Just four rounds of the Betfred Championship remain in 2024, and it's all to play for. With the competition tighter than ever, here is a closer look at the race for the Play-Offs.
League Leaders Wakefield Trinity have already secured their place, with Toulouse behind looking near impossible for them to miss out on the top six.
However, between third and ninth, the sides are closely compact and are all in with a shot at reaching this year’s Play-Offs.
Some of the teams in and around the top six have also got each other left to play, which means the league standings will inevitably change from now until the end of the regular season...
But who will make the Championship Grand Final in October?
Third place – Bradford Bulls – 28 points
The Bulls are on a mission and are eyeing up second place. They’re just one point behind Toulouse and are highly likely to make the Play-Offs.
They have been formidable since they saw the return of numerous players from injury and have really started gelling as a team when it matters.
Bradford were Championship Play-Off semi-finalists last year and will be hoping to go one step further and feature in the Grand Final for the first time.
Eamon O'Carroll's men have a blockbuster clash against Sheffield in Round 23, before a run of fixtures against the lower end of the table.
Remaining fixtures: Sheffield (A), Batley (H), Halifax (A), Swinton (H)
Fourth place – Widnes Vikings – 27 points
Widnes haven’t been the most consistent in 2024 but occupy fourth place with four rounds to go. The Vikings failed to make the Play-Offs last year, so have vastly improved on their previous season.
The majority of their matches have been closely contested in 2024, and they are arguably unlucky not to have more points on the board.
Allan Coleman’s men have won six out of their last seven games, and will look to continue this momentum heading into the Play-Offs. Can they do enough this time around?
Remaining fixtures: York (H), Doncaster (A), Toulouse (H), Barrow (A)
Fifth place – Featherstone Rovers – 26 points
Featherstone are in fine form heading into their last four games and are currently enjoying a five-game winning streak.
The end of May and all of June was a rough patch for the Rovers - consisting of five consecutive losses to Barrow, Swinton, Sheffield, York and Toulouse. This resulted in them falling outside of the top six for a week and leapfrogged by Doncaster.
But a recent turnaround means they are back in the top six and will they know they will have to keep winning if they are to secure their spot there.
Maverick Ben Reynolds' return to the side in early July has certainly had an impact on their winning streak, for he has been confidently leading the team around the park ever since he came back to the club.
Can James Ford’s men keep going until the very end?
Remaining fixtures: Swinton (A), Sheffield (H), Dewsbury (H), York (A)
Sixth place – Sheffield Eagles – 26 points
Sheffield Eagles are currently the final side to occupy a Play-Off spot.
The Eagles were high-flying at the start of the season and sitting pretty in second place. They looked like they would achieve the Play-Offs comfortably, but following Toulouse’s unbeaten run of 12 matches and Bradford’s late charge, Sheffield find themselves in sixth place and looking to avoid a fifth straight defeat this weekend.
There’s been a blip in-form for the 2024 AB Sundecks 1895 Cup Finalists, but can they save their season?
Three of their last four fixtures are against teams in and around the top six, but it’s theirs to lose with four games to go…
Remaining fixtures: Bradford (H), Featherstone (A), York (H), Dewsbury (A)
Seventh place - York Knights – 24 points
York Knights were stuck near the bottom of the table at the start of the year, before they made a mid-season coaching change with Mark Applegarth taking over from Andrew Henderson.
They'd be written off by many, but since then, they’ve won an impressive nine out of 12 matches and sit seventh with four of the current top six left to play.
Their resurgence has been remarkable under Applegarth’s tenure, which has included their first league win over Featherstone in 67 years, followed by several big margin victories. This puts them in good stead with a positive points difference, as they attempt to chase the teams above.
The Knights have a difficult run-in ahead of them, however, with three away games on the bounce - and will be relying on the likes of Featherstone and Sheffield to lose their matches.
Remaining fixtures: Widnes (A), Wakefield (A), Sheffield (A), Featherstone (H)
Eighth place – Batley Bulldogs – 20 points
The Batley Bulldogs are six points from sixth place and have been in and around sixth spot over the last few months. It’s clear that team spirit and togetherness have seen Batley through over the years, and they’ve pulled off some incredible results in this year’s campaign.
Who can forget the Bulldogs emphatically beating Bradford and Sheffield back-to-back on home soil in Rounds 9 and 10?
Although their chances of a top six finish are slimmer, they will still be looking to continue their successful season as they bid for a Play-Off place. Never say never!
Remaining fixtures: Doncaster (H), Bradford (A), Whitehaven (H), Toulouse (A)
Ninth place - Doncaster RLFC – 19 points
For the newly promoted team in 2024, Doncaster have certainly impressed. Their star recruitment in the off-season has paid off, and the Dons have proved they can compete at this level.
This year has seen some great achievements for the club, such as memorable wins over Championship heavyweights Featherstone and Toulouse.
They’ve also come close against Sheffield and Widnes along the way, and although the Play-Offs in 2024 could be a step too far, they aren’t mathematically out of the race just yet.
Nevertheless, they should be proud of the progress they have made and look forward to what's in store in 2025.
Remaining fixtures: Batley (A), Widnes (H), Swinton (A), Wakefield (A)
Who are you backing to make the 2024 Betfred Championship Play-Offs?
A full Betfred Championship Round 23 Preview to follow.
