A week on from Leeds Rhinos' heavy defeat at Warrington Wolves it is they who host the Sky Sports cameras on Friday when Hull FC visit Headingley. Meanwhile, Wigan Warriors need a response after losing to Hull Kingston Rovers and Huddersfield Giants get their Betfred Super League campaign underway against a confident Warrington.
Here is everything you need to know about Friday's slate of action.
Huddersfield Giants v Warrington Wolves
Where: John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield.
When: 7.45pm (GMT)
TV: No live screening
Huddersfield’s last five: Lost 0-28 v Salford (2022 eliminator), Won 16-14 v Wakefield (Rd 27, 2022), Won 38-36 v Warrington (Rd 26, 2022), Lost 14-18 @ Leeds (Rd 25, 2022), Won 36-10 v Castleford (Rd 24, 2022)
Warrington's last five: Won 42-10 v Leeds (Rd 1), Won 32-14 @ Salford (Rd 27, 2022), Lost 36-38 @ Huddersfield (Rd 26, 2022), Lost 18-19 v Castleford (Rd 25, 2022), Lost 18-24 @ Leeds (Rd 24, 2022)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Huddersfield 4/5, Warrington 11/10, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Jake Bibby (Huddersfield) 8/1, Matt Dufty (Warrington) 8/1, Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield) 8/1, Matty Ashton (Warrington) 8/1, Josh Thewlis (Warrington) 9/1
Milestones:
Leroy Cudjoe will make his 350th career appearance if he plays on Friday, having played 337 times so far for Huddersfield Giants and represented England on 12 occasions.
Meanwhile, Jermaine McGillvary will don a Huddersfield shirt for the 300th time if he is picked, 13 years on from his Giants debut.
Elsewhere, Nathan Mason could make his 150th career appearance, Matty English is one game shy of 100, and Peter Mata'utia could play his 200th game.
And if Matty Russell bags a hat-trick, it will take him to 100 career tries.
Previous meetings:
Round 26, 2022: Huddersfield Giants 38, Warrington Wolves 36
Round 21, 2022: Huddersfield Giants 32, Warrington Wolves 22
Round 10, 2022: Warrington Wolves 32, Huddersfield Giants 10
Round 21, 2021: Huddersfield Giants 6, Warrington Wolves 26
Round 6, 2021: Warrington Wolves 20, Huddersfield Giants 26
Total Super League meetings: 60 (Huddersfield 22, Warrington 37, one draw)
After a week kicking their heels while everyone else got to play, Huddersfield Giants will be bursting to get their 2023 campaign going when Warrington visit the John Smith's. Much is now expected of the Giants in coach Ian Watson's third season in West Yorkshire, and with Kevin Naiqama, Nathan Peats, Esan Marsters and Jake Connor among their additions for the new season it should be a bolstered line-up which looks to improve on their top-four finish 12 months ago.
Warrington fans are still trying to get over the incredible impact made by Paul Vaughan on his Wolves debut as Daryl Powell's side got off to a flying start with a 42-10 win over Leeds. Yet they are second-favourites to win this one as they come up against a Huddersfield side who had a far better 2022 than them. Coach Powell won't be getting too carried away with the opening-night victory having seen his side go from three out of three to a relegation scrap last season.
Sportsman stat: While they won both of their home games against Warrington last year, Huddersfield actually have a poor record over the Super League era when the Wire visit the John Smith's, losing 15 of their 28 encounters.
Leeds Rhinos v Hull FC
Where: Headingley Stadium, Leeds.
When: 8.00pm (GMT)
TV: Sky Sports Arena
Leeds' last five: Lost 10-42 @ Warrington (Rd 1), Lost 12-24 v St Helens (2022 Grand Final), Won 20-8 @ Wigan (2022 semi-final), Won 20-10 @ Catalans (2022 eliminator), Won 14-8 v Castleford (Rd 27, 2022)
Hull FC's last five: Won 32-30 v Castleford (Rd 1), Lost 4-36 v Hull KR (Rd 27, 2022), Won 38-12 v Toulouse (Rd 26, 2022), Lost 18-28 @ Salford (Rd 25, 2022), Lost 18-26 v Wakefield (Rd 24, 2022)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Leeds 4/7, Hull FC 6/4, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Derrell Olpherts (Leeds) 7/1, Ash Handley (Leeds) 7/1, David Fusitu'a (Leeds) 8/1, Nene Macdonald (Leeds) 9/1, Adam Swift (Hull FC) 9/1
Milestones:
Carlos Tuimavave is likely to miss out on the opportunity to make his 150th appearance for Hull FC due to injury.
Previous meetings:
Round 17, 2022: Hull FC 16, Leeds Rhinos 62
Round 5, 2022: Leeds Rhinos 8, Hull FC 31
Round 23, 2021: Hull FC 24, Leeds Rhinos 25
Round 16, 2021: Hull FC 12, Leeds Rhinos 22
Round 7, 2021: Leeds Rhinos 12, Hull FC 18
Total Super League meetings: 60 (Leeds 42, Hull FC 17, one draw)
Having come from nowhere to reach the Grand Final in Super League last season, Leeds' no-show at Warrington in round one was a shock to most observers. Rohan Smith will be looking to coax a far better showing out of his side after a sloppy night at the Halliwell Jones last Thursday. Nene Macdonald is in line to make his Rhinos debut, but there's no Harry Newman, Mikolaj Oledzki or James Bentley due to injury.
Hull FC did their best to chuck away two points in round one, watching a 32-6 lead almost slip away in their 32-30 victory against Castleford Tigers. Head coach Tony Smith will want a response from his men as he comes up against his nephew Rohan on the opposite bench and his former club in the Rhinos.
Sportsman stat: Leeds' 62-16 win in the last meeting between the two clubs is the second-highest score for a visiting team against Hull FC in Super League history, falling one point short of Warrington's 63-12 win at the MKM Stadium in round eight in 2019.
Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity
Where: DW Stadium, Wigan.
When: 8.00pm (GMT)
TV: No live screening
Wigan’s last five: Lost 18-27 @ Hull KR (Rd 1), Lost 8-20 v Leeds (2022 semi-final), Won 48-4 v Catalans (Rd 27, 2022), Lost 28-38 @ Hull KR (Rd 26, 2022), Won 30-10 v St Helens (Rd 25, 2022)
Wakefield's last five: Lost 24-38 v Catalans (Rd 1), Lost 14-16 @ Huddersfield (Rd 27, 2022), Won 34-18 @ St Helens (Rd 26, 2022), Won 18-6 v Hull KR (Rd 25, 2022), Won 26-18 @ Hull FC (Rd 24, 2022)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Wigan 1/12, Wakefield 7/1, draw 25/1
First try scorer odds: Bevan French (Wigan) 9/2, Jai Field (Wigan) 11/2, Liam Marshall (Wigan) 6/1, Abbas Miski (Wigan) 11/1, Toby King (Wigan) 11/1
Milestones:
With one more appearance, Wigan's Mike Cooper will reach 250 in Super League, 235 of them coming in two spells with former club Warrington.
Previous meetings:
Round 23, 2022: Wakefield Trinity 30, Wigan Warriors 12
Round 17, 2022: Wakefield Trinity 22, Wigan Warriors 46
Round 9, 2022: Wigan Warriors 54, Wakefield Trinity 10
Round 15, 2021: Wigan Warriors 25, Wakefield Trinity 12
Round 11, 2021: Wakefield Trinity 14, Wigan Warriors 6
Total Super League meetings: 58 (Wigan 44, Wakefield 14, no draws)
Matt Peet was not in the slightest bit pleased with Wigan's performance in week one as they threw away a 12-6 lead in the latter stages of the first half to lose 27-18 to Hull Kingston Rovers at Sewell Group Craven Park. They return home on Friday night to the DW Stadium, where they have a tremendous record against Wakefield Trinity down the years but where they also lost out in the play-off semi-finals to Leeds Rhinos last time out.
Despite the defeat first up, Peet has named an unchanged squad to take on a Wakefield side who also suffered a loss last week as they were beaten on home soil by Catalans Dragons. Mark Applegarth will be looking for a stronger display from Trinity's edges after Catalans made hay there in the former Head of Youth's first game as first-team head coach.
Sportsman stat: Wakefield have won only three of 27 visits to the DW Stadium in Super League, conceding an average of 36.44 points per game in the process.
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