SUPER LEAGUE PREVIEW | Wakefield Trinity vs Huddersfield Giants
The two West Yorkshire rivals meet for a second week running. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the Magic Weekend clash…
TEAM NEWS
Wakefield Trinity
Wakefield travel to Newcastle looking to avenge last Friday’s 24-14 defeat at the Giants in the Challenge Cup.
They make two changes to their squad from that game, with Ben Jones-Bishop and Danny Kirmond returning in place of Max Jowitt and Joe Arundel.
Coach Chris Chester has most of his first-teamers available, with the major absence being that of full-back Scott Grix who could still be out for another three months with a shoulder injury, while Craig Huby remains out with a minor knee problem.
Wakefield 19-man squad: Johnstone, Tupou, Lyne, Jones-Bishop, Miller, Finn, Fifita, Wood, England, Ashurst, Kirmond, Randell, Horo, Pauli, Arona, Batchelor, Hirst, Caton-Brown, Hampshire.
Huddersfield Giants
Chris Thorman remains in interim charge at Huddersfield, with new coach Simon Woolford still in Australia waiting for his visa.
Thorman has led the Giants to back-to-back victories, and makes two changes from the cup win with Aaron Murphy and Oliver Roberts returning from injury and Daniel Smith and Sam Wood dropping out.
Huddersfield are slowly getting their key men back, although Dale Ferguson and captain Leroy Cudjoe are still a couple of weeks away from a return.
Huddersfield 19-man squad: Mamo, McGillvary, Turner, Murphy, Gaskell, Brough, Ikahihifo, Leeming, Lawrence, Hinchcliffe, Rankin, Roberts, Ta’ai, Clough, O’Brien, Mellor, McIntosh, Dickinson, English.
HEAD TO HEAD
Huddersfield’s victory last week made it one all for the season, following Wakefield’s 22-4 Super League win at the Mobile Rocket Stadium in March.
The two sides have met once before at Magic Weekend, with Huddersfield winning 36-12 at the first event in Cardiff in 2007.
KEY BATTLE – Liam Finn vs Danny Brough
The big battle in this match could be between the two very experienced scrum-halves.
Brough has been much criticised in recent years for being unable to control a big game like he used to, and there are few bigger stages on which to prove yourself than Magic Weekend.
Meanwhile, after a great start to the year Liam Finn has struggled to have a big influence, but Wakefield need him to be the controlling force to halt their alarming run of form.
THE KEY DETAILS
Date: Sunday 20th May
Venue: St James’ Park
Kick-off: 3:15pm
Referee: James Child
WHO WILL WIN?
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