Elimination and Second Chances

17th September 2019

The regular season of rugby league’s Championship League 1 (the third tier) has been completed. The divisional champions – Whitehaven – having been promoted automatically into the Championship, the second promotion place will be determined through a series of play-offs involving the five teams finishing between second and sixth in the table.

Given that there were only 11 teams in the league, it does seem a rather generous provision to allow the middle-ranking side the chance to progress out of the division. Moreover, the play-off structure is not straightforward. In the jargon, it involves an “elimination final”, a “qualifying final”, two “semi-finals” and a “preliminary final” before the (final) “play-off final” is reached.

In fact, there is a meritocratic logic in the format. The higher league places in the league table are rewarded by a later entry into the play-offs (for Oldham, the second-placed side) and/or second chances in the event of a first defeat (for Oldham and for Newcastle Thunder and Doncaster, who came third and fourth, respectively).

The elimination final was played at the South Leeds Stadium on Sunday between Hunslet (fifth) and Workington Town (sixth). For the loser of this match, there would be no second chance. The winner would remain in the competition but, at some stage, would need to win (away from home) at each of Oldham, Newcastle and Doncaster in order to secure promotion: a tall order.

I took my place in the stand after about a minute’s play, just as the Workington team was walking back to its half of the field having already registered the game’s first try. Hunslet’s poor start apparently echoed a theme of their season, as they had won only 4 out of 12 matches at home (excluding the amateur opposition faced in the Challenge Cup), but 8 out of 10 games on their travels. On this occasion, they recovered well and, following two tries by the centre Tom Ashton, the home side had a 24-18 lead at the interval.

But it was the visitors who controlled much of the second half, their experienced forward pack containing three players in their mid to late 30s. One of these was the Tongan, Fuifui Moimoi, whom I had seen play for the Toronto Wolfpack against the Newcastle Thunder at the Allan A Lamport Stadium two years ago (The Wolfpack and the Cheesy Dog, 27th August 2017), when he was already well into the veteran stage of a career that has included 10 years at the highest level in Australia’s NRL. On Sunday, he was employed – very effectively – in short stretches, his strong running with the ball helping to keep Workington on the front foot. It was a useful contribution from someone who will celebrate his 40th birthday next week.

Hunslet came close to adding to their score in the second half, but a combination of over-eagerness and careless errors near the Workington try-line – including, on one occasion, dropping the ball when actually over the line – prevented them from doing so. Workington completed a 32-24 victory in an entertaining match. (One point that struck me was the excellence of the two goalkickers – Joe Sanderson and Carl Forber – who, between them, were successful with 10 attempts out of 11, many from wide out near the touchline).

Their win has earned Workington a place in the next round of the play-offs at the weekend, when Fuifui Moimoi will be able to resume the battle with Newcastle Thunder that he enjoyed in downtown Toronto.

For Hunslet, defeat in last Sunday’s “elimination final” does indeed mean elimination from this year’s competitive action. Their 2019 season is over.