Leigh Centurions will begin their quest for the Kingstone Press Championship title with a home play-off against Doncaster next weekend.
Revenge will be on the cards for the Championship League Leaders’ Shield winners, whose only league defeat of a momentous season came at the hands of the South Yorkshire club.
The Championship title will be determined by the winners of a top-eight play-offs series, which next week also sees Featherstone Rovers host Halifax in a qualifying play-off.
Rovers sealed second spot with a late victory over Keighley that also saw the Cougars relegated to the new League 1 in 2015.
The winners of Leigh v Doncaster and Featherstone v Halifax will have a bye in Week II of the play-offs, while the losers will be at home to the winners of the two elimination play-offs featuring the teams that finished fifth to eight.
Those ties see Sheffield Eagles host Batley Bulldogs, who confirmed their place in the play-offs with a stirring win at Doncaster, while Dewsbury Rams are at home to Workington Town. The two losing team from these two matches will be eliminated.
In Kingstone Press Championship I, League Leader York City Knights have a bye in Week one of the five-team play-offs that will ultimately decide the title and promotion to the Championship in 2015.
York will be at home in Week two to the winners of the play-off between second-placed Hunslet Hawks and third-placed Oldham.
The other play-off sees Gateshead Thunder play Hemel Stags next week, when the losers will be eliminated, while the winners’ reward is a trip to the losers of Hunslet v Oldham in Week two.
Next week’s play-offs (finishing positions at end off regular season in brackets) are as follows:
Kingstone Press Championship: Leigh Centurions (1st) v Doncaster (4th), Featherstone Rovers (2nd) v Halifax (3rd), Sheffield Eagles (5th) v Batley Bulldogs (8th), Dewsbury Rams (6th) v Workington Town (7th).
Kingstone Press Championship I: Hunslet Hawks (2nd) v Oldham (3rd), Gateshead Thunder (4th) v Hemel Stags ((5th).
