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globalrugbyleague - Sat, 07 Jul 2007 10:05:00 GMTRalph Shepherd makes his English Super League debut for GRL by previewing all the action from round 19.
Salford v Wakefield
Friday 8pm
The Willows
Bottom of the table Salford face a tricky home match against Wakefield. The Wildcats will be looking to reproduce the form that beat Wigan 32-6 last weekend.
Salford prop Paul Highton (calf) is still not ready to return for the Reds while full-back Karl Fitzpatrick is the club's only other major absentee as coach Shaun McRae seeks a second win.
Wakefield playmaker Jamie Rooney is bidding to prove his fitness after knee surgery while France half-back Maxime Greseque could make his debut.
The Wildcats however are without winger Semi Tadulala who is out for the season as he needs more surgery on his broken arm as well as Kevin Henderson, Paul March, David March and Waine Pryce who are all still sidelined.
SALFORD – Wilshere, Hodgson, McGuinness, Moule, Littler, Dorn, Robinson, Coley, Alker, Korkidas, Edmondson, Sibbit, Finnigan, Turner, Jewitt, Haggerty, Brocklehurst, Gower.
WAKEFIELD - Demetriou, Atkins, Rooney, Jeffries, Watene, Obst, Sculthorpe, Catic, MacGillivray, Ferres, Bibey, Latu, Blaymire, Fox, Golden, Moore, White, Gleeson.
St Helens v Leeds
Friday 8pm
Knowsley Road
Leaders St Helens face a full strength squad from Leeds on Friday night in what is arguably the match of the weekend.
Saints are without influential scrum-half Sean Long (calf injury), winger Francis Meli (knee) and forward Bryan Hargreaves (thumb). Long's replacement will be Matty Smith.
The Rhinos on the other hand are close to full strength with winger Ashley Gibson, who is out for the season, their only senior absentee.
Ali Lauitiiti should return to the side after recovering from knee surgery while Nick Scruton (foot) seems fit enough to play.
ST HELENS – Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Pryce, Fozzard, Cunningham, Cayless, Gilmour, Wilkin, Roby, Bennett, Graham, Moore, Smith, Clough, Fa'asavalu, Tyrer.
LEEDS - Webb, Donald, Toopi, Senior, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Sinfield, Lauitiiti, Bailey, Scruton, Kirke, Tansey, Hall.
Wigan v Bradford
Friday 8pm
JJB Stadium
The Warriors will be looking to put their defeat at the hands of Wakefield behind them to bounce back against the second placed Bradford Bulls.
Wigan are expected to make only one change. Joel Tomkins drops out of the side but the Warriors could remain virtually unchanged.
Key players Iafeta Paleaaesina, Gareth Hock and Shane Millard all came through the Wildcats match unscathed after previous injuries.
Bradford winger Tame Tupou, who has scored four tries in his first three games, will be looking to further step into the huge boots of Lesley Vainikolo and carry on his scoring spree.
The Bulls are however without Iestyn Harris who is still unable to return from a hamstring injury. Former Bulldogs centre Ben Harris (knee) is back in contention.
WIGAN - Ashton, Calderwood, Bailey, Richards, Barrett, Leuluai, Fielden, Higham, Paleaaesina, Hock, Fletcher, O'Loughlin, Vaealiki, Prescott, Hansen, Goulding, Colbon, Mcllorum.
BRADFORD - Newton, Langley, Vagana, James, Tupou, McKenna, Platt, Lynch, Evans, Deacon, Morrison, Solomona, Burgess, Henderson, Halley, B. Harris, St Hilaire, McAvoy.
Harlequins RL v Catalan Dragons
Saturday 6pm
Twickenham Stoop Stadium
Harlequins coach Brian McDermott is backing his side to deliver despite knock backs in his attempts to strengthen the squad.
The London based club have been without influential players such as Solomon Haumono and Sione Faumuina who left before the start of the season.
The Harlequins haven't been fortunate with injuries either.
Prop Richard Villasanti was forced to retire recently without having even played for the club and a clutch of senior men are missing for Saturday's engage Super League clash with Catalans Dragons.
The coach revealed this week, "We have got few boys out but we are not focusing too much on the people who are not here. We have got to cope with it."
They will be without Great Britain cap Chris Melling and forward David Mills. Playmakers Scott Hill and Danny Orr are also not ready to return along with Captain Rob Purdham and Daniel Heckenberg who are facing long-term stints on the sideline.
The Quins have already beaten the Dragons twice this season but there was little to choose between the sides when they last met in Cardiff back in May.
In one of the highlights of the Millennium Magic weekend, Quins held off a Dragons fight back to edge out a free-flowing contest 32-28.
HARLEQUINS - Bannister, Gafa, Grayshon, Hill, Hopkins, Mbu, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, McLinden, Paul, Randall, Rinaldi, R. Sheriffe, T. Smith, Sykes, Temata, Mills, Wells, Worrincy.
CATALANS - Bosc, Chan, Croker, Duport, Fellous, Gossard, Greenshields, Griffi, Guisset, Jones, Khattabi, McGuire, Mogg, Mounis, Quigley, Raguin, Touxagas, Wilson.
Huddersfield Giants v Warrington Wolves
Sunday 3pm
Galpharm Stadium
The Giants will be looking to forget about the thrashing laid upon them by leader St Helens last week by beating 10th placed Warrington.
The Giants will be boosted by the welcome addition of Australian Shane Elford who makes his return from injury.
Elford has been out for three months with a shoulder injury and he cannot wait to get back onto the pitch.
"I got the clearance from the doctor on Monday, its been 11 long weeks and counting! It is now time to roll and after speaking to Jon (Sharp - the coach) this week I'll be back in the squad and hopefully playing and I'm very much looking forward to it, I can't wait."
Elford recognises the threat of the Wolves on Sunday.
"Yeah they are a threat. They've probably not achieved what they would have liked so far but they're getting their players back and every game is a tough game in super league.
However we need to concentrate on our game and after last week we have a different feel in the camp, got our heads down and are ready to get back out on the pitch."
HUDDERSFIELD - Reilly, Aspinwall, Lolesi, Brown, Elford, Thorman, Paul, Crabtree, Drew, Skandalis, Nero, Raleigh, Wild, Jones, Jackson, Mason, Griffin, Hudson, Snitch, Jensen.
WARRINGTON - Reardon, Fa'afili, Johnson, Grose, Bridge, Briers, Leikvoll, Clarke, Rauhihi, Morley, Westwood, Parker, Wood, Sullivan, Barnett, Pickersgill, Grix, Bracek, Harrison, Penny.
Hull KR v Hull FC
12.30 Sunday
Craven Park
Rovers face neighbours Hull FC in the Sunday lunchtime kick off.Tempers should be flying in this highly anticipated sell-out.
The home side are second from the bottom a and they know if they don't get the 2-points this weekend then they could hit rock bottom by the end of Sunday might.
Hull FC coach Peter Sharp might include Aussie halfback Mathew Head who is keen to make his debut in this derby.
HULL KR - Cockayne, Lennon, Goddard, Dyer, Hardman, Murrell, Cooke, Webster, Fisher, Tandy, Ward, O'Neill, Chester, Gene, Gannon, Tangata-Toa, Gallagher, Lovegrove, J Netherton, Morrison.
HULL FC - Carvell, Dowes, Godwin, Hall, Head, G Horne, R Horne, King, Lee, Manu, Maiava, Radford, Raynor, Sing, Tony, Tickle, Washbrook, Whiting, Wheeldon, Yeaman. - Read More, Here
Salford v Wakefield
Friday 8pm
The Willows
Bottom of the table Salford face a tricky home match against Wakefield. The Wildcats will be looking to reproduce the form that beat Wigan 32-6 last weekend.
Salford prop Paul Highton (calf) is still not ready to return for the Reds while full-back Karl Fitzpatrick is the club's only other major absentee as coach Shaun McRae seeks a second win.
Wakefield playmaker Jamie Rooney is bidding to prove his fitness after knee surgery while France half-back Maxime Greseque could make his debut.
The Wildcats however are without winger Semi Tadulala who is out for the season as he needs more surgery on his broken arm as well as Kevin Henderson, Paul March, David March and Waine Pryce who are all still sidelined.
SALFORD – Wilshere, Hodgson, McGuinness, Moule, Littler, Dorn, Robinson, Coley, Alker, Korkidas, Edmondson, Sibbit, Finnigan, Turner, Jewitt, Haggerty, Brocklehurst, Gower.
WAKEFIELD - Demetriou, Atkins, Rooney, Jeffries, Watene, Obst, Sculthorpe, Catic, MacGillivray, Ferres, Bibey, Latu, Blaymire, Fox, Golden, Moore, White, Gleeson.
St Helens v Leeds
Friday 8pm
Knowsley Road
Leaders St Helens face a full strength squad from Leeds on Friday night in what is arguably the match of the weekend.
Saints are without influential scrum-half Sean Long (calf injury), winger Francis Meli (knee) and forward Bryan Hargreaves (thumb). Long's replacement will be Matty Smith.
The Rhinos on the other hand are close to full strength with winger Ashley Gibson, who is out for the season, their only senior absentee.
Ali Lauitiiti should return to the side after recovering from knee surgery while Nick Scruton (foot) seems fit enough to play.
ST HELENS – Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Pryce, Fozzard, Cunningham, Cayless, Gilmour, Wilkin, Roby, Bennett, Graham, Moore, Smith, Clough, Fa'asavalu, Tyrer.
LEEDS - Webb, Donald, Toopi, Senior, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Sinfield, Lauitiiti, Bailey, Scruton, Kirke, Tansey, Hall.
Wigan v Bradford
Friday 8pm
JJB Stadium
The Warriors will be looking to put their defeat at the hands of Wakefield behind them to bounce back against the second placed Bradford Bulls.
Wigan are expected to make only one change. Joel Tomkins drops out of the side but the Warriors could remain virtually unchanged.
Key players Iafeta Paleaaesina, Gareth Hock and Shane Millard all came through the Wildcats match unscathed after previous injuries.
Bradford winger Tame Tupou, who has scored four tries in his first three games, will be looking to further step into the huge boots of Lesley Vainikolo and carry on his scoring spree.
The Bulls are however without Iestyn Harris who is still unable to return from a hamstring injury. Former Bulldogs centre Ben Harris (knee) is back in contention.
WIGAN - Ashton, Calderwood, Bailey, Richards, Barrett, Leuluai, Fielden, Higham, Paleaaesina, Hock, Fletcher, O'Loughlin, Vaealiki, Prescott, Hansen, Goulding, Colbon, Mcllorum.
BRADFORD - Newton, Langley, Vagana, James, Tupou, McKenna, Platt, Lynch, Evans, Deacon, Morrison, Solomona, Burgess, Henderson, Halley, B. Harris, St Hilaire, McAvoy.
Harlequins RL v Catalan Dragons
Saturday 6pm
Twickenham Stoop Stadium
Harlequins coach Brian McDermott is backing his side to deliver despite knock backs in his attempts to strengthen the squad.
The London based club have been without influential players such as Solomon Haumono and Sione Faumuina who left before the start of the season.
The Harlequins haven't been fortunate with injuries either.
Prop Richard Villasanti was forced to retire recently without having even played for the club and a clutch of senior men are missing for Saturday's engage Super League clash with Catalans Dragons.
The coach revealed this week, "We have got few boys out but we are not focusing too much on the people who are not here. We have got to cope with it."
They will be without Great Britain cap Chris Melling and forward David Mills. Playmakers Scott Hill and Danny Orr are also not ready to return along with Captain Rob Purdham and Daniel Heckenberg who are facing long-term stints on the sideline.
The Quins have already beaten the Dragons twice this season but there was little to choose between the sides when they last met in Cardiff back in May.
In one of the highlights of the Millennium Magic weekend, Quins held off a Dragons fight back to edge out a free-flowing contest 32-28.
HARLEQUINS - Bannister, Gafa, Grayshon, Hill, Hopkins, Mbu, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, McLinden, Paul, Randall, Rinaldi, R. Sheriffe, T. Smith, Sykes, Temata, Mills, Wells, Worrincy.
CATALANS - Bosc, Chan, Croker, Duport, Fellous, Gossard, Greenshields, Griffi, Guisset, Jones, Khattabi, McGuire, Mogg, Mounis, Quigley, Raguin, Touxagas, Wilson.
Huddersfield Giants v Warrington Wolves
Sunday 3pm
Galpharm Stadium
The Giants will be looking to forget about the thrashing laid upon them by leader St Helens last week by beating 10th placed Warrington.
The Giants will be boosted by the welcome addition of Australian Shane Elford who makes his return from injury.
Elford has been out for three months with a shoulder injury and he cannot wait to get back onto the pitch.
"I got the clearance from the doctor on Monday, its been 11 long weeks and counting! It is now time to roll and after speaking to Jon (Sharp - the coach) this week I'll be back in the squad and hopefully playing and I'm very much looking forward to it, I can't wait."
Elford recognises the threat of the Wolves on Sunday.
"Yeah they are a threat. They've probably not achieved what they would have liked so far but they're getting their players back and every game is a tough game in super league.
However we need to concentrate on our game and after last week we have a different feel in the camp, got our heads down and are ready to get back out on the pitch."
HUDDERSFIELD - Reilly, Aspinwall, Lolesi, Brown, Elford, Thorman, Paul, Crabtree, Drew, Skandalis, Nero, Raleigh, Wild, Jones, Jackson, Mason, Griffin, Hudson, Snitch, Jensen.
WARRINGTON - Reardon, Fa'afili, Johnson, Grose, Bridge, Briers, Leikvoll, Clarke, Rauhihi, Morley, Westwood, Parker, Wood, Sullivan, Barnett, Pickersgill, Grix, Bracek, Harrison, Penny.
Hull KR v Hull FC
12.30 Sunday
Craven Park
Rovers face neighbours Hull FC in the Sunday lunchtime kick off.Tempers should be flying in this highly anticipated sell-out.
The home side are second from the bottom a and they know if they don't get the 2-points this weekend then they could hit rock bottom by the end of Sunday might.
Hull FC coach Peter Sharp might include Aussie halfback Mathew Head who is keen to make his debut in this derby.
HULL KR - Cockayne, Lennon, Goddard, Dyer, Hardman, Murrell, Cooke, Webster, Fisher, Tandy, Ward, O'Neill, Chester, Gene, Gannon, Tangata-Toa, Gallagher, Lovegrove, J Netherton, Morrison.
HULL FC - Carvell, Dowes, Godwin, Hall, Head, G Horne, R Horne, King, Lee, Manu, Maiava, Radford, Raynor, Sing, Tony, Tickle, Washbrook, Whiting, Wheeldon, Yeaman. - Read More, Here