Who will reach Super League play-off semi-finals?

The regular season has ended. Before a legendary Ashes Test series, another Super League campaign is about to come to an end.

On Friday (20:00 BST), Leigh Leopards take on a mightily impressive Wakefield Trinity in a thrilling elimination match.

In a sure-fire roaring Headingley matchup between Leeds Rhinos and St. Helens just 24 hours later, the two teams will battle it out for the title to face either Warrington, the league’s champions, or Wigan, the quadruple winners of the previous season.

The tremendous work both teams have done over the past few seasons to improve their fortunes when Leigh Leopards face Wakefield Trinity in the first of this year’s Super League play-off games will come to an end.

Adrian Lam, Leigh’s manager, is pleased that the two sides will meet, having previously been unsuccessful in major competitions.

“They’ve made the six, it’s been fantastic. I’ve congratulated [Daryl] Powell]. I enjoy watching different Super League events like Leigh’s third place finish, Wakefield’s sixth, and Hull KR’s minor Premiership win. He stated to BBC Radio Manchester, “I think that’s great for rugby league and this country.”

They “have done a really good job of forcing their way into that six spot,” according to the report.

On their way back to the Super League, Wakefield has become stronger, much like Leigh.

Compare and contrast their sixth-placed finish this term, which included 15 victories and 30 points, with their most recent top-flight appearance in 2023, which included just four victories, eight points, and a bitter Championship drop.

They arrive in Leigh knowing that they are only two games away from a Grand Final, which is a significant improvement over the perilous state they were two years ago, and Powell sees no reason why his team can’t cause a stir on Friday and beyond.

“I see a chance for us to do something special,” she said. In sports, you never say never. According to Powell, “you look around and there have been unbelievable things done over the years.”

Whatever happens, Powell believes Wakefield has set themselves up for the long run as a result of their impressive season, which means they have qualified for the Super League play-offs for the first time since 2012.

If we don’t accomplish our goals for the year, he continued, “it helps us understand what it’s about for the following year.”

“Regardless of how it falls, it feels like it’s been a really special season for us,” she says. How unique? We’ll decide that in the coming weeks.

Powell’s opposite number shares the same sentiment, with Lam also predicting that his side might cause their own upheaval.

“We could make the Grand Final, but it’s not out of the question.” There is still a lot of work to be done, Lam continued.

Leeds finished second last year, but thanks to their first top-four finish since 2017, they were able to reclaim the top six and a home eliminator tie with St. Helens.

Rhinos boss Brad Arthur is anticipating another physical encounter this weekend as knockout rugby begins following their most recent meeting at Headingley with St. Helens, which ended in a close 6-0 defeat.

Every game, “it’s been tough] against St. Helens.” They probably owned a few more moments than us during difficult times, Arthur claimed on BBC Radio Leeds.

“Both coaches felt a little slack during the games,” they said. But it only serves to illustrate how rigorously both teams put forth and how physically demanding the environment is.

Nothing else is expected, we say. The coaches will share the same feelings. Perhaps because both teams are very physically strong, we could be a little more clinical.

Arthur claimed that his side’s demands for this season were not fully met, and that he thinks his team can do better.

I anticipated a better performance than we had been this season. If we hadn’t participated in the play-offs, he continued, “I would have been really disappointed.”

Since Paul Wellens’ St. Helens team has faced Leeds four times already this season, and they have already won three of those encounters, he is familiar with their opponents for Saturday’s elimination.

Some teams perform differently throughout the competition than others. However, Wellens claimed that the one thing we consistently have in common with Leeds is the unfathomably difficult and difficult game.

They play the game with intensity and are a physically strong team. They are extremely quick, agile, and aggressive. All of those qualities and characteristics that support team success.

“We have no illusions about the challenge that lies ahead this weekend.”

If Saints are eliminated from Saturday’s play-offs, Morgan Knowles’ career with the club would come to an end.

The 28-year-old has made over 200 appearances for the club and has won numerous awards, including four Super League titles, but he will leave at the end of 2025 to join NRL side the Dolphins, where he will work alongside former Saints boss Kristian Woolf.

Morgan Knowles’ time at the club being one of the reasons we were motivated to finish 2025 in the right way is one of those reasons, Wellens continued.