Warrington locked in a home play‑off berth after weathering a late surge from Hull FC to edge a 16‑14 victory in the Betfred Super League at the MKM Stadium. The match unfolded with Sam Burgess’s side appearing to cruise toward a sixth consecutive win, thanks to a pair of quick tries from Leon Hayes and Matty Ashton that gave them a comfortable lead heading into the latter stages of the first half.
In the opening exchanges, the hosts dominated the proceedings, matching Hull’s early points through a series of penalties taken by Warrington captain George Williams and Hull’s Aidan Sezer. However, a moment of indecision under two high balls allowed the home side to slip, and the scoreline widened to a ten‑point advantage for Warrington.
Ten minutes into the second half, Josh Thewlis crossed for Warrington’s third try, seemingly sealing the contest. Yet the Black and Whites, playing their final home game of the campaign, found themselves under pressure as Hull rallied.
Quick conversions from Ethan O’Neill and veteran Tom Briscoe – who is preparing to retire after a 17‑year career – pulled the visitors back into contention and left the home crowd on edge as the final minutes ticked away. Despite the drama, Warrington held on to clinch a top‑four slot. The win did not come without cost.
Aaron Lindop was ruled out after failing a head‑injury assessment, while Burgess saw both Luke Thomas and Joe Philbin limp off with suspected leg injuries. Burgess reflected on the performance, saying, “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 that the team’s resilience was a positive sign, noting, “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 fighting spirit and highlighted Briscoe’s emotional farewell, stating, “I’m disappointed with the result but I’m really proud of the performance.
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 the other half of the round, Wakefield surged in the second half to defeat a struggling York side 28‑12, thereby securing their own place in the post‑season play‑offs.
Daryl Powell’s team had to weather a brief scare when York briefly levelled early in the second period, but tries from Jayden Myers, Max Jowitt and Lachlan Walmsley ultimately sealed the win. Corey Hall’s early conversion gave Wakefield the lead, and after former Wakefield player Ben Jones‑Bishop reduced the deficit, Walmsley grabbed his first try to create a six‑point half‑time advantage. Mark Applegarth’s side responded with a superb run by Xavier Va’a and a conversion from Jon Bennison to bring the scores level, but York’s momentum was halted when Myers powered over from a short pass by Mike McMeeken.
Bennison’s ball was intercepted, allowing Jowitt to extend Wakefield’s lead, and Walmsley added a second try late on to cement the victory. The win provided a much‑needed boost after three consecutive defeats, moving Wakefield two points clear in fourth place and six points ahead of seventh‑placed St Helens. Their chances of earning a home play‑off tie now hinge on next week’s clash with Warrington. Further down the table, the Bradford Bulls’ survival hopes remain precarious after a 28‑18 loss to Toulouse, leaving them two points shy of safety with two rounds left.
The Bulls were severely depleted, with 17 first‑team players unavailable – four injured in the previous loss at Leigh and academy youngster Harvey Ward called up for a senior debut off the bench. Despite the adversity, there were bright spots, including a comeback from vice‑captain Ryan Sutton and wing Connor Wynne. Toulouse started strongly, with Cesar Rouge’s boot keeping the makeshift Bulls in check.
Paul Ulberg’s power play and Luke Polselli’s three‑on‑one finish gave the visitors a 10‑0 lead early on. Bradford responded when Riley Dean broke through to set up a try for Chris Atkin, and Ethan Quai‑Ward’s pass allowed John Toleafoa to score his first try of the campaign, narrowing the gap to 16‑6 at halftime. The second half saw Bradford fight valiantly. Dean was denied twice near the line, while Sutton and Eliot Peposhi combined to keep Toleafoa at bay.
A turnover from Maxime Stefani was exploited by Andy Ackers, who dummy‑danced his way over for a try that trimmed the deficit to four points. Toulouse sealed the win in the final seven minutes when Mathieu Jussaume crossed for his 16th try of the season, followed by Romeo Tropis finishing a flowing move to confirm a ninth‑place finish for the French side. Alfie Leake, an academy graduate, provided a final‑minute lift for the visitors by scoring his first senior try, a moment of defiance in an otherwise disappointing night for Bradford. The Bulls now face a simple, stark equation: they must defeat 10th‑placed Castleford at home on Thursday, or risk a showdown with second‑bottom York Knights that could determine the fate of their entire season.
Looking ahead, Toulouse will close out their campaign against Hull FC on Friday before traveling to Warrington. Meanwhile, Sky Sports will continue to broadcast every Super League game live this season, with two matches each round shown exclusively on the main channel and the remaining fixtures available on Sky Sports+.