This Betfred Super League season has already had absolutely everything. St Helens have become world champions but also been brought down a peg by Leeds Rhinos, who themselves have had a rollercoaster start. Castleford Tigers have already lost their coach after three straight losses, there has been controversy on the field with eight-point tries, shoulder charges, late shots and lengthy bans, and Leigh Leopards have started the year with some great performances.
Friday night brings four more belting fixtures as Andy Last makes a claim for the Castleford job, so here is everything you need to know about the evening's slate of action.
Huddersfield Giants v Castleford Tigers
Where: John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield.
When: 8:00pm (GMT)
TV: Sky Sports Arena
Huddersfield's last five: Won 8-0 @ Wakefield (Rd 3), Lost 16-26 v Warrington (Rd 2), Lost 0-28 v Salford (2022 eliminator), Won 16-14 v Wakefield (Rd 27, 2022), Won 38-36 v Warrington (Rd 26, 2022)
Castleford's last five: Lost 0-36 v Wigan (Rd 3), Lost 6-24 v St Helens (Rd 2), Lost 30-32 @ Hull FC (Rd 1), Lost 8-14 @ Leeds (Rd 27, 2022), Lost 10-50 v Salford (Rd 26, 2022)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Huddersfield 1/5, Castleford 18/5, draw 22/1
First try scorer odds: Jake Bibby (Huddersfield) 8/1, Leroy Cudjoe (Huddersfield) 9/1, Ashton Golding (Huddersfield) 12/1, Will Pryce (Huddersfield) 12/1, Esan Marsters (Huddersfield) 12/1
Milestones:
If picked, Huddersfield's Nathan Mason will be playing his 150th career game, while Cas' Suaia Matagi needs one more selection to reach 200 in his career.
Previous meetings:
Round 24, 2022: Huddersfield Giants 36, Castleford Tigers 10
Round 17, 2022: Castleford Tigers 26, Huddersfield Giants 18
Round 5, 2022: Huddersfield Giants 36, Castleford Tigers 24
Round 17, 2021: Castleford Tigers 16, Huddersfield Giants 34
Round 13, 2020: Castleford Tigers 19, Huddersfield Giants 31
Total Super League meetings: 52 (Huddersfield 22, Castleford 30, no draws)
Huddersfield's start has gone under the radar after their early rest in week one and a defeat to high-flying Warrington Wolves in their opening fixture. Last week's win over Wakefield Trinity without conceding a point was a sign of their ability to tough out fixtures, but Ian Watson's side are expected to deliver on a lot of promise this season so a first television match against a disillusioned Castleford will be a big moment in their season.
Castleford go into the match without a permanent coach following Lee Radford's departure, but in Andy Last they have someone offering a bit of familiarity and a potential candidate for the long-term gig. How he gets the players to respond to a turbulent month will say much about his readiness to take the reins on a full-time basis.
Sportsman stat: Cas won on their first seven visits to the John Smith's in Super League between 1998 and 2003 but later lost seven trips in succession from 2010 to 2015.
Hull Kingston Rovers v Warrington Wolves
Where: Sewell Group Craven Park, Hull.
When: 8.00pm (GMT)
TV: No live screening
Hull KR's last five: Lost 25-30 v Leigh (Rd 3), Won 24-10 @ Salford (Rd 2), Won 27-18 v Wigan (Rd 1), Won 36-4 @ Hull FC (Rd 27, 2022), Won 38-28 v Wigan (Rd 26, 2022)
Warrington's last five: Won 36-20 v Salford (Rd 3), Won 26-16 @ Huddersfield (Rd 2), Won 42-10 v Leeds (Rd 1), Won 32-14 @ Salford (Rd 27, 2022), Lost 36-38 @ Huddersfield (Rd 26, 2022)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Hull KR 23/10, Warrington 4/11, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Matt Dufty (Warrington) 8/1, Matty Ashton (Warrington) 8/1, Josh Thewlis (Warrington) 9/1, Matty Russell (Warrington) 12/1, Greg Minikin (Warrington) 14/1
Milestones:
Matty Russell remains just three tries short of 100 in his career.
Previous meetings:
Round 20, 2022: Warrington 22, Hull Kingston Rovers 30
Round 7, 2022: Hull Kingston Rovers 34, Warrington Wolves 18
Elimination play-off, 2021: Warrington Wolves 0, Hull Kingston Rovers 19
Round 5, 2021: Warrington Wolves 50, Hull Kingston Rovers 26
Round 8, 2020: Warrington Wolves 40, Hull Kingston Rovers 10
Total Super League meetings: 32 (Hull KR 12, Warrington 19, one draw)
Speak to any Hull Kingston Rovers fan and they will tell you their start has carried all the typical traits of the Robins. They showed their class in beating Wigan Warriors first up, then their durability in coming back to win at Salford Red Devils. But last time out they were sloppy with and without the ball as they lost at home to Leigh Leopards. They now face the table toppers with most of their superstar left edge, with Kane Linnett and Jordan Abdull both injured and skipper Shaun Kenny-Dowall suspended for the next four weeks.
Daryl Powell's Wolves will have learned a lot in falling 20-6 behind to Salford last Thursday, with their second half 30-point comeback ensuring they also continued their 100 per cent start to the season. They will have a tough test at Craven Park on Friday, but they have already shown their mettle on the road this season in knocking off Huddersfield so will be confident of going one better than last year's three-game winning start which fell away to a nightmare campaign.
Sportsman stat: Warrington have won their opening four games of a Super League season twice before, in 1999 (four straight wins) and 2016 (seven straight wins).
Leeds Rhinos v Wakefield Trinity
Where: Headingley Stadium, Leeds.
When: 8.00pm (GMT)
TV: No live screening
Leeds' last five: Won 25-24 @ St Helens (Rd 3), Lost 18-22 v Hull FC (Rd 2), Lost 10-42 @ Warrington (Rd 1), Lost 12-24 v St Helens (2022 Grand Final), Won 20-8 @ Wigan (2022 semi-final)
Wakefield's last five: Lost 0-8 v Huddersfield (Rd 3), Lost 0-60 @ Wigan (Rd 2), Lost 24-38 v Catalans (Rd 1), Lost 14-16 @ Huddersfield (Rd 27, 2022), Won 34-18 @ St Helens (Rd 26, 2022)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Leeds 1/9, Wakefield 6/1, draw 22/1
First try scorer odds: Ash Handley (Leeds) 6/1, David Fusitu'a (Leeds) 8/1, Derrell Olpherts (Leeds) 9/1, Harry Newman (Leeds) 9/1, Nene Macdonald (Leeds) 10/1
Previous meetings:
Round 13, 2022: Leeds Rhinos 24, Wakefield Trinity 6
Round 4, 2022: Wakefield Trinity 18, Leeds Rhinos 34
Round 22, 2021: Wakefield Trinity 20, Leeds Rhinos 13
Round 6, 2021: Leeds Rhinos 15, Wakefield Trinity 13
Round 1, 2021: Wakefield Trinity 22, Leeds Rhinos 28
Total Super League meetings: 57 (Leeds 44, Wakefield 12, one draw)
Rohan Smith will have been delighted to see his Leeds Rhinos side finally get a first win under their belt when they beat world champions St Helens in round three, coming from 24-12 down to complete the improbable job. But now that they have those two points they need to kick on and deal with teams they ought to be brushing aside, and Wakefield are very much one of those outfits right now. With Blake Austin and Aidan Sezer beginning to show signs of rekindling their great half-back partnership at Canberra Raiders, the Rhinos will be confident of making it back-to-back successes.
Wakefield are in some state right now. With no wins from three, they have failed to score in their last two fixtures in losing to Wigan Warriors (60-0 away) and Huddersfield Giants (8-0 at home). Mark Applegarth's squad was also reduced by one this week with the news that Lewis Murphy will miss the rest of the season with a cruciate ligament injury, further weakening their case for upsetting the bookies odds and remaining in Super League for a 26th straight campaign in 2024.
Sportsman stat: Leeds have lost only five of 27 meetings with Wakefield at Headingley in the Super League era.
Leigh Leopards v St Helens
Where: Leigh Sports Village, Leigh.
When: 8.00pm (GMT)
TV: No live screening
Leigh's last five: Won 30-25 @ Hull KR (Rd 3), Lost 6-14 @ Catalans (Rd 2), Lost 10-20 v Salford (Rd 1), Lost 24-42 @ Huddersfield (Rd 25, 2021), Won 26-18 v Wakefield (Rd 24, 2021)
St Helens' last five: Lost 24-25 v Leeds (Rd 3), Won 24-6 @ Castleford (Rd 2), Won 24-12 v Leeds (2022 Grand Final), Won 19-12 v Salford (2022 semi-final), Won 36-16 v Toulouse (Rd 27, 2022)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Leigh 16/5, St Helens 2/9, draw 20/1
First try scorer odds: Tommy Makinson (St Helens) 8/1, Tee Ritson (St Helens) 8/1, Jon Bennison (St Helens) 11/1, Jack Welsby (St Helens) 11/1, Wesley Bruines (St Helens) 12/1
Milestones:
With a hat-trick, Tom Briscoe would reach 200 tries in his career, while Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook will be making his 450th career appearance if picked, and his 348th in a 13-year spell at St Helens.
Previous meetings:
Round 21, 2021: St Helens 42, Leigh Centurions 12
Round 5, 2021: Leigh Centurions 12, St Helens 22
Round 12, 2017: St Helens 28, Leigh Centurions 6
Round 2, 2017: Leigh Centurions 24, St Helens 16
Round 26, 2005: Leigh Centurions 4, St Helens 78
Total Super League meetings: 7 (Leigh 1, St Helens 6, no draws)
Leigh's last-gasp victory at Hull Kingston Rovers last Friday has finally given the Leopards some just reward for an impressive beginning to the campaign. Adrian Lam's side lost out narrowly to Salford Red Devils and Catalans Dragons despite decent showings, and so there will be a clear warning to St Helens that this is not the Leigh team of previous Super League seasons which has failed to make any real impact. Josh Charnley and Lachlan Lam have both started the term well for a team looking well equipped to coast to safety.
Paul Wellens will be looking for a response from his side after an ill-disciplined loss to Leeds Rhinos at Langtree Park seven days ago. Without the suspended Konrad Hurrell, Curtis Sironen and Sione Mata'utia there will be a need to shuffle the pack and potentially an opportunity for some squad players to stake a claim for a regular nod given the defeat last time up. Whatever the matchday 18, Saints will be heavily backed to get two points this week.
Sportsman stat: St Helens have won six of the seven Super League meetings between these two, scoring 273 points and conceding 94 at an average score of 39-13.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
