As the season heads towards its climax, on this week’s podcast Dave Woods is joined by John Kear and Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley, to discuss the two intriguing semi-finals in both the Super League and Championship play-offs. Catalans Dragons host St Helens and Wigan Warriors face Hull KR for a place in the Grand Final at Old Trafford. While Featherstone Rovers meet London Broncos and Toulouse Olympique take on Bradford Bulls with each club desperate to secure the final automatic promotion place to Super League before licensing returns.

At the announcement of this season’s Dream Team, Dave Woods talks to some of the star names who’ve been selected, alongside the coaches hoping to steer their club to Grand Final glory at Old Trafford. From Wigan, head coach Matt Peet and captain Liam Farrell reflect on a season which witnessed the Warriors claim the League Leaders’ Shield. Jack Welsby and Gary Chambers preview the play-off eliminator between St Helens and Warrington Wolves, while Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Adrian Lam and Josh Charnley look ahead to the Wembley repeat as Hull KR host Leigh Leopards, with the flying winger revealing he spends his spare time doing a rather exhausting ‘second’ job!

Matt Newsum welcomes coaching legend John Kear to the podcast ahead of a dramatic final round of Super League fixtures with a three-way battle for the League Leaders Shield and play-off positions and places still up for grabs.

In what John promises will be a “fascinating Friday” he takes a forensic look at the prospects of Wigan, Catalans and St Helens, and which of the trio is best equipped to take the coveted top spot in the league, and go for glory in the prestigious Grand Final.

John also brings his expertise and experience to reflect on the tussle for 4th place between Leigh and Hull KR, with home advantage at stake in the play-off eliminator. And will it be Warrington or Salford who take the coveted final play-off spot in the post-season?

There’s also drama guaranteed in this weekend’s final round of Championship games with four teams jostling for two play-off spots. And there’s no one better qualified than John to look at the contenders having coached three of the four teams in the top eight.

Matt Newsum is in St Helens for the launch of the 2023 International Test Series between England and Tonga, which will see the two nations collide in three matches in October and November. The England Head Coach Shaun Wane previews the series along with Captain George Williams, and we hear from Kristian Woolf, who led St Helens to three Super League titles and is returning to the UK in the autumn as Head Coach of Tonga.

Matt Newsum and Kevin Brown are joined by former England, Hull KR, Canberra and Parramatta hooker Josh Hodgson who recently announced his retirement from Rugby League. He was the first ever English player to represent Canberra, and captained them in the NRL Grand Final in 2019. Widely recognised as one of British Rugby League’s finest exports to Australia, he was also part of the England squad who reached the World Cup Final in 2017.

On this week’s podcast, Matt Newsum and Kevin Brown are joined by Eamon O’Carroll. The former Wigan Warriors and Widnes Vikings prop forward, whose career was ended prematurely through injury, is now on the coaching staff at Catalans Dragons who currently head the Super League table. A Grand Final appearance at Old Trafford would cap a hugely successful second spell in the South of France for Eamon before he heads back to England and Bradford to take up the head coaching role with the Bulls in 2024.

Dave Woods and Kevin Brown are joined on this week’s podcast by York Knights head coach, Andrew Henderson. The panel reflect on Castleford’s victory over Wakefield and whether that result makes Trinity favourites again for relegation and what that could mean for the club. Plus, what is going wrong at Warrington; is the lack of a TV deal affecting player contract for next season; who’s going to make the Grand Final; and can anyone deny Featherstone Rovers promotion to Super League?

Dave Woods, Kevin Brown and former Great Britain coach, Brian Noble, look back on a dramatic day at Wembley. In the 80th men’s final to be held at the national stadium, Leigh Leopards defeated Hull KR in golden-point extra-time thanks to the boot of Lance Todd Trophy winner, Lachlan Lam. While in the women’s final between St Helens and Leeds Rhinos, the first-ever to be played at Wembley, it was Saints who emerged victorious, claiming their third successive Challenge Cup crown.

Dave Woods previews an historic Challenge Cup Finals Day when Hull KR and Leigh Leopards will contest the 80th Men’s Final to be played at Wembley, whilst St Helens and Leeds Rhinos face each other in the first ever Women’s Final to be held there. Players and coaches from all four teams reveal what it means to be involved in one of the most prestigious days on the Sporting Calendar.

Dave Woods and Kevin Brown are joined by the St Helens half-back Faye Gaskin who, after two years out with injury, scored the dramatic match-winning drop-goal last weekend to take her team to the Challenge Cup Final. She tells her incredible and inspirational story of being stopped from playing at school, to the dark days during her recovery from her injury, and the realisation of her dream to play at Wembley for the very first time in a sport where she’s not even being paid.