Super League Preview: Salford v Huddersfield

James Gordon

Salford host league leaders Huddersfield on Friday after both suffering difficult defeats in the snow last weekend.

The City Reds went down 14-10 at St Helens, while the Giants were try-less in defeat against Warrington.

The home side look set to be coached for a fourth consecutive game by Alan Hunte, with a permanent successor to Phil Veivers still yet to be announced.

Young back-rower Peter Aspinall has been named in the Huddersfield 19-man squad for the first time this season.

Salford 19-man squad: Broughton, Gibson, Howarth, Foran, Ashurst, Dixon, Wild, Godwin, Nero, Boyle, James, Neal, Fages, Sneyd, Owen, Evalds, Griffin, Murphy, Okanga-Ajwang.

Huddersfield 19-man squad: Grix, Cudjoe, Wardle, McGillvary, Brough, Robinson, Crabtree, Lunt, Kopczak, Ferres, Faiumu, Murphy, Cording, Fairbank, Ferguson, Mullally, Dawson, Aspinall, Fielden.

Prediction: The first game of a favourable Easter weekend for the Giants, who should tighten their grip on first place – away win.

Stats:

Salford’s Jodie Broughton scored tries in all three of the City Reds’ 2012 meetings with Huddersfield as follows: 1-2-1.

Super League summary:

Salford won 15
Huddersfield won 13
Salford highest score: 40-6 (H, 1998) (also widest margin)
Huddersfield highest score: 52-4 (H, 2010); 52-22 (H, 2011) (Widest margin: 52-4, H, 2010)