Friday 29 May 2015 23:40, UK
The Magic Weekend is back. And this time it’s Newcastle’s turn to host Rugby League’s favourite weekend.
Cardiff, Edinburgh and Manchester have all sampled the delights Magic Weekend has to offer and now the 12 Super League sides head to St James’ Park for the 2015 edition. Excited? So are we. To whet your appetite – take a look at some of the Magic Weekend’s magic matches…
2007 - Bradford 38-42 Leeds
Cast your memories back to 2007 when the Magic Weekend was in fact Millennium Magic. Leeds and Bradford walked out for a grandstand finish in Cardiff, ready to renew their Yorkshire rivalries a long way from home. What happened next went down in Super League folklore. The two sides shared 13 tries in the game, Michael Platt scoring twice for the Bulls and Brent Webb grabbing a hat-trick for the Rhinos, but the final minute is the one that sticks out. With Bradford leading 38-36, the clock hit 79 but referee Steve Ganson awarded a penalty to Leeds for offside. Kevin Sinfield lined up 40 metres out on the left touchline and let fly. The kick looked good, but fell just short, eventually hitting the bar. But Jordan Tansey followed up and touched down. And despite Tansey being in front of the kicker, the four-pointer was awarded. Cue pandemonium, and a Sinfield cartwheel to boot!
2008 - Huddersfield 34-36 Warrington
The 2008 Magic Weekend saw another 70+ point thriller, but this time it was Huddersfield and Warrington sharing a classic to open the event. The Wolves looked set for a fifth straight Super League defeat though, finding themselves 22-6 down at half-time thanks to Huddersfield tries from Michael Lawrence, Luke Robinson, Andy Raleigh and Rod Jensen. After the break, Jensen could have put his side further in front, but dropped the ball with the line beckoning. Cue the Warrington comeback. Four tries in 18 minutes, from Stuart Reardon, Lee Briers and two from Andy Bracek got them in front before another fine individual Briers effort earned the Wolves the two points.
2010 - Leeds 34-30 Wakefield
A move to Edinburgh brought seeded games for the Magic Weekend, but that didn’t stop West Yorkshire rivals Leeds and Wakefield serving up a Murrayfield epic in 2010. John Kear’s side took a chilly Scotland by storm and they certainly caught Leeds cold in the first half. Ben Jeffries and Damien Blanch went over early on, before a host of errors from Leeds handed Wakefield further initiative as they took a commanding 28-10 lead. But Leeds struck a late first half blow, Ryan Hall going over in the corner before Chris Clarkson scored just after break. Despite a Jeffries penalty, Leeds took control, Ryan Hall crossing for his second to further close the gap. And with just two minutes left on the clock, they completed the comeback, Keith Senior’s break allowing Brent Webb to send over veteran Aussie Danny Buderus for the match winning score.
2011 - St Helens 16-16 Wigan
Back to Cardiff for the 2011 version and one of Rugby League’s tastiest derbies finally delivered a Magic Weekend classic. Previous years on the road had seen some one-sided clashes between Lancashire’s bitter rivals, but 2011 was much better. It didn’t look that way with 65 minutes gone though, with Wigan storming into a 16-0 lead, debutant Ryan Hoffman, Harrison Hansen and then George Carmont all going over. But the Saints, having had several tries disallowed, struck back. Jon Wilkin started the recovery, powering over from close range before Tony Puletua crossed soon after. And when Francis Meli went over in the corner, Jamie Foster had the chance to win it but pulled his conversion wide. Both sides threatened last gasp drama, Sam Tomkins and Kyle Eastmond missing late drop goals, so all square they finished at 16-all.
2011 - Bradford 28-32 Leeds
Any fan who stayed for both days in 2011 certainly got value for money. After the Lancashire ding-dong on Saturday, it was Leeds and Bradford’s turn in Sunday’s closer. And, with previous Magic Weekend history between the pair, there was soon another chapter to add. Mick Potter’s side put in a terrific performance, building a 28-10 lead with 20 minutes left, mainly thanks to Elliott Whitehead’s hat-trick. But Leeds, in what was now their customary Magic Weekend comeback, rallied and upped the tempo. Ben Jones-Bishop scored his second while Kylie Leuluai and Rob Burrow also went over. With Bradford leading 28-26, there was still another twist to come. Two minutes left and Jones-Bishop raced down the wing, sensing a hat-trick opportunity. He fly-hacked through, only to be pulled back by opposite number Gareth Raynor. Upstairs it went and Richard Silverwood took an age to settle the game. But T-R-Y he chose and yet again Leeds snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
2012 – Hull FC 30-32 Hull KR
The Hull derby was a regular Magic Weekend highlight, with the two sides playing out some memorable matches. But with Manchester the new setting, the two sets of fans hadn’t seen anything until 2012. A tight first-half saw the Airlie Birds lead 18-12, Brett Seymour, Richard Horne and Willie Manu going in for the Black-and-Whites while Craig Hall and Shannon McDonnell went over for the Robins. Hull FC extended that lead after the break, Tony Martin crashing over and when Jordan Turner collected Seymour’s kick, the job seemed complete. But Hull KR weren’t in the mood for rolling over, Sam Latus went over first, before Michael Dobson’s converted try got them to within two. With seconds remaining, the points were snatched thanks to a truly special effort. David Hodgson got the ball on his own 30, beat two defenders and raced clear, sending the Red-and-White faithful into delirium while FC set off on a miserable trip back up the M62.
2012 - Huddersfield 34 Salford 38
After the dramatic Saturday events, a few of the more bleary-eyed supporters were treated to a 13-try belter from Huddersfield and Salford, the perfect Sunday hangover cure. Salford hadn’t won in six Super League games, but they edged a bruising first half 22-16, thanks to a Joel Moon double and scores from Sean Gleeson and Jodie Broughton. Two close range tries from Eorl Crabtree ensured the Giants hit the front but another Broughton effort and a brace from Adam Sidlow gave Salford that 38-34 lead. Late on, Jason Chan broke the line and went clear for the Giants, but his pass went loose and Salford could finally celebrate a memorable victory.
2013 - Hull FC 22-16 Hull KR
Back in Manchester for 2013 and the Hull fans were hoping for a more relaxed day out than the year before. But nobody could prepare them for what was to come. Hull KR led 10-6 at the break, Greg Eden and Craig Hall cancelling out Richard Whiting’s score. And with eight minutes left, Rovers led by 10. A Michael Dobson penalty and an Alex Brown score seemed to have secured the win, but this time it was Hull FC who mustered the comeback spirit. Tom Lineham was first to cross before Kirk Yeaman went over for a try, eventually approved by the video referee. Daniel Holdsworth had the chance to win it there and then with the conversion, but he fired wide and a draw seemed the likely result. But Holdsworth then had a say in the game’s defining moment, his high ball misjudged by Eden. Chris Green collected on the bounce and dived over gleefully, and despite replays showing he was offside, the try was awarded, ensuring Hull FC’s revenge was complete.
