Squad watch: Super League Round 9 squad news, TV coverage & predictions
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com.
Here is everything you need to know ahead of Super League Round Nine, including squad news, television coverage and our predictions.
The action kicks-off at the AJ Bell Stadium as Salford host Castleford on Thursday, live on Sky Sports. It’s a short turnaround for Paul Rowley’s Red Devils, having defeated Leigh 22-20 on Saturday during Rivals Round.
The Sky Sports cameras then head to the Halliwell Jones Stadium for the mouth-watering clash between Warrington and Wigan on Friday.
There are three more games on Friday night, with Wakefield hosting Leigh on Sunday.
Super League Round 9 squads:
Salford v Castleford (Thursday, 8pm, live on Sky Sports)
Salford have named Oliver Partington in their 21-man squad for Thursday’s home fixture in a potential huge boost for the side.
The 24-year-old loose forward was expected to be sidelined for up to 10 weeks, having required a knee operation.
Gareth Widdop returns to Castleford’s squad, having missed the last two games through illness. He is one of four changes to Andy Last’s squad, with Adam Milner also returning and Sam Hall and Brad Martin named.
They replace Joe Westerman, Albert Vete, Jason Qareqare and Jacob Hookem.
Salford: Brierley, Sio, Watkins, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Ormondroyd, Ackers, Vuniyayawa, Dixon, Stone, Partington, Atkin, Addy, Dupree, Wright, Longstaff, Williams, Costello, Hellewell, Cross.
Castleford: Evalds, Eden, Turner, Fonua, Faraimo, Widdop, Miller, Lawler, McShane, Griffin, Edwards, Mellor, Massey, Milner, Broadbent, Mustapha, Smith, Matagi, Martin, Hall, Johnson.
Prediction: The hosts by 16.
Warrington v Wigan (Friday, 8pm, live on Sky Sports)
Gil Dudson received a five-match suspension for his punch on Catalans winger Tom Johnstone. Joe Philbin also misses out with a two game ban.
Matt Peet has made two changes to his squad, with the Wigan boss confirming Mike Cooper will miss the rest of the season through injury.
Morgan Smithies is unavailable due to suspension. Harvie Hill has been recalled from his loan spell at Toulouse and has been named alongside Willie Isa following his one-match ban.
Warrington: Ashton, Clark, Currie, Drinkwater, Dufty, Green, Hayes, Kasiano, Mata’utia, McGuire, Minikin, Nicholson, Ratchford, Reddecliff, Russell, Thewlis, Thomas, Vaughan, Walker, Whitehead, Williams.
Wigan: French, King, Wardle, Marshall, Smith, Singleton, Powell, Byrne, Isa, Farrell, Ellis, Havard, Pearce-Paul, Shorrocks, Mago, Thornley, O’Neill, Miski, Hill, Nsemba, Forber.
Prediction: A tough one to call. Warrington by eight.
Huddersfield v Catalans (Friday, 7:45pm)
Jamaica international Kieran Rush comes in for the injured Olly Russell in the only change made by Ian Watson.
Sam Tomkins returns for Catalans alongside Bastien Scimone, replacing Michael McIlorum and Alrix Da Costa in Steve McNamara’s 21-man squad.
Huddersfield: Connor, McGillvary, Marsters, Naiqama, Bibby, Lolohea, Hill, Peats, McQueen, Yates, English, Rushton, Trout, Ikahihifo, O’Brien, Cudjoe, Livett, Halsall, Ashworth, Pryce, Rush.
Catalans: Mourgue, Davies, Keighran, Laguerre, McMeeken, Bousquet, Whitley, Seguier, Garcia, Goudemand, Navarrete, Rouge, Chan, Romano, Taukeiaho, Dezaria, Johnstone, Scimone, Tison, Tomkins, Zenon.
Prediction: The hosts by 10.
Leeds v Hull (Friday, 8pm)
James Donaldson and Sam Walters return to the Leeds squad having featured at Bradford against Halifax in the Championship on dual-registration.
Liam Tindall and Jack Sinfield have also been named.
Tony Smith has made four changes to his Hull squad. Kane Evans and Mitieli Vulikijapani will serve their respective one-match suspensions. Jake Clifford (ankle) and Jamie Shaul (calf) also miss out.
They are replaced by Andre Savelio, Joe Lovodua, Cam Scott and Harvey Barron.
Leeds: Myler, Newman, Macdonald, Handley, Austin, Sezer, Oledzki, Tetevano, Bentley, Martin, Smith, O’Connor, Lisone, Sangare, Holroyd, McDonnell, Walters, Tindall, Donaldson, Johnson, Sinfield.
Hull: Swift, Tuimavave, Sutcliffe, McIntosh, Sao, Houghton, Satae, Savelio, Lane, Fash, Lovodua, Cator, Scott, McNamara, Brown, Griffin, Litten, Barron, Gardiner, Taylor, Dwyer.
Prediction: Hull are in a rough spot and it could get rougher. Leeds by 16.
Hull KR v St Helens (Friday, 8pm)
Hull KR forward duo Sauaso Sue and James Batchelor both miss out this week through suspensions. Sam Wood also drops out with a minor hamstring injury. The trio are replaced by Jimmy Keinhorst, Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e and Corey Hall for the first time since joining the club.
St Helens boss Paul Wellens has made four changes to his squad following their Good Friday defeat. Sione Mata’utia faces an extended period of time on the sideline following his head knock against Wigan.
Morgan Knowles has received a five-match suspension, while Curtis Sironen and Agnatius Paasi miss out through injury.
Hull KR: Coote, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall, Hall, Abdull, Parcell, King, Halton, Linnett, Minchella, Litten, Kennedy, Storton, Keinhorst, Lewis, Milnes, Hadley, Senior, Luckley, Laulu-Togaga’e, Hall.
St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Percival, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Roby, Lees, Lussick, LMS, Wingfield, Bell, Royle, Hurrell, Baxter, Ritson, Hill, Delaney, Buckley, Bruines.
Prediction: St Helens are without four forwards for this one and could still be a little bit battered and bruised from their derby defeat at the DW Stadium. For that reason, Hull KR by 10.
Wakefield v Leigh (Sunday, 3pm)
Wakefield have been boosted with the return of forward duo Josh Bowden and Kelepi Tanginoa ahead of Sunday’s clash with Leigh.
Full-back Gareth O’Brien returns for the Leopards following his failed head injury assessment during the defeat to Wigan. Head coach Adrian Lam has also provided the latest injury update on back-rower Jack Hughes.
Leigh will also still be without Fijian prop Ben Nakubuwai for a couple of more weeks yet due to a knee injury.
Wakefield: Taufua, Lyne, Lino, Battye, Hood, Whitbread, Ashurst, Tanginoa, Pitts, Kay, Bowden, Atoni, Kershaw, Proctor, Smith, Langi, Bowes, Eseh, Hewitt, Dagger, Senior.
Leigh: Hardaker, Briscoe, Chamberlain, Leutele, Charnley, Mellor, Lam, Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Asiata, Reynolds, Holmes, O’Brien, Davis, Smith, Gannon, O’Donnell, Wilde, Hanley, Seumanufagai.
Prediction: If Wakefield want to give themselves any chance in 2023, this is a home game they should be looking to win. But the visitors might be too much on the day. Leigh by 14.