MATCH PREVIEW | Wakefield Trinity vs Salford Red Devils
The eight round of the 2019 Super League will conclude with Wakefield Trinity hosting the Salford Red Devils at home. Here’s everything you need to know.
TEAM FORM GUIDE
Wakefield
Trinity have had a mixed start to the season. Usually teams with the home advantage come out as victors, but this year Wakefield have only their home tie against the Catalan Dragons.
Their away record is much better having coming away with comfortable victories over Hull FC and Leeds Rhinos.
They’ll be looking to bounce back from their narrow 32-34 defeat to Warrington Wolves at Belle Vue which I can only describe as one of the games of the season!
Salford
When it comes to home records this season, the Red Devils are in the same situation as their upcoming opponents having only whitewashing the London Broncos.
Unfortunately for Wakefield will be travelling away and hoping to turn their narrow defeats to Wigan and Castleford into wins.
SQUAD NEWS
Wakefield
Trinity have been given a big boost on the injury front as Matty Ashurst is in line to return after missing out last week with a recurrence of a leg injury.
Bill Tupou returns to the squad and will have until Saturday morning to prove his fitness! Tupou replaces Jordan Baldwinson in the only change to the 19-man squad from last week.
Wakefield’s 19-man squad: Arona, Arundel, Ashurst, Brough, Crowther, England, Fifita, Hampshire, Hirst, Horo, Jones-Bishop, Jowitt, King, Kopczak, Lyne, Miller, Pauli, Tupou, Wood.
David Fifita, Wakefield Trinity. Photo credit: Getty Images.Salford
Krisnan Inu is named in the squad following his signing earlier in the week and could make his debut, Greg Burke and Junior Sau return, whilst Ben Nakubuwai, Logan Tomkins and Ken Sio miss out.
Salford’s 19-man squad: Evalds, Chamberlain, Welham, Sau, Bibby, Lui, Dudson, Jones, Griffin, Flanagan, Lussick, Walker, Burke, Murray, Olpherts, Turgut, Lawton, Inu, Hastings.
Robert Lui, Salford Red Devils. Photo credit: Getty Images.HEAD TO HEAD
If there’s one head-to-head that might be difficult to narrow down a possible winner it’s these two!
Since their first meeting in 2011 their have been 17 encounters and Wakefield are just head with nine wins whereas Salford have eight. Not to mention the 23-23 draw in 2013!
When it comes to Wakefield’s home record against the Red Devils, they haven’t been defeated by them since 2015. When Salford came home with a 24-16 win.
KEY BATTLE
Bill Tupou (Wakefield) v Ken Sio (Salford)
Although the two players play in different positions for their respective sides, they carry the most metres in the Super League statistics.
And these stats are very close as well! Tupou has made 940 metres, whereas Sio has 944.
Tupou however makes 10 metres per carry on average, whereas Sio has made 7.
Metres will be important for both sides as the team that spends more defending, they are still wasting energy tackling and getting into position.
And with the head-to-head stats being very close, it might just boil down as to who runs out of energy first. We’ll have to wait and see…
Bill Tupou, Wakefield Trinity. Photo credit: Getty Images.THE IMPORTANT DETAILS
Date: Sunday 31st March
Venue: Mobile Rocket Stadium
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
WHO WILL WIN?
There is no doubt both times will definitely turn up to this game wanting to get back into winning ways. However as I mentioned in the head-to-head, Wakefield haven’t been defeated at home to Salford since 2015 and I think that run may continue.
