The Battle at the Bottom: Super League Clubs Prepare for the Second Half
Castleford Tigers and Hull FC Fight Valiantly, but London Broncos Struggle
With the Super League season on the cusp of another break, teams will have an opportunity to pause and assess their performance thus far. As the season surpasses the halfway mark, most sides have a clear understanding of what they need to accomplish in the second half. For the teams languishing at the bottom of the table, the respite allows them to potentially strengthen their squads, as they strive to avoid the dreaded Super League wooden spoon.
This past weekend, both Castleford Tigers and Hull FC put up creditable displays despite suffering defeats. In contrast, the London Broncos endured a heavy loss against Wigan and remain rooted at the foot of the table. Interestingly, with relegation no longer solely contingent on on-field results, some of the peril associated with finishing bottom has been alleviated, as it appears almost certain that London will be replaced in Super League, regardless of their final league position.
In a notable development, former Sky Sports commentator and Great Britain international, Mike Stephenson, popularly known as Stevo, has expressed his belief that one Super League club is doomed. According to Stevo, the Broncos, who have managed just one victory this season against fellow strugglers Hull FC, are suffering the consequences of their decision to largely retain the group of part-time players that won them promotion. This decision was influenced, in part, by the widespread understanding that they would be relegated due to their IMG Grading.
“They’re trying their best, Eddie. They’re giving it all. You can’t ask for anything more. It’s difficult against these top sides who have far more experience, got speed, got strength, their defences are solid.”
Speaking on the Eddie and Stevo podcast, Stevo explained that he believes other Super League sides are capitalizing on the weakness in London’s squad. He stated that he feels the Broncos are destined for relegation, and that the club deserves to know their divisional status as soon as possible. He also expressed a contradiction in IMG’s stated desire for a London-based club, only to subsequently doom the Broncos to relegation before the season even began.
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