Warrington locked in a home play‑off berth after fending off a late surge from Hull FC to edge a 16‑14 victory in the Betfred Super League at the MKM Stadium. The win not only cemented their place among the top four but also marked a dramatic finale to their season‑ending home campaign.
The match began with both sides trading early penalties – Warrington captain George Williams converting one for the hosts while Hull’s Aidan Sezer replied for the visitors. After those opening points, Warrington surged ahead, thanks to a pair of first‑half tries from Leon Hayes and Matty Ashton. Their quick‑fire scores gave the home side a comfortable lead and seemed to set the tone for a sixth consecutive win. Hull, however, stayed within touching distance.
Two high kicks that missed their mark left the visitors with an opportunity, and they capitalised, narrowing the gap before the half‑time whistle. When the second half kicked off, the Black and Whites appeared to be in control, but a sudden burst from Hull threatened to overturn the result. Ten minutes into the period, Josh Thewlis crossed for Warrington’s third try, extending the lead and seemingly putting the game out of reach. The drama intensified when Hull responded with rapid-fire scores.
Ethan O'Neill, who had been a constant menace throughout the season, struck quickly, and Tom Briscoe – who announced that this would be the final match of his 17‑year professional career – added another try. Those two conversions thrust Hull back into contention and left the outcome hanging in the balance until the final minutes.
In the end, Warrington held on, securing a top‑four finish that guarantees a home play‑off game. The physical toll was evident. Aaron Lindop was forced to undergo a head‑injury assessment, and Warrington’s coach Sam Burgess saw both Luke Thomas and Joe Philbin leave the field with leg injuries that appeared serious. Burgess reflected on the performance, telling Sky Sports, "We controlled the game for large parts, and I was a bit disappointed that they were able to score two tries towards the end." He added, "I'm proud of them, they're a joy to coach.
We're getting tough which is an important part of our journey – to be able to manage these periods and just get on with the job." Hull FC head coach Andy Last praised his side’s resilience, noting the emotional moment when Briscoe celebrated his final try in front of a supportive crowd. "I'm disappointed with the result but I'm really proud of the performance," Last said. "We were up against a really good team who are in good form, and we went toe‑to‑toe with them for 80 minutes. Tom Briscoe gave a remarkable performance today, and it was great that he could score that try in front of the home fans." In a separate fixture, Wakefield demonstrated their own fighting spirit by overcoming a struggling York side 28‑12, thereby confirming their place in the post‑season.
Daryl Powell’s team had to weather a brief scare when York briefly levelled early in the second half, but tries from Jayden Myers, Max Jowitt and Lachlan Walmsley restored their dominance. Corey Hall’s early conversion gave Wakefield the opening lead, and despite a consolation try from former Wakefield player Ben Jones‑Bishop, Walmsley’s first try gave the hosts a six‑point advantage at the break. York fought back, with Mark Applegarth’s side pulling level after a dazzling run by Xavier Va’a and a conversion from Jon Bennison. However, Myers capitalised on a short pass from Mike McMeeken to regain the lead, and a subsequent interception by Bennison set up Jowitt’s try, effectively sealing the contest.
Walmsley added a second late‑stage try to cement the victory. The win was a timely morale boost for Wakefield after three consecutive defeats. It moved them two points clear in fourth place and six points ahead of seventh‑placed St Helens, leaving their chances of a home play‑off tie dependent on the outcome of Warrington’s next match.
Further down the table, the Bradford Bulls’ fight for survival grew increasingly precarious after a 28‑18 loss to Toulouse in France, leaving them just two points shy of safety with two rounds remaining. The Bulls entered the match with a depleted roster – 17 first‑team players were unavailable due to injuries, suspensions and recent defeats. Among the few fit players were academy graduate Harvey Ward, who made his senior debut off the bench, and returning veterans Ryan Sutton and Connor Wynne. Toulouse started strongly, with Cesar Rouge’s accurate kicking and a series of early tries from Paul Ulberg, Luke Polselli and Romeo Tropis giving them a 10‑0 lead.
Bradford responded, however, when Riley Dean broke through to set up Chris Atkin, and Ethan Quai‑Ward’s pass to John Toleafoa produced the Bulls’ first try, narrowing the deficit to 16‑6 at halftime. The second half saw Bradford battle fiercely. Dean was denied twice at the line, while Sutton and Eliot Peposhi combined to keep Toleafoa from scoring on the opposite wing. A turnover by Maxime Stefani allowed Andy Ackers to dummy past defenders and score, reducing the margin to four points.
Toulouse, however, sealed the win in the final minutes when Mathieu Jussaume crossed for his 16th try of the season and Romeo Tropis added a finishing move, delivering Toulouse’s ninth win and avenging an earlier loss to Yorkshire. Alfie Leake, another academy product, celebrated his first senior try in the closing moments, offering a brief uplift for the travelling squad.
The Bulls now face a do‑or‑die situation: they must defeat 10th‑placed Castleford at home in their next fixture, or risk a final showdown with second‑bottom York Knights that could determine their fate for the entire season. Looking ahead, Toulouse will conclude their campaign with matches against Hull FC and then Warrington, while the Super League continues to broadcast every game live on Sky Sports, with two matches each round shown exclusively and the remaining fixtures available on Sky Sports+.