Super League Preview - Friday
The end of season jostling for Super League play-off positions continues this weekend, as second placed Warrington host fourth placed Hull FC at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
The two sides met back in April where Warrington came out on top 29-10, but their opponents have improved as the season has wore on and will provide a much stiffer challenge for the Warriors this weekend according to assistant coach James Lowes.
“They had a few injuries but they're getting bodies back at the right time," Lowes told the club’s official website.
"They had a tough game against Crusaders last week. It's important that, as you get into the play-offs, you get into a bit of form and get your best team out and Hull are getting there.
"[Mark] O'Meley was a handful last time we played them at their place. They've got some fantastic attacking players and across the board they've got decent players. We will need to be on our game."
Warrington, who can still catch league leaders Wigan and win the Super League leaders shield if they win both their remaining games, are back to full strength this weekend as Richie Mathers, David Solomona and Michael Monaghan have all recovered from injuries that ruled them out of last week’s 36-18 win over Wakefield.
Hull FC make one change to their squad for the contest, with 18-year-old Jack Briscoe replacing the suspended Jordan Tansey who was charged with a Grade C offence after being sent off for a dangerous tackle during last Friday's narrow win over Crusaders.
The second game on Friday evening sees bottom club Catalan Dragons face a tough task against Leeds Rhinos at Headingley.
The current Super League champions have failed to hit the heights of last season but still are in a good position - currently fifth - to push on and be competitive in the play-offs.
The Rhinos were rocked with the news in the week that influential winger Scott Donald is retiring from the game to peruse a different career back in his native Australia. The 30-year-old has scored 90 tries in 143 games for Leeds, and will be hugely missed next season.
Kevin Sinfield, Danny Buderus and Ryan Bailey all return to the Rhinos squad having missed last week’s 38-6 win at Castleford. However, the hosts will be without Jamie Peacock and Luke Burgess who both suffered season ending injuries against the Tigers, both will also miss England’s end of season Four Nations competition in Australia.
Leeds obviously will go into the clash as heavy favourites, but may have one eye on the Challenge Cup final next Saturday. However, coach Brian McClennan is confident his side’s mind will be on this week’s clash against the Dragons.
"I think the players certainly answered that question last week at Castleford and I do not expect it to be a problem this week," he told the club's official website.
"As a club, we do not put up smoke screens and we would be lying if we said that Wembley was not in the back of the players' minds.
"However, crucially we have a very strong squad and everyone knows that they need to perform at their best to make sure they are selected for next week."
The visitors will have to enter the cauldron that is Headingley without many of their first choice players. Jean-Philippe Baile, Jerome Guisset, Sebastien Martins, Andrew Bentley and Jamie Farki have all joined Michael Simon, Gregory Mounis and Sebastien Raguin in a rather busy treatment room meaning a whole host of youngsters will be taking the field for the depleted Dragons.
It could be a long night for the travelling Catalan fans.
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