It’s that time of the season again, the Super 8’s and Qualifiers are here to brighten up the end of the season chase for silverware.The Super 8s fixtures for 2017 have now been released.
In the Betfred Super League Super 8s, Castleford Tigers currently sit ten points clear at the top of the table and need just three victories to secure the League Leaders’ shield, something of an oddity, given that we are now playing a different competition in all but name.
Should the League leaders shield be awarded after 23 rounds?
I think so…
However, despite this being an almost separate competition, the shield is only awarded after 30 rounds.
Three teams that played in the 2016 Qualifiers, Leeds Rhinos, Huddersfield Giants and Salford Red Devils all make the top eight and with only six points difference between eighth place and third place, it’s all to play for as the countdown to the Betfred Super League Grand Final on Saturday, October 7 at Old Trafford begins.
In The Qualifiers Super 8s, last year’s Grand Finalists Warrington Wolves will battle to retain their Super League status alongside Catalans Dragons, Widnes Vikings and Leigh Centurions, as Hull Kingston Rovers, London Broncos, Halifax RLFC and Featherstone Rovers will be hoping to gain promotion.
Betfred Super League Super 8s – Round by Round
| Round | Date | Home | Away | KO Time (Local Time) | |
| 1 | Thursday, August 3 | Castleford Tigers | St Helens | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 1 | Friday, August 4 | Huddersfield Giants | Wakefield Trinity | 8.00pm | |
| 1 | Friday, August 4 | Hull FC | Salford Red Devils | 8.00pm | |
| 1 | Friday, August 4 | Leeds Rhinos | Wigan Warriors | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 2 | Thursday, August 10 | Wakefield Trinity | Leeds Rhinos | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 2 | Friday, August 11 | Salford Red Devils | Castleford Tigers | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 2 | Friday, August 11 | St Helens | Hull FC | 8.00pm | |
| 2 | Friday, August 11 | Wigan Warriors | Huddersfield Giants | 8.00pm | |
| 3 | Thursday, August 17 | Castleford Tigers | Wakefield Trinity | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 3 | Friday, August 18 | Hull FC | Huddersfield Giants | 8.00pm | |
| 3 | Friday, August 18 | Leeds Rhinos | St Helens | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 3 | Friday, August 18 | Wigan Warriors | Salford Red Devils | 8.00pm | |
| 4 | Thursday, August 31 | Leeds Rhinos | Hull FC | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 4 | Friday, September 1 | Huddersfield Giants | Castleford Tigers | 8.00pm | |
| 4 | Friday, September 1 | Salford Red Devils | Wakefield Trinity | 8.00pm | |
| 4 | Friday, September 1 | St Helens | Wigan Warriors | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 5 | Friday, September 8 | Castleford Tigers | Leeds Rhinos | 8.00pm | |
| 5 | Friday, September 8 | Hull FC | Wigan Warriors | 8.00pm | |
| 5 | Saturday, September 9 | Salford Red Devils | Huddersfield Giants | 1.30pm | |
| 5 | Saturday, September 9 | Wakefield Trinity | St Helens | 7.00pm | |
| 6 | Thursday, September 14 | Hull FC | Wakefield Trinity | 8.00pm | |
| 6 | Friday, September 15 | Leeds Rhinos | Salford Red Devils | 8.00pm | |
| 6 | Friday, September 15 | St Helens | Huddersfield Giants | 8.00pm | |
| 6 | Sunday, September 17 | Wigan Warriors | Castleford Tigers | 3.00pm | |
| 7 | Friday, September 22 | Castleford Tigers | Hull FC | 8.00pm | |
| 7 | Friday, September 22 | Huddersfield Giants | Leeds Rhinos | 8.00pm | |
| 7 | Saturday, September 23 | Salford Red Devils | St Helens | 3.00pm | |
| 7 | Saturday, September 23 | Wakefield Trinity | Wigan Warriors | 7.00pm |
Below the Super 8’s, we have The Qualifiers, and the race to stake a place at the sports top table for 2018 and avoid the drop to the Championship will make for some of the hottest competition on any screen this year.
There are some big names down here, with Warrington Wolves, Catalans Dragons, Widnes Vikings all hoping to avoid the dreaded “Million Pound Game” whilst Hull Kingston Rovers and London Broncos want to cement their place back in Super League.
The Qualifiers Super 8s – Round by Round
| Round | Date | Home | Away | KO Time (Local Time) | |
| 1 | Friday, August 4 | Widnes Vikings | Warrington Wolves | 8.00pm | |
| 1 | Saturday, August 5 | Catalans Dragons | London Broncos | 6.15pm | Sky Sports |
| 1 | Saturday, August 5 | Featherstone Rovers | Leigh Centurions | 3.15pm | Sky Sports |
| 1 | Sunday, August 6 | Hull KR | Halifax RLFC | 3.00pm | |
| 2 | Saturday, August 12 | Leigh Centurions | Hull KR | 3.15pm | Sky Sports |
| 2 | Saturday, August 12 | Warrington Wolves | Catalans Dragons | 3.00pm | |
| 2 | Sunday, August 13 | Halifax RLFC | Widnes Vikings | 3.00pm | |
| 2 | Sunday, August 13 | London Broncos | Featherstone Rovers | 3.00pm | |
| 3 | Saturday, August 19 | Catalans Dragons | Leigh Centurions | 6.15pm | Sky Sports |
| 3 | Saturday, August 19 | Warrington Wolves | Halifax RLFC | 3.15pm | Sky Sports |
| 3 | Sunday, August 20 | Hull KR | London Broncos | 3.00pm | |
| 3 | Sunday, August 20 | Widnes Vikings | Featherstone Rovers | 3.00pm | |
| 4 | Saturday, September 2 | London Broncos | Warrington Wolves | 8.00pm | Sky Sports |
| 4 | Sunday, September 3 | Featherstone Rovers | Hull KR | 3.00pm | |
| 4 | Sunday, September 3 | Halifax RLFC | Catalans Dragons | 3.00pm | |
| 4 | Sunday, September 3 | Leigh Centurions | Widnes Vikings | 3.00pm | |
| 5 | Saturday, September 9 | Catalans Dragons | Featherstone Rovers | 6.15pm | Sky Sports |
| 5 | Saturday, September 9 | Warrington Wolves | Leigh Centurions | 3.00pm | |
| 5 | Sunday, September 10 | Hull KR | Widnes Vikings | 3.00pm | |
| 5 | Sunday, September 10 | London Broncos | Halifax RLFC | 3.00pm | |
| 6 | Friday, September 15 | Leigh Centurions | Halifax RLFC | 8.00pm | |
| 6 | Sunday, September 17 | Featherstone Rovers | Warrington Wolves | 3.00pm | |
| 6 | Sunday, September 17 | Hull KR | Catalans Dragons | 3.00pm | |
| 6 | Sunday, September 17 | Widnes Vikings | London Broncos | 3.00pm | |
| 7 | Friday, September 22 | London Broncos | Leigh Centurions | 8.00pm | |
| 7 | Saturday, September 23 | Catalans Dragons | Widnes Vikings | 6.15pm | Sky Sports |
| 7 | Saturday, September 23 | Warrington Wolves | Hull KR | 3.00pm | |
| 7 | Sunday, September 24 | Halifax RLFC | Featherstone Rovers | 3.00pm |
The Kingstone Press Championship Shield fixtures have been delayed due to operational issues. Round 1 fixtures will now be announced on Thursday July 27 and the remaining fixtures by Monday July 31 at the latest, with rumours swirling on social media it is because the RFL had already set out the schedule to include Toulouse in the Qualifiers, and the shock defeat of Hull KR by Halifax throwing a spanner in the works.
* Games to be shown live on Sky Sports for rounds 5,6 and 7 are still to be selected.
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