort from the guys was bigger than any two points,” said Jon Sharp, their coach – but tries from Matty Dawson and Micky Higham, the Leigh captain who was the game’s outstanding player, gave them significant breathing space.
Featherstone threatened a late comeback with tries from Luke Briscoe and Jack Ormondroyd, but the former England international Gareth Hock’s try just seconds before the full-time hooter secured what could turn out to be a priceless victory.
Incidentally, Leigh’s clash against Leeds is in the final round of these qualifiers, when they travel to Headingley to face last year’s treble winners. If the Centurions keep this form up between now and then, that afternoon may well be a promotion party for Leigh as opposed to a game they need to win.
Featherstone Craven; Duckworth, Hardman, Taulapapa, Briscoe; Briggs, Thackeray; Griffin, Ellis, Baldwinson, Tagg, Walters, Spears. Interchange Day, Snitch, Cooper, Ormondroyd.
Tries Walters, Briscoe, Ormondroyd. Goals Briggs 3.
Leigh McNally; Higson, Brown, Armstrong, Dawson; Ridyard, Drinkwater; Moimoi, Higham, Weston, Maitua, Paterson, Hock. Interchange Hood, Tickle, Hansen, Hopkins.
Tries Maitua, Brown, Dawson, Higham, Hock. Goals Ridyard 5.
Referee J Smith. Attendance 3,644
