My year in league – 2025
I can’t believe another year has come and gone and I’m already writing another post about my year that was.
My only goal for 2025 was to get to more games than last year and I’m pleased to say I managed it. As you may gather from the table below, I always drive to games. It’s cheaper and more reliable than getting the train, and I’m not overly fussed about drinking, so it’s the most convenient way for me to do it.
If I can make it to the same number of games again in 2026, I’ll be a very happy man!
| Games attended – 2024 | Games attended – 2025 | Miles driven – 2024 | Miles driven – 2025 |
| 14 | 16 (+2) | 4,114 | 4,742 (+628) |
February
9th – Midlands Hurricanes vs Salford Red Devils
This was a very random way to start the year seeing as I have no connection to either of these teams.
However, when the fixtures were released and I realised I wouldn’t get to a Wigan game until the second weekend of March, it called for drastic action.
Hence, a relatively local game for me (at just the 190-mile round trip) to see some Challenge Cup action involving (then) Super League side, Salford.
The main thing I remember about this game is that it was freezing. And I mean, properly Baltic! Aside from that, the part-timers put up a solid display to only trail 12-10 at the break, before Salford’s class shone through in the second half as they claimed a comfortable 46-10 victory.
A note on the Alexander Stadium too, and what an excellent venue it is. As an athletics stadium, the seats are further away from the pitch than I’d like, but for a club of the Hurricanes’ size, it’s an incredible ground and I’ll definitely head back at some point.
March
9th – Wigan Warriors vs Huddersfield Giants
I scratched the itch in February with that Challenge Cup tie, but March was when my year season really got underway with four games in four weeks.
Wigan beat the Giants 44-18 in a routine victory, and for the life of me I can’t remember anything notable about this match. It was clearly a comfortable win though.
15th – Wigan Warriors vs Hull FC
Unfortunately I do remember this Challenge Cup tie all too well. It was an early evening kick-off, and a victory for Wigan would have seen them through to the quarter-finals.
At half-time that looked a near-certainty as the Cherry and Whites led 22-6, but Hull FC roared back in the second half, and there was a sense of inevitability in the final 10 minutes, as Lewis Martin completed his hat-trick in the final few minutes to seal a 26-22 win for the Black and Whites.
22nd – Leeds Rhinos vs Wigan Warriors
My first away game of the year, and another early evening kick-off. Between the Hull match and this one, I had spent a few days in Spain, so a rainy afternoon in Leeds brought me back down to Earth with a bump. (Not that I’d have wanted to be anywhere else of course).
Headingley is my favourite away ground, and I must be mad, but when it’s raining over the uncovered away end, it just adds to it somehow.
A tough, gritty game saw the Rhinos run out 12-10 winners, but this was an improved display from Wigan after the cup exit, and I loved standing out on the terrace again.
30th – Wigan Warriors vs Salford Red Devils
A fourth straight weekend of rugby league, as well as a cheeky few days in Spain – what a month March was for me!
Wigan’s 54-0 win over a depleted Salford was as routine as it gets, and again, there was nothing particularly memorable about this game.
April
18th – Wigan Warriors vs St. Helens
The Good Friday derby is one of the highlights of the calendar for me, and I always mark it in my diary when Wigan are at home.
As a special bonus this year, I even managed to avoid the Hull KR vs Hull FC result, so I could watch it back in full when I got home without the score being spoilt.
Back to the Wigan vs Saints game though. Maybe it says something about how underwhelming Saints were in 2025, but I don’t remember a great deal about this game either. I can only assume the result was never in doubt, and one thing I do remember is that the Cherry and Whites faced far tougher tests than this one.
27th – Hull FC vs Wigan Warriors
After I missed last year’s Hull FC away game due to a broken boiler, I was delighted to make it to this one without any issues.
It was a comfortable Sunday afternoon for the Warriors, and the sunny weather certainly helped. A good day all round, and this felt like the day that summer was arriving.
May
May was the first of two months in 2025 when I didn’t make it to a match. Magic Weekend didn’t appeal as Newcastle on a Sunday is a little too far, the two Friday night games were a no-go, and Perpignan on a Bank Holiday weekend was a stretch too far on the wallet.
I was missing my RL fix so much this month that I did consider getting a Challenge Cup semi-final ticket, even though Wigan weren’t there, but I decided against it as there would be plenty more games to come in 2025.
June
7th – Warrington Wolves vs Hull KR
As is tradition, I went to the Challenge Cup Final regardless of who was going to be in it. This was my 16th, and although it’s lost a little of its sparkle, I still love it.
This game was far from a classic, but all that will be remembered in years to come is Tom Davies’ late try, which secured Hull KR’s first Challenge Cup since 1980 and the first part of a historic treble.
Sadly, there’ll be more on that later…
14th – Huddersfield Giants vs Wigan Warriors
After the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham back in February, today saw me tick off my second new ground of the year – Dewsbury’s Flair Stadium.
A concert at the John Smith’s meant the Giants were forced to move their home game, and quite frankly the change of venue suited them. A typically low home turnout was actually far better suited to a smaller ground and made for a much better atmosphere.
Huddersfield’s magnificent performance helped matters, and Wigan really got away with one here. A Jack Farrimond try on the hooter snatched the two points, but it was more than the Warriors deserved, although it will live long in my memory, as it happened right in front of me in the away end.
July
19th – Wigan Warriors vs Hull FC
Unfortunately I had to wait five whole weeks before my next match, although I did miss one in that time due to a holiday in Kos, so it wasn’t all bad news.
It wouldn’t have been a tragedy to miss this one as it turned out. Hull won on Wigan’s patch for a second time this season and I’ll remember this match for years to come, as it was the game where Christian Wade couldn’t even catch a cold. It was the rugby union convert’s second appearance for the Warriors…and his last. He did score an impressive try though, and finished his rugby league career with two tries in two games.
August
15th – Wigan Warriors vs Hull KR
I said there’s be more on Hull KR’s treble later, and this was the night they effectively clinched the League Leaders’ Shield.
I always make the effort to get to at least one Friday night game in the season, and with the season shaping up as it was, this was the standout fixture by a mile.
A few weeks earlier, it looked as though it would be a winner-take-all game for the LLS, but by the time this game came around, the Robins had an advantage that they would never relinquish.
The match itself was far from a classic, but Rovers’ outstanding defence made the difference, as they claimed a fully deserved 10-6 victory.
24th – Wigan Warriors vs Wakefield Trinity
On paper, this looked like it would be a close game, but the Warriors bounced back from their Hull KR defeat in style with a very comfortable 44-2 win.
The thing I’ll remember most about this game is the return of Bevan French from injury, and he pulled all the strings in the Warriors’ victory.
I was even stopped in the services on the way home by a fan who’d seen my shirt and wanted to know how the boys had got on, which was a very welcome surprise when I was surrounded by Everton fans.
September
Sadly, September was the only other month I didn’t make it to any games.
We had family over from Australia for two weeks though, so it would have been difficult to get out anyway. Fortunately, the fact that all three of Wigan’s games this month were on a Friday night, meant I wouldn’t have got to any of them anyway.
October
11th – Wigan Warriors vs Hull KR
Just like the Challenge Cup Final, I make it my mission to go to the Grand Final every year and if Wigan are in it, then it’s a bonus.
This was my 17th visit to Old Trafford for the Super League showpiece, and it’s probably my favourite night of the year.
As I get my tickets months in advance, it did mean that unfortunately I was sat in the Hull KR end, although there were plenty of Wiganers around me as I discovered when Harry Smith crossed for the Warriors’ only try.
The performance was disappointing, but I can only congratulate Hull KR on an outstanding season. They fully deserved the victory on the night and across the wholer campaign, so I can’t be too upset.
25th – England vs Australia – 1st test
Although the Grand Final loss was disappointing, having three Ashes tests to go and watch did help to cushion the blow.
For the first test at Wembley I had a mate come with me to his first ever game. He’s said he’ll be back again, so that’s one of the few positives to take from a dreadful England display.
On balance, it was great to see the Aussies live and you never know when you’ll get the chance again, so it’s always worth going if you can. There was a big crowd too, but the atmosphere was as flat as a pancake and as the second half drifted away from England I couldn’t help but get excited about the following weekend when it would be full of RL fans rather than the 50/50 split we had here.
November
1st – England vs Australia – 2nd test
After the Wembley disappointment, this was more like it. A packed stadium, a much-improved performance and no day trippers.
Maybe that last part’s a bit harsh, as I’m a huge advocate for growing the game, but there’s a huge difference between 52,000 die-hards at a match compared to 50,000 Union fans who ‘are giving it a go at Wembley’.
As for the Hill Dickinson Stadium – what a venue! Logistically, it’s a bit of a pain, but once you’re outside, who cares? It’s an incredible looking arena, great once you’re inside the bowl (the concourses are a bit smaller than I imagined), and I’m delighted it’ll be used for Magic Weekend in 2026.
I actually turned down a free work trip to Egypt to be at this game, and I’m so glad I did though! Easily one of my highlights of the year!
And the game itself? England huffed and puffed, and at least showed a bit more fight than they did in the first test. Ultimately though, the Aussies had too much class for us again, and the 14-4 loss meant the third test at Headingley would effectively be a dead rubber.
8th – England vs Australia – 3rd test
I always have mixed emotions around games like this, and I don’t mean because it was a dead rubber. On the one hand, I’m excited to see the Kangaroos again, but on the other, I’m sad that this will be it for 2025.
On the plus side, I can save some money over the winter ready to go again in 2026!
This match turned out to be England’s heaviest loss of the series, which was a bit harsh as they played much better here than they did at Wembley. There weren’t many highlights from a home perspective, but seeing the Aussies at full strength for one final time was another joy to behold.
