Championship Talk: Every minute matters?

fevnut's blog is absolutely delighted to have received permission to bring you a regular column from Gareth Walker.

Gareth is a top rugby league journalist who has one very exceptional distinction. He chooses to write about matters pertaining to the Championship and League One.

Although this blog is devoted to Featherstone Rovers it is always good to read opinions about matters relevant to us, but not specifically about us. We hope you enjoy reading Gareth's column each week.

Every minute matters?

It would be difficult to argue that in the Championship Shield that kicks off this weekend, the RFL’s original mantra for this structure that “Every Minute Matters” can be applied.

         

With no semi-finals for the competition this year, the teams that finished the regular campaign in fifth and sixth, Featherstone Rovers and Leigh Centurions, are so far ahead of the field that they have already qualified for the final.

         

There is the small matter of home advantage to play for, with the highest placed team earning that right.

         

But there will be no scramble for a place in the decider this season, and at the bottom of the table, Swinton Lions and Rochdale Hornets are also cut adrift of the rest at present in the relegation scrap.

         

The local rivals are currently five points behind 10th placed Barrow Raiders, which is a lot to make up with just seven games remaining.

         

It should be stressed that both the Hornets and Lions coaches in Alan Kilshaw and Stuart Littler firmly believe their teams still have a chance of staying up.

         

But both will need to pick up wins early on in the Shield to make that a realistic target.

         

So is this a meaningless competition for the next two months?

         

Well, you’d struggle to find any rugby league player that goes onto the pitch in a half-hearted manner, it just isn’t in the DNA of the sport.

         

There’s contracts for next year and pride to play for, and finishing places that reward the higher teams financially for 2019.

         

It’s not ideal for either Leigh or Featherstone to have come so close to having a shot at promotion, only to now have seven matches with little at stake.

         

Both both Kieron Purtill and John Duffy have spoken publicly about their desire to finish the year on a high, and both will be keen not to short change supporters that have followed those clubs loyally all season.

         

Of the rest, Batley, Sheffield, Dewsbury and Barrow all probably know they might only need a couple of wins to secure their futures at this level, but they will be keen to do that as quickly as possible so that can start properly planning for 2019.

         

So while it’s unlikely that every minute will matter over the next two months of the Championship Shield, there should still be plenty to enjoy - rugby league at this level rarely disappoints on the field.