Giants v Wolves: Teams

Briers: sidelined for the top-of-the-table clash

Warrington are without Lee Briers for the top-of-the-table clash at Huddersfield on Friday, which is live on Sky Sports HD2/2.

Influential stand-off Briers has been ruled out after suffering a dead leg in the Wolves' shock home loss to Catalan Dragons last Sunday.

However coach Tony Smith is able to call upon the services of centre Ryan Atkins and second rower Louis Anderson, both players returning to action having been sidelined for the past month.

Ben Harrison is also back from a leg injury while Ben Westwood is in contention after being rested for the game against the Dragons.

Huddersfield head into the home fixture without prop Keith Mason, who damaged knee ligaments in the win over Wakefield last Sunday.

Second rower David Fa'alogo is also ruled out as he has not recovered in time from a leg injury to make the 19-man squad.

Nathan Brown has, however, been able to recall Eorl Crabtree, Lee Gilmour, David Hodgson, Luke O'Donnell and skipper Kevin Brown, who were all rested last week.

Better spectacle

The Wolves, who occupy top spot on points difference, have already lost once to their next opponents this year; the Giants won 28-18 at the Millennium Stadium in the opening game of the 2011 Engage Super League season.

However Warrington boss Tony Smith - who will come up against one of his former clubs - is expecting a more fluent contest this time around.

"I think it will be a much better spectacle than last time," he said. "We took a bit of a battering injury-wise and it took us a while to get points on the board.

"Both teams have a bit more rugby under their belt and will feel a bit more fluent in the way they are playing.

"I'm not real bothered about who's top of the table yet - it's more about being a competitive game and I think it will be.

"They are going well at the moment and it is evenly matched. It's another juicy game for us all to look forward to."

Huddersfield: Grix, Lawrence, Cudjoe, Gilmour, Hodgson, Brough, Brown, Crabtree, Robinson, O'Donnell, Faiumu, Lunt, Raleigh, Kirmond, Patrick, Horne, McGillvary, Simpson, Ferguson.

Warrington: Anderson, Atkins, Blythe, Bridge, Carvell, Clarke, Cooper, Evans, Grix, Harrison, Higham, Hodgson, J. Monaghan, M. Monaghan, Morley, Myler, Solomona, Westwood, Wood.