The Betfred Super League is arguably as wide open as ever before, and going into Friday night's quartet of matches there is still plenty of jostling for positions going on as the Challenge Cup and Magic Weekend starts to come into focus.
Here is everything you need to know about the evening's slate of action.
Huddersfield Giants v Leigh Leopards
Where: John Smith's Stadium.
When: 7:45pm (BST)
TV: No live coverage
Huddersfield's last five: Lost 0-28 @ Hull KR (Rd 11), Lost 14-20 @ Hull FC (Rd 10), Won 26-14 v Catalans (Rd 9), Lost 17-18 @ Leeds (Rd 8), Won 26-16 @ Salford (Rd 7)
Leigh's last five: Won 30-6 v Castleford (Rd 11), Won 20-6 v Leeds (Rd 10), Won 32-0 @ Wakefield (Rd 9), Lost 20-22 v Salford (Rd 8), Lost 6-34 v Wigan (Rd 7)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Huddersfield 4/11, Leigh 23/10, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Josh Charnley (Leigh) 8/1, Jake Bibby (Huddersfield) 10/1, Innes Senior (Huddersfield) 10/1, Tom Briscoe (Leigh) 10/1, Tom Nisbet (Leigh) 12/1
Milestones:
With a hat-trick, Jermaine McGillvary would reach 250 tries in his career, while Matty English will be making his 100th appearance for the Giants if picked.
Previous meetings:
Round 25, 2021: Huddersfield Giants 42, Leigh Centurions 24
Round 7, 2021: Leigh Centurions 6, Huddersfield Giants 44
Round 22, 2017: Huddersfield Giants 26, Leigh Centurions 4
Round 4, 2017: Leigh Centurions 30, Huddersfield Giants 0
Qualifiers Round 5, 2016: Leigh Centurions 48, Huddersfield Giants 40
Total Super League meetings: 7 (Huddersfield 6, Leigh 1, no draws)
Huddersfield have been one of the biggest letdowns of the Super League season so far, their pre-season promise having given way to unconvincing results and an unappealing style of play. Ian Watson's troops need to find their form sooner rather than later, and they will be expected to get back on the bike against Leigh on Friday.
The Leopards, though, have been one of the positives of the campaign and have strung together three consecutive wins to sit inside the top six after 11 rounds. Adrian Lam has been able to get a tune out of a squad which could easily have taken their foot off the pedal in the face of Wakefield Trinity's horrible form this season, the expectation for promoted side normally being an 11th place finish at best.
Sportsman stat: Leigh last beat Huddersfield away from home on October 14, 1990, collecting a 22-10 success in a Second Division match at Huddersfield's old Fartown ground.
Castleford Tigers v Catalans Dragons
Where: Mend-A-Hose Jungle, Castleford.
When: 8.00pm (BST)
TV: No live screening
Castleford's last five: Lost 6-30 @ Leigh (Rd 11), Lost 7-12 v Hull KR (Rd 10), Lost 6-14 @ Salford (Rd 9), Won 16-4 v Wakefield (Rd 8), Lost 18-22 @ Catalans (Rd 7)
Catalans' last five: Won 24-12 v St Helens (Rd 11), Lost 14-16 @ Salford (Rd 10), Lost 14-26 @ Huddersfield (Rd 9), Lost 14-20 v Warrington (Rd 8), Won 22-18 v Castleford (Rd 7)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Castleford 2/1, Catalans 2/5, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Tom Johnstone (Catalans) 8/1, Tom Davies (Catalans) 9/1, Jordan Turner (Castleford) 12/1, Arthur Mourgue (Catalans) 12/1, Bureta Faraimo (Castleford) 12/1
Milestones:
Romain Navarette is one appearance away from reaching 150 career games.
Previous meetings:
Round 7, 2023: Catalans Dragons 22, Castleford Tigers 18
Round 23, 2022: Castleford Tigers 18, Catalans Dragons 8
Round 16, 2022: Castleford Tigers 17, Catalans Dragons 16
Round 11, 2022: Catalans Dragons 44, Castleford Tigers 12
Round 11, 2021: Castleford Tigers 6, Catalans Dragons 16
Total Super League meetings: 38 (Castleford 17, Catalans 20, one draw)
Arguably one of Castleford's better performances in recent weeks came in their trip to Perpignan as they were edged out late by the high-flying Dragons, with Andy Last's impact since taking over as head coach reaching as far as the defence but not converting into a consistent winning streak. They have added Craig Lingard to the coaching staff, and that should bear fruit in time.
The Dragons looked to be on course for a fourth successive defeat last week when they trailed 12-0 to world champions St Helens, but their stunning 24-point comeback ensured that Steve McNamara's men remain in the top four and among the sides to watch in Super League. They will be expected to have too much striker for Cas, with Arthur Mourgue, Sam Tomkins and Mitchell Pearce all available for selection.
Sportsman stat: The only clean sheet recorded in meetings between these two teams came in Castleford's 41-0 win at the Jungle in 2018.
Warrington Wolves v Hull Kingston Rovers
Where: Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington.
When: 8.00pm (BST)
TV: No live screening
Warrington's last five: Won 32-18 v Wakefield (Rd 11), Lost 6-28 @ St Helens (Rd 10), Lost 6-13 v Wigan (Rd 9), Won 20-14 @ Catalans (Rd 8), Won 34-6 v Hull FC (Rd 7)
Hull KR's last five: Won 28-0 v Huddersfield (Rd 11), Won 12-7 @ Castleford (Rd 10), Won 26-14 v St Helens (Rd 9), Won 40-0 @ Hull FC (Rd 8), Won 20-12 v Leeds (Rd 7)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Warrington 1/3, Hull KR 5/2, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Matty Ashton (Warrington) 7/1, Matt Dufty (Warrington) 8/1, Matty Russell (Warrington) 9/1, Ryan Hall (Hull KR) 10/1, George Williams (Warrington) 12/1
Milestones:
Matty Russell has 199 career appearances to his name, and will reach 103 games for Warrington when bringing up his overall double century in his next match.
Previous meetings:
Round 4, 2023: Hull Kingston Rovers 10, Warrington Wolves 18
Round 20, 2022: Warrington Wolves 22, Hull Kingston Rovers 30
Round 7, 2022: Hull Kingston Rovers 34, Warrington Wolves 18
Elimination SF, 2021: Warrington Wolves 0, Hull Kingston Rovers 19
Round 5, 2021: Warrington Wolves 50, Hull Kingston Rovers 26
Total Super League meetings: 33 (Warrington 20, Hull KR 12, one draw)
When they were being held 12-12 by Wakefield Trinity last week, many rugby league fans were beginning to think that Warrington might be in the midst of an unsightly collapse. After suffering back-to-back defeats to Wigan and St Helens, dropped points to the winless basement club would have been something of an embarrassment. But that eventual win means the Wire are back on top as third-placed Rovers visit the HJ.
Willie Peters is receiving plenty of well-deserved praise for Hull KR's magnificent run of form, which has seen them climb to third on the back of a six-game win streak. They arrive in Warrington knowing they have won on their last two visits - including in the 2021 play-offs - but they are also without key injured duo Jordan Abdull and Lachlan Coote. After a brace against Huddersfield, Ryan Hall will be looking to strike again from the left wing.
Sportsman stat: Since the beginning of Super League, Warrington have racked up 30 or more points against Rovers 18 times, with KR only recording seven such scorelines.
Wigan Warriors v Leeds Rhinos
Where: DW Stadium, Wigan.
When: 8.00pm (BST)
TV: Sky Sports Arena
Wigan's last five: Lost 10-14 @ Hull FC (Rd 11), Won 22-6 v Wakefield (Rd 10), Won 13-6 @ Warrington (Rd 9), Won 14-6 v St Helens (Rd 8), Won 34-6 @ Leigh (Rd 7)
Leeds' last five: Lost 12-22 v Salford (Rd 11), Lost 6-20 @ Leigh (Rd 10), Won 34-10 v Hull FC (Rd 9), Won 18-17 v Huddersfield (Rd 8), Lost 12-20 @ Hull KR (Rd 7)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Wigan 1/5, Leeds 18/5, draw 20/1
First try scorer odds: Bevan French (Wigan) 6/1, Liam Marshall (Wigan) 7/1, Abbas Miski (Wigan) 8/1, Toby King (Wigan) 10/1, Ash Handley (Wigan) 10/1
Milestones:
Mikolaj Oledski will make his 150th career appearance if selected for Leeds Rhinos, while the same is true of his team-mate Nene Macdonald.
Previous meetings:
Semi-Final, 2022: Wigan Warriors 8, Leeds Rhinos 20
Round 20, 2022: Leeds Rhinos 42, Wigan Warriors 12
Round 2, 2022: Wigan Warriors 34, Leeds Rhinos 12
Elimination SF, 2021: Wigan Warriors 0, Leeds Rhinos 8
Round 21, 2021: Wigan Warriors 0, Leeds Rhinos 14
Total Super League meetings: 81 (Wigan 44, Leeds 33, four draws)
Matt Peet was not happy with the performance of his side last week as they went down to a 14-10 defeat against Hull FC which saw them slip from the top of the table. Now they face a revenge mission against Leeds, who knocked the Warriors out of the 2022 play-offs when the two clubs last met. Peet can once again call on Cade Cust, who returns from injury, and Willie Isa, who is back following suspension.
Leeds are coming off the back of successive defeats to Salford and Leigh so will need a bounce-back performance as the battle for play-off spots begins to intensify. Aidan Sezer remains unavailable and Jack Sinfield misses out under the concussion protocol, but Derrell Olpherts and Luis Roberts are both in contention.
Sportsman stat: Between them, Wigan and Leeds have made 22 appearances in the Betfred Super League Grand Final across the event's 25-year history.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
