TOWARDS the end of the regular season in the Betfred Championship, the T&A provided a weekly state of play due to the twists and turns of an incredibly tight play-off race.
The top six has now been decided, and the play-offs getting underway this weekend with two eliminators, which effectively act as play-off quarter-finals.
The first of those comes this afternoon, with fourth-placed York hosting fifth-placed Widnes up in North Yorkshire.
The main reason for the game being played today is that York’s ladies team, Valkyrie, are playing St Helens in the Women’s Super League Grand Final tomorrow.
Understandably, the club want their women to have a standalone day in the spotlight, as they look to retain the title they won for the first time last year.
But third-placed Bulls do play tomorrow, as they host sixth-placed Featherstone in the other eliminator.
That kicks off at 3pm at Odsal, and Bradford know a home win will guarantee them a trip to second-placed Toulouse next Sunday.
That semi-final will kick off at 5pm in France (4pm UK time) next Sunday, in order to avoid a clash with the previous day’s Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford.
A Bulls victory tomorrow would mean the winner of the York and Widnes eliminator will have an away semi-final against Wakefield at Belle Vue.
However, if Featherstone were to win at Odsal, they would travel to league leaders Trinity instead, by virtue of having finished lower in the regular season table than York or Widnes.
That would instead hand the winner of the clash between the Knights and the Vikings a trip to second-placed Toulouse.
The winners of those two semi-finals will go into the Betfred Championship Grand Final, which will be broadcast on The Sportsman on the weekend of October 19/20.
The RFL are in discussions with the broadcaster and the six play-off clubs currently, so there is no indication yet as to whether the final will be on the Saturday or the Sunday.
The showpiece will be played at the ground of the highest-ranked side from the regular season, so if Wakefield make the final, it is guaranteed to be played at Belle Vue.
Finally, unlike the League 1 play-offs, there are no second chances in the Championship, so for the two sides that lose in the eliminators this weekend, their season will be over for good.
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