After the Champions v Leaders battle of Thursday, Friday's calendar of Betfred Super League fixtures brings a ding-dong battle between two of the biggest names in the sport as Wigan Warriors play Warrington Wolves.
There's also a massive game down the bottom and a clash of two sides chasing a spot inside the top six. Here is everything you need to know about the feature night of the weekend.
Huddersfield Giants v Wakefield Trinity
Where: John Smith's Stadium, Huddersfield.
When: 7.45pm (BST)
TV: No UK screening
Huddersfield's last five: Won 22-14 @ Catalans (Rd 18), Lost 6-22 @ Wigan (Rd 17), Lost 0-54 @ Leeds (Rd 16), Lost 26-30 @ Warrington (Rd 15), Lost 6-48 v St Helens (Rd 14)
Wakefield's last five: Won 27-26 v Wigan (Rd 18), Won 32-6 v Salford (Rd 17), Lost 12-28 @ Hull KR (Rd 16), Won 24-14 v Leeds (Rd 15), Lost 4-30 v Leigh (Rd 14)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Huddersfield 3/10, Wakefield 13/5, draw 20/1
First try scorer odds: Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield) 8/1, Sam Halsall (Huddersfield) 10/1, Jake Bibby (Huddersfield) 10/1, Tom Lineham (Wakefield) 11/1, Lee Kershaw (Wakefield) 11/1
Milestones:
Leroy Cudjoe is set to make his 350th appearance for Huddersfield Giants, 150 years on from his debut with the club.
Team-mate Jermaine McGillvary remains within three tries of 250 in his star-studded career.
Previous meetings:
Round 3, 2023: Wakefield Trinity 0, Huddersfield Giants 8
Round 27, 2022: Huddersfield Giants 16, Wakefield Trinity 14
Round 11, 2022: Wakefield Trinity 12, Huddersfield Giants 14
Round 23, 2021: Huddersfield Giants 18, Wakefield Trinity 32
Round 18, 2021: Huddersfield Giants 22, Wakefield Trinity 18
Total Super League meetings: 58 (Huddersfield 38, Wakefield 20, no draws)
Huddersfield Giants have been a real enigma this season. Two separate four-game losing streaks have seen them truly struggle, and Ian Watson's inability to get a talented squad firing has seen his future come into question. And yet last weekend they showed exactly what they can be capable of when beating the league-leading Catalans Dragons 22-14 in Perpignan. They'll need to back that up though, with Wakefield Trinity's recent run of improved form meaning the Giants are far from safe just yet.
Trinity's golden-point win over Wigan Warriors was the latest high in a rapidly-developing feel-good story. They have now won their last three home fixtures and even in the defeat at Hull Kingston Rovers during the same time period they put in a really good effort. The addition of Josh Griffin is another boost, even if the centre cannot play for four more games yet due to suspension, and Luke Gale's injury is less serious than first feared. There are small but increasingly bright reasons to believe for Wakey fans.
Sportsman stat: Huddersfield have won the last three head-to-heads between this pair and are looking to record a fourth straight win for the first time since 2014 to 2015.
Leeds Rhinos v Hull Kingston Rovers
Where: Headingley, Leeds.
When: 8pm (BST)
TV: No UK screening
Leeds' last five: Won 16-14 @ Salford (Rd 18), Won 22-6 @ Warrington (Rd 17), Won 54-0 v Huddersfield (Rd 16), Lost 14-24 @ Wakefield (Rd 15), Lost 24-26 v Castleford (Rd 14)
Hull KR's last five: Lost 6-16 V Hull FC (Rd 18), Lost 4-34 @ Leigh (Rd 17), Won 28-12 v Wakefield (Rd 16), Lost 4-38 @ Catalans (Rd 15), Lost 16-26 v Salford (Rd 14)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Leeds 1/8, Hull KR 11/2, draw 22/1
First try scorer odds: David Fusitu'a (Leeds) 11/2, Ash Handley (Leeds) 11/2, Nene Macdonald (Leeds) 9/1, Luis Roberts (Leeds) 10/1, Richie Myler (Leeds) 11/1
Milestones:
Ash Handley is in line to make the 185th appearance of his career, while one try would take him to a round 100 in Super League.
James Donaldson will mark his 100th game for Leeds Rhinos since arriving from opponents Hull Kingston Rovers ahead of the 2019 season, and Rovers' Jimmy Keinhorst will be making his 200th career appearance - 90 of which came for Leeds - if he is selected by Willie Peters.
Meanwhile, ace kicker Rhyse Martin is four points away from logging 1,000 in his career.
Previous meetings:
Round 7, 2023: Hull Kingston Rovers 20, Leeds Rhinos 12
Round 23, 2022: Hull Kingston Rovers 20, Leeds Rhinos 28
Round 11, 2022: Leeds Rhinos 12, Hull Kingston Rovers 0
Round 25, 2021: Leeds Rhinos 36, Hull Kingston Rovers 12
Round 4, 2021: Hull Kingston Rovers 26, Leeds Rhinos 6
Total Super League meetings: 34 (Leeds 24, Hull KR 10, no draws)
Just as they hoisted themselves up from a relegation battle to a Grand Final appearance 12 months ago, Leeds Rhinos are threatening to do a similar job in 2023 as three straight wins have left them on the verge of the play-off spots. Last week's 16-14 win at Salford Red Devils helped to condense the table going into the last nine rounds, and Rohan Smith's side proved with their 2022 exploits that they can time a run to stake a claim in the title picture.
On the reverse side of things, Rovers have having a rotten run. The losses of key players to injury and, in the case of Lachlan Coote, retirement have left them looking a shadow of themselves, but Willie Peters can call upon new half-back signing Brad Schneider this week as the red side of Hull looks to bounce back from their derby defeat to Tony Smith's Hull FC.
Sportsman stat: Coming off the back of six straight league wins, Rovers have since lost six of their last seven matches.
Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves
Where: DW Stadium, Wigan.
When: 8pm (BST)
TV: Sky Sports Arena
Wigan's last five: Lost 26-27 @ Wakefield (Rd 18), Won 22-6 v Huddersfield (Rd 17), Won 26-6 @ Salford (Rd 16), Lost 16-34 @ St Helens (Rd 15), Lost 22-46 v Catalans (Rd 14)
Warrington's last five: Lost 20-24 v St Helens (Rd 18), Lost 6-22 v Leeds (Rd 17), Lost 14-23 @ Castleford (Rd 16), Won 30-26 v Huddersfield (Rd 15), Lost 18-30 v Hull FC (Rd 14)
Betfred match winner odds (80 minutes): Wigan 4/9, Warrington 2/1, draw 18/1
First try scorer odds: Abbas Miski (Wigan) 6/1, Liam Marshall (Wigan) 7/1, Bevan French (Wigan) 8/1, Jai Field (Wigan) 9/1, Matty Russell (Warrington) 10/1
Milestones:
Ben Currie will make his 250th appearance for Warrington Wolves if selected, while two tries would take the back-rower to 100 in his senior career.
Team-mate Danny Walker will be playing his 100th game in Super League if Daryl Powell includes him in the matchday squad.
Previous meetings:
Round 9, 2023: Warrington Wolves 6, Wigan Warriors 13
Round 22, 2022: Wigan Warriors 32, Warrington Wolves 6
Round 11, 2022: Warrington Wolves 22, Wigan Warriors 40
Round 23, 2021: Warrington Wolves 10, Wigan Warriors 6
Round 16, 2021: Warrington Wolves 21, Wigan Warriors 8
Total Super League meetings: 72 (Wigan 43, Warrington 26, three draws)
Wigan Warriors' 2023 season has been a story of taking two steps forward and two back in quick succession, with last week's 27-26 golden-point loss to Wakefield Trinity being the latest setback to come on the back of a decent run of form. Matt Peet will know that his side are reaching a crucial point in the campaign, with Warrington Wolves visiting this week and then a big Challenge Cup semi-final to come against Hull KR next Sunday.
Warrington, on the other hand, are either hot or they're cold. Following their eight consecutive victories to start the season, they have since won just three in 10 in the league and have been beaten in four successive games in all competitions, to the point that they are now clinging on to play-off hopes. With big leaders in their squad such as George Williams, Stefan Ratchford and Paul Vaughan, nobody should rule out an upturn in form for Daryl Powell's side, but it has to come sooner rather than later.
Sportsman stat: Only against St Helens have Warrington lost more games in the Super League era than they have to Wigan. The Wolves have been beaten 56 times by Saints, with Wigan getting the better of them on 43 of 72 occasions.
*18+ | BeGambleAware | Odds Subject to Change
