The one thing you could do with when you only have one win in seven is a fixture against a team with an identical record over the same period, and that is what will play out at Headingley on Friday night as Leeds Rhinos host fellow strugglers Huddersfield Giants in one of three key fixtures.
Here is everything you need to know about the feature night of Round 16.
Castleford Tigers v Warrington Wolves
Where: Mend-A-Hose Jungle, Castleford.
When: 8pm (BST)
TV: No UK screening
Castleford's last five: Lost 10-42 v Salford (Rd 15), Won 26-24 v Leeds (Rd 14), Lost 4-20 @ Huddersfield (Rd 13), Lost 22-46 v Catalans (Rd 12), Lost 6-30 @ Leigh (Rd 11)
Warrington's last five: Won 30-26 v Huddersfield (Rd 15), Lost 18-30 v Hull FC (Rd 14), Lost 12-30 @ Leigh (Rd 13), Won 21-14 v Hull KR (Rd 12), Won 32-18 v Wakefield (Rd 11)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Castleford 5/2, Warrington 1/3, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Matty Ashton (Warrington) 8/1, Matt Dufty (Warrington) 9/1, Josh Thewlis (Warrington) 10/1, Matty Russell (Warrington) 11/1, Jason Qareqare (Castleford) 12/1
Milestones:
Warrington Wolves' Stefan Ratchford could make his 350th Super League appearance if selected, and with eight more points will reach 1,500 in the competition. Meanwhile, team-mate Ben Currie is two tries away from bringing up a century in his career.
Previous meetings:
Round 6, 2023: Castleford Tigers 0, Warrington Wolves 38
Round 25, 2022: Warrington Wolves 18, Castleford Tigers 19
Round 19, 2022: Castleford Tigers 35, Warrington Wolves 22
Round 2, 2022: Warrington Wolves 34, Castleford Tigers 10
Round 25, 2021: Castleford Tigers 24, Warrington Wolves 40
Total Super League meetings: 67 (Castleford 26, Warrington 41, no draws)
Questions are being asked of Castleford boss Andy Last among the Tigers fan base, even if the former assistant coach has only been in post for 13 games since Lee Radford's early-season departure. Cas are just two points off bottom-of-the-table Wakefield Trinity off the back of a run of one win in eight in all comps, and their 42-10 defeat to Salford Red Devils last time out marked the fifth time they have conceded 30-plus points in nine home fixtures this season.
Warrington were a shadow of themselves in the 14-12 loss to 12-man Wigan Warriors in the Challenge Cup last week and Daryl Powell will be demanding an immediate response. Josh Drinkwater, whose absence was arguably a key reason for them not exploiting the extra space, is named among the matchday 21, while there are some calls for Matt Dufty to be given a starting spot in the halves and Stefan Ratchford returned to full-back.
Sportsman stat: Warrington's longest winning streak over Cas in Super League stands at nine games, but the Tigers have never won more than three straight against the Wolves.
Hull Kingston Rovers v Wakefield Trinity
Where: Sewell Group Craven Park, Hull.
When: 8pm (BST)
TV: No UK screening
Hull KR's last five: Lost 4-38 @ Catalans (Rd 15), Lost 16-26 v Salford (Rd 14), Lost 22-26 v Wigan (Rd 13), Lost 14-21 @ Wakefield (Rd 12), Won 28-0 v Huddersfield (Rd 11)
Wakefield's last five: Won 24-14 v Leeds (Rd 15), Lost 4-30 v Leigh (Rd 14), Lost 6-36 @ Catalans (Rd 13), Lost 6-26 v Hull FC (Rd 12), Lost 18-32 @ Warrington (Rd 11)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Hull KR 1/5, Wakefield 18/5, draw 22/1
First try scorer odds: Fouad Yaha (Hull KR) 7/1, Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Hull KR) 8/1, Louis Senior (Hull KR) 9/1, Corey Hall (Hull KR) 12/1, Tom Lineham (Wakefield) 14/1
Milestones:
Trinity's Josh Bowden is sat on 199 career appearances heading to Craven Park, with all but 18 of those coming across the River Hull for Hull FC.
Previous meetings:
Round 6, 2023: Wakefield Trinity 6, Hull Kingston Rovers 34
Round 25, 2022: Wakefield Trinity 18, Hull Kingston Rovers 6
Round 19, 2022: Hull Kingston Rovers 15, Wakefield Trinity 10
Round 10, 2022: Hull Kingston Rovers 32, Wakefield Trinity 10
Round 21, 2021: Hull Kingston Rovers 18, Wakefield Trinity 25
Total Super League meetings: 32 (Hull KR 15, Wakefield 17, no draws)
Rovers have had to deal with all sorts of changes in recent weeks, with Lachlan Coote's announcement that he was bringing forward his retirement with immediate effect coming as no surprise after a string of concussion issues. Willie Peters is also missing Jordan Abdull, Ryan Hall, Sam Wood, Ethan Ryan and Sauaso Sue among others, with Catalans Dragons loanees Tanguy Zenon and Fouad Yaha lined up for Super League debuts in the red and white.
Wakey, on the other hand, will be buzzing after finally recording a first win of the campaign last time out against Leeds Rhinos. The impact of David Fifita has been huge so far, and former Steve Prescott Man of Steel Award winner Luke Gale could finally make his Trinity debut after weeks of waiting. Jorge Taufua's release, though, is the latest move in a revolving door of changes at Belle Vue.
Sportsman stat: Hull KR are one of only two current Super League teams who Wakefield have a superior record against in the top-flight during the summer era, with Salford being the only others.
Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants
Where: Headingley, Leeds.
When: 8pm (BST)
TV: Sky Sports Arena
Leeds' last five: Lost 14-24 @ Wakefield (Rd 15), Lost 24-26 v Castleford (Rd 14), Lost 12-13 v St Helens (Rd 13), Won 40-18 @ Wigan (Rd 12), Lost 12-22 v Salford (Rd 11)
Huddersfield's last five: Lost 26-30 @ Warrington (Rd 15), Lost 6-48 v St Helens (Rd 14), Won 20-4 v Castleford (Rd 13), Lost 4-30 v Leigh (Rd 12), Lost 0-28 @ Hull KR (Rd 11)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Leeds 8/11, Huddersfield 6/5, draw 20/1
First try scorer odds: Ash Handley (Leeds) 7/1, Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield) 15/2, David Fusitu'a (Leeds) 8/1, Derrell Olpherts (Leeds) 9/1, Innes Senior (Huddersfield) 10/1
Milestones:
Leeds' Sam Lisone is set to play at senior level for the 150th time in his career, while Huddersfield's Jermaine McGillvary is three tries away from a career total of 250, with 12 of those coming in a three-year stretch playing for England.
Previous meetings:
Round 8, 2023: Leeds Rhinos 18, Huddersfield Giants 17
Round 25, 2022: Leeds Rhinos 18, Huddersfield Giants 14
Round 15, 2022: Huddersfield Giants 30, Leeds Rhinos 16
Round 8, 2022: Leeds Rhinos 20, Huddersfield Giants 20
Round 20, 2021: Leeds Rhinos 18, Huddersfield Giants 12
Total Super League meetings: 54 (Leeds 37, Huddersfield 4, four draws)
Rohan Smith is starting to feel the pressure as the progress made in the second half of last season has failed to continue into the 2023 campaign. The Rhinos now have just one win in seven to their name, including their humiliating Round 15 defeat to the previously winless Wakefield Trinity.
Huddersfield are no better off, with their narrow loss to Warrington Wolves leaving them marooned in 10th spot on the ladder. They have also conceded 28 or more points in five of their last six, underlining a slow transformation from a hard-to-beat unit to a slipshod defensive outfit. It will be interesting to see which combination of half-backs Ian Watson will go for having dropped Tui Lolohea to the bench and left Jake Connor out entirely for the trip to the Halliwell Jones.
Sportsman stat: Wakefield's win over Leeds in the last round means Huddersfield still hold two of the five longest losing streaks in Super League history, both 17 games (1998-99 and 2000-01).
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
