Super League: Zak Hardaker out to show he's full value for accolade

Leeds take on Catalan Dragons at Headingley

Zak Hardaker (GETTY IMAGES)

Zak Hardaker, with a huge disciplinary cloud lifted from him, will have the chance to demonstrate he is the best full-back in Super League when he goes up against the tryscoring sensation Morgan Escare.

The contest between the leading No 1s is an intriguing subplot to the Super League elimination play-off between Leeds and Catalan Dragons at Headingley.

Hardaker got the vote ahead of the French international for the full-back spot in the 2014 Super League Dream Team, but was in danger of missing the play-off until the RFL decided not to bring charges for alleged homophobic comments during a match. He had already served a five-match ban imposed for homophobic abuse in mid-season.

He also feared this would count against him for the Dream Team and was “over the moon” to be told of his inclusion in the line-up.

“There were a number of candidates,” Hardaker said, “but towards the back of the end Escare has come out on his own and scored some amazing tries. I thought it was going to be a tight call between me and him.

“For me it’s massive. It’s been a tough year, with things off the pitch, but everything I do on the pitch I try and do at 110 per cent and, hopefully, that’s shown with me being picked for the Dream Team.”

Warrington will be involved in sudden-death play-off action from the off after winning only one of their last three matches of the regular season to finish outside the top four for the first time for five years.

Beaten Grand Finalists for the last two seasons, the Wolves host Widnes at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

The season will finish for the losers while, for one of the captains, it will signal the end of a wonderful career, with Jon Clarke (Widnes) and Michael Monaghan (Warrington) hanging up their boots.