Squad watch: Super League Round 21 team news, including TV coverage & predictions

Its Round 21 of Super League action this weekend, with two games being shown live on Sky Sports, including one on Sunday.

Castleford Tigers v Huddersfield Giants (Friday, 8pm, Sky Sports Arena)

Liam Horne (right) in action on his international debut for Papua New Guinea in 2022

Former England international Gareth Widdop has come back into the Tigers squad after missing last week’s defeat to Hull KR with a minor injury.

Lebanon international Charbel Tasipale and Papua New Guinea international Liam Horne could make their Castleford debuts against Huddersfield.

Meanwhile, Huddersfield will be without Jermaine McGillvary (hamstring) and Luke Yates (ankle). They are replaced by Will Pryce and Jack Ashworth.

Castleford: Eden, Widdop, Miller, Lawler, Griffin, Edwards, Mellor, Westerman, Massey, Sutcliffe, Broadbent, Matagi, Wallis, Hall, Watts, Tate, Johnstone, Foster, Tsikrikas, Tasipale, Horne.

Huddersfield: Milner, Golding, Hill, McQueen, Marsters, Connor, Ashworth, Bibby, Greenwood, Naiqama, Cudjoe, Yates, English, Peats, Russell, Wilson, Halsall, Hewitt, Ikahihifo, Lolohea, Fages, Pryce.

Prediction: Huddersfield have hit some form lately, but it’s at the Jungle so I don’t think there’ll be much in it. I’ll tip Ian Watson’s side by 7.

Warrington Wolves v Catalans Dragons (Friday, 8pm)

Matty Ashton scores against St Helens in Super League

Gary Chambers will take his first game in charge of the Wolves on Friday since taking over the head coaching reins on an interim basis. The Wire will be without England international winger Matty Ashton (foot and shoulder), with Connor Wrench likely to come back in.

Catalans will be without prop Mike McMeeken due to the return to play concussion protocol. Fouad Yaha and Bastien Scimone replace Jordan Dezaria and McMeeken.

Warrington: Bullock, Clark, Crowther, Currie, Drinkwater, Dudson, Dufty, Hayes, Holroyd, Kasiano, Mata’utia, Mikaele, Minikin, Nicholson, Philbin, Ratchford, Thewlis, Vaughan, Walker, Williams, Wrench.

Catalans: Davies, Keighran, Yaha, May, Pearce, McIlorum, Bousquet, Whitley, Seguier, Garcia, Da Coasta, Goudemand, Navarrete, Chan, Romano, Ikuvalu, Johnstone, Scimone, Ma’u, Tomkins, Zenon.

Prediction: Warrington are in slump and Catalans are flying high so I can only see one winner here – Les Dracs by 10.

Wigan Warriors v Hull KR (Friday, 8pm)

Liam Byrne in action against Leigh Leopards in Super League

Speaking in his press conference this week, Wigan coach Matt Peet hinted that he’s likely to give Ireland international Liam Byrne a rest given he’s been playing through the pain barrier in recent weeks.

Hull KR coach Willie Peters has made 13 changes to his 21-man squad that faced Castleford last week, with the Robins boss resting many of his regulars ahead of next week’s Challenge Cup final.

Ethan Ryan, Tom Opacic, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Matt Parcell, George King, Kane Linnett, Elliot Minchella, Jez Litten, Rhys Kennedy, James Batchelor, Mikey Lewis, Sam Luckley and Brad Schneider are all rested.

Wigan: Field, French, King, Wardle, Marshall, Cust, Smith, Byrne, Farrell, Smithies, Ellis, Pearce-Paul, Shorrocks, Mago, Thornley, O’Neill, Miski, Hill, Nsemba, Hampshire, Dupree.

Hull KR: Storton, Keinhorst, Milnes, Hadley, Senior, Johnson, Aydin, Laulu-Togaga’e, Fishwick, Barley, Hall, Walker, Ellis, Tennison, Gorman, Rouge, Shaw, Thomas, Horne, Reynolds, Maull.

Prediction: Given Hull KR have are basically resting their entire squad, I think Wigan by a big score – Warriors by 32.

Hull FC v Wakefield Trinity (Sunday, 3pm)

Tony Smith has made two changes to his Hull squad, with captain Carlos Tuimavave and Jamie Shaul named for Zach Jebson and Liam Sutcliffe. Tex Hoy remains sidelined through injury.

Wakefield are searching for their fifth win of the season following their 42-6 triumph over Warrington in Round 20.

Hull: Swift, Tuimavave, McIntosh, Trueman, Clifford, Satae, Savelio, Lane, Fash, Lovodua, Cator, Scott, Brown, Litten, Barron, Gardiner, Shaul, Taylor, Dwyer.

Wakefield: Jowitt, Lyne, Lineham, Lino, Battye, Hood, Ashurst, Pitts, Kay, Bowden, Atoni, Kershaw, Proctor, Langi, Bowes, Eseh, Dagger, Senior, Gale, Croft, Fifita.

Prediction: Wakefield are flying with four wins in their last six and they may just pick up another win here.

Leeds Rhinos v Leigh Leopards (Sunday, 3pm, Sky Sports Action)

Oliver Gildart in action for Dolphins during the 2023 NRL pre-season challenge

Leeds Rhinos will be without full-back Richie Myler indefinitely due to a foot injury, confirmed by head coach Rohan Smith.

Blake Austin also departed the club to join Castleford Tigers on loan this week. Luke Hooley and Jack Sinfield have been included in the 21-man squad. David Fusitu’a misses out after failing his head injury assessment against St Helens. 

Meanwhile, Leigh have named a full strength squad to take on the Rhinos on Sunday. Despite the Challenge Cup final the following week, Leopards coach Adrian Lam said he will only make minimal changes to his side, with only one or two players being rested for Wembley.

Kai O’Donnell is available for selection having served his six-match suspension. New signing Oliver Gildart is likely to make his debut on Sunday.

Leeds: Macdonald, Handley, Sezer, Oledzki, Bentley, Martin, Smith, O’Connor, Lisone, Olpherts, Sangare, Holroyd, McDonnell, Hooley, Walters, Roberts, Donaldson, Johnson, Sinfield, Ruan, Edgell.

Leigh: Hardaker, Briscoe, Chamberlain, Charnley, Mellor, Lam, Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Wardle, Hughes, Asiata, Nakubuwai, Reynolds, Holmes, O’Brien, Davis, O’Donnell, Wilde, Seumanufagai, Gildart.

Salford Red Devils v St Helens (Sunday, 3pm)

Konrad Hurrell in action for St Helens

Salford Red Devils’ new recruit Brad Singleton is in line to make his debut in Sunday’s clash with the champions. Paul Rowley’s side are also set to be boosted by the returns of Samoan centre Tim Lafai and Fijian prop King Vuniyayawa.

St Helens centre and Tonga international Konrad Hurell is expected to be sidelined for the next month due to calf injury. Back-rower Curtis Sironen could potentially make his return after being named. Hooker Jake Burns has been named after impressing for the reserves. 

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Watkins, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Ormondroyd, Ackers, Vuniyayawa, Dixon, Stone, Partington, Atkin, Addy, Bourouh, Williams, Hellewell, Greenwood, Cross, Singleton.

St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Percival, Lomax, Dodd, Roby, Lees, Knowles, Sironen, Bell, Norman, Davies, Royle, Baxter, Ritson, Foster, Delaney, Bruines, Mbye, Burns.

Prediction: Salford are still outside the play-offs and could do with picking up a win. The Red Devils may just get the job done.

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