A superb combined XIII of Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves stars
From left to right: George Williams, Esan Marsters & Matty Nicholson
Ahead of this weekend’s Challenge Cup semi-final between the pair, we pick out a combined XIII made up of Huddersfield Giants and Warrington Wolves stars.
Only players currently available for selection have been considered and chosen, meaning that the likes of Huddersfield‘s Chris Hill and Warrington‘s Leon Hayes (both injured) were never in contention.
So, without further ado, our combined XIII of Giants & Wolves…
Matt Dufty
Jake Connor has done well so far this year, but Dufty is definitely the better choice. The Australian is Super League’s top metre-maker and has taken in the most carries in the competition, too. Lightning quick when he gets going, he’s also made the third-highest number of tackle busts in the competition and has eight tries to his name so far in 2024. Our full-back.
Adam Swift
Not many have scored more tries in Super League over the last two or three years than Swift. The 31-year-old bagged for fun in a poor Hull FC team and has excelled again since his off-season move to Huddersfield, scoring 16 in 12 appearances including a hat-trick against his former employers in the Challenge Cup Sixth Round. A sure-fire choice, for us!
RELATED: Huddersfield Giants star Adam Swift is Super League’s best winger: and the stats prove it!
Esan Marsters
We’re not sure where this version of Marsters was last year, but so far in 2024 he’s been among the best centres in Super League, right from the off. The Cook Islands & Kiwi international is second only to Dufty in terms of metres made in the top flight, and is involved in everything good that the Giants produce. He’s also already bettered his try tally from 2023.
Toby King
“We were all in Kingy’s world” was the quote from boss Sam Burgess after a blistering first-half display from the centre as they beat Hull KR last week, and what a wonderful place that is to be when he’s on form! Wire fans had high expectations of King upon his return from last year’s loan at Wigan Warriors, and boy has he delivered already. In Harry Redknapp’s words, T’rffic plur.
Matty Ashton
Young Matty Ashton turns 26 in July… we know, we can’t believe it either. It’s over four years since we saw the winger debut for Warrington, but we don’t enjoy watching him in full flow any less now than we did then. He’s become a real key figure for Wire, not just with his tries but the way he’s able to draw defenders in and create gaps for others accordingly.
George Williams
Very few Super League teams would pass up on the opportunity if they were offered Williams, a leader in every sense of the word with some serious talent to boot. The England skipper seems to have taken his game to another level this year, chipping in with more tries and orchestrating things for the Wolves.
Adam Clune
We feel like Huddersfield are missing a half-back partner for Clune that would allow him to hit the heights we know he’s capable of, and Williams would be a sterling choice in this fantasy world. The Australian hasn’t disappointed since his arrival though, and is deserving of his spot in this XIII. He’d cause chaos for opposition defences when given the opportunity.
James Harrison
Spoiler alert: Our forward pack is very heavily dominated by Warrington players, but given who their head coach is and how they’ve transformed this year, that was always going to be the case. Harrison is one of those players that appears to have had a new lease of life breathed into him, recently described by boss Burgess as ‘the first player on the team-sheet’. We don’t disagree!
RELATED: Sam Burgess pays ultimate compliment to in-form Warrington Wolves prop James Harrison
Danny Walker
With his 25th birthday next month, Walker recently surpassed a century of appearances for hometown club Warrington, and is fast approaching the landmark of 150 career appearances. The four-time England international has always been capable of some impressive stuff, but this season he seems to have found his stride, really important for Wire in both attack and defence. Our 9.
Paul Vaughan
In what was a poor season for the Wolves, prop Vaughan still managed to get himself into the Super League Dream Team, testament to how well he performed. The 33-year-old continues to be an absolute colossus, so hard for opposition defences to stop when he’s on the charge and equally, there aren’t many who willingly drive the ball in at him. A huge presence in any team.
Matty Nicholson
A few weeks back, we probably would have given this spot to team-mate Adam Holroyd, but Nicholson has stepped up his game and is now a must-have in this side for us. There seems to be a new stat about the youngster after every game, and all of them are positive. The latest was 41 tackles as Wire beat Hull KR last Thursday night. A reminder that he’s still only 20, some talent!
RELATED: Matty Nicholson rise charted as Warrington Wolves’ tackling machine earns Sam Burgess praise
Lachlan Fitzgibbon
The arrival of Australian powerhouse Fitzgibbon seems to have levelled up the entire forward pack at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, be that because of his sheer size and according presence or the fact that he just leads from the front. If there’s action to be had, the ex-NRL ace is going to be involved in it. A man who absolutely loves ‘ripping in’, to use that horrible cliché. Unit.
Luke Yates
The only Huddersfield forward we’ve included is almost certainly going to be a Warrington player next year… we promise we haven’t done that deliberately! It’s no wonder the Wire want Giants skipper Yates in their squad come 2025 though, another real leader with all the qualities you want from someone in at 13. Six overseas aces in this side then, we’ve filled our quota. Job done!
