Super League Preview: Warrington v Huddersfield
Super League leaders Huddersfield face another test of their title credentials when they travel to pre-season favourites Warrington on Friday.
The Giants have suffered just one defeat this season, and have recorded impressive victories against St Helens, Wigan and Leeds.
Warrington returned to winning ways at Salford last weekend having suffered back-to-back defeats for the first time since April 2011.
Forwards Trent Waterhouse and Ben Harrison return to the Wolves’ 19-man squad following their respective injuries.
Coach Tony Smith said: “Huddersfield have been the most consistent in their performances so far this year. They’ve started the season well as they have done for the last few years now and we expect a really tough challenge again on Friday.
“We will need to go up another gear in terms of our performance and build on our defence as well as honing some of our attack.”
Huddersfield are unchanged after their win over Hull last Saturday, and they will be looking to curb a run of five straight defeats against Warrington.
Their last win at the Halliwell Jones Stadium came in the 2010 play-offs.
Warrington 19-man squad: Atkins, Bridge, Carvell, Cooper, Currie, Grix, Harrison, Higham, Hill, Hodgson, J Monaghan, M Monaghan, Myler, O’Brien, Ratchford, Riley, Waterhouse, Westwood, Wood.
Huddersfield 19-man squad: Grix, Cudjoe, Wardle, McGillvary, Brough, Robinson, Crabtree, Lunt, Kopczak, Ferres, Faiumu, Patrick, Ta’ai, Murphy, Cording, Fairbank, Ferguson, Dawson, Fielden.
Prediction: Warrington won’t want to lose a third game in four, particularly against a team threatening to upset the top four party – home win.
Stats:
Warrington have won their last five meetings with Huddersfield, with the Giants’ last victory coming at home, 29-10, on 8 April, 2011.
Huddersfield’s last win at the Halliwell Jones Stadium was a 34-22 play-off success on 18 September, 2010. The Wolves have won their last three home games with the Giants since then.
Warrington’s Joel Monaghan has scored tries in the Wolves’ last five meetings with the Giants as follows: 2-2-1-1-3. Monaghan has scored ten tries in his seven games against Huddersfield – also scoring a debut try (the opening try of the 2011 season) against the Giants at Millennium Magic. The only fixture he has failed to score in against the Giants was a 29-10 away loss on 8 April, 2011.
Super League summary:
Warrington won 24 (includes win in 2011 play-offs)
Huddersfield won 12 (includes win in 2010 play-offs)
Warrington highest score: 54-6 (H, 2012) (also widest margin)
Huddersfield highest score: 52-10 (H, 2001) (also widest margin)