Super League: Leeds Rhinos vs Castleford Tigers and Wigan Warriors vs Salford Red Devils previews

We take a look at what is being said and team news ahead of Friday's two Betfred Super League matches as Leeds Rhinos host Castleford Tigers and Wigan Warriors welcome Salford Red Devils…

Leeds Rhinos vs Castleford Tigers (7.45pm)

Daryl Powell has told his Castleford players they need to reach the Super League play-offs in order to give captain Michael Shenton a chance of playing again this season.

The veteran centre, who is out of contract at the end of the year, sustained a serious facial injury in Monday's 34-16 home defeat by Huddersfield Giants which is set to rule Shenton out for up to six weeks, starting with Friday's Yorkshire derby at Leeds.

That timeframe will take Castleford to the end of the regular season and they are currently outside the top six, still three fixtures short of reaching the minimum of 18 to qualify for the play-offs, and Powell reckons they need to win six of their remaining eight games to keep alive their play-off ambitions.

"Shenny's been a champion player for this club and I think we all owe him the opportunity to play again," Powell said.

"To do that, we've got to go past six weeks. It's a decent challenge, but we've got to attack it with real positivity and see where it takes us.

"I think Michael Shenton has to be one of the reasons we go after this and give everything that we've got to make it happen."

Although the Tigers will be without Shenton, Powell welcomes back Challenge Cup finalists Gareth O'Brien, Jordan Turner, Peter Mata'utia, Oliver Holmes, Adam Milner, Grant Millington and Jesse Sene-Lefao.

Rob Lui, meanwhile, is set to make his return for Leeds from a month out due to injury in place of fellow half-back Luke Gale, who is suspended.

The Rhinos are also without prop Mikolaj Oledzki, who has a toe injury, but back rower Bodene Thompson is set to return after sitting out the 27-26 defeat by Warrington Wolves.

Leeds put Castleford to the sword 60-6 last time the teams met at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle at the end of May, but head coach Richard Agar expects Friday's visitors to be a much different prospect this time around.

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"Although we had the stronger team on the park that night, I think we played really well," Agar said. "They've probably had only three games since then and only one of them you would look at and say that's a side which resembles a team of strength with Castleford.

"But we are expecting a better version of Castleford on Friday night to what we saw against Huddersfield in the week and last time they played us. They have got some important players back."

Named squads

Leeds Rhinos: Tom Briscoe, Harry Newman, Konrad Hurrell, Ash Handley, Rob Lui, Luke Gale, Kruise Leeming, Matt Prior, Rhyse Martin, Zane Tetevano, Brad Dwyer, Liam Sutcliffe, Richie Myler, Cameron Smith, Tom Holroyd, King Vuniyayawa, Bodene Thompson, Luke Briscoe, James Donaldson, Jarrod O'Connor, Morgan Gannon.

Castleford Tigers: Niall Evalds, Derrell Olpherts, Peter Mata'utia, Danny Richardson, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Oliver Holmes, Adam Milner, Nathan Massey, Alex Foster, Tyla Hepi, James Clare, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Daniel Smith, Greg Eden, Suaia Matagi, Jordan Turner, Lewis Bienek, Brad Graham, Gaz O'Brien, Jimmy Keinhorst.

Wigan Warriors vs Salford Red Devils (7.45pm)

Richard Marshall is taking inspiration from Salford's previous performances against Wigan in 2021 ahead of the Red Devils' trip to the DW Stadium on Friday night.

A drop goal from former Salford star Jackson Hastings snatched a 17-16 win for the Warriors at the AJ Bell Stadium back in May, while the Red Devils also beat Wigan 20-6 in a pre-season match.

Head coach Marshall, whose side return to action after their last match with Hull Kingston Rovers was postponed due to Covid-19 issues, was enthused by both those performances and hopes they can help yield a positive result this time around.

"It will be a big test," Marshall said. "We've had a couple of good battles with them over the course of this season - we beat them in a friendly and lost by a point when we weren't far off - so we'll try to replicate those performances."

Salford are boosted by stand-off Kevin Brown, and forwards Elijah Taylor and Danny Addy being back from injury.

Full-back Dan Sarginson earns a recall too along with centre Matty Costello and half-back Dec Patton, while Warrington loan pair Nathan Roebuck and Ellis Robson are included in the 21-man squad.

Wigan have lost half-back Thomas Leuluai to injury and props Brad Singleton and Oliver Partington to suspension. Adrian Lam has also rested second row Liam Farrell.

However, he is able to welcome back Zak Hardaker and Jai Field, who will make his home bow after tearing a hamstring on his debut in March.

Hardaker has been out since May, initially through suspension and for the last month with a bulging disk in his neck, while Australian Field is set to make a long-awaited home debut after tearing a hamstring on his debut in March.

There are also returns for winger Liam Marshall and forwards Morgan Smithies, Tony Clubb and Ethan Havard, and head coach Lam is wary of the threats posed by the eight-placed visitors as Wigan aim to build on last week's 50-6 win over bottom side Leigh Centurions.

"They've got some great individuals in their team," Lam said. "They will also have a lot of fresh players. We respect them very highly."

Named squads

Wigan Warriors: Zak Hardaker, Oliver Gildart, Liam Marshall, Jai Field, Sam Powell, Joe Bullock, Willie Isa, John Bateman, Morgan Smithies, Tony Clubb, Liam Byrne, Harry Smith, Ethan Havard, Jake Bibby, Mitch Clark, Joe Shorrocks, Kai Pearce-Paul, Sam Halsall, Umyla Hanley, Jackson Hastings, Amir Bourouh.

Salford Red Devils: Joe Burgess, Tui Lolohea, Kevin Brown, Lee Mossop, Andy Ackers, Pauli Pauli, Elijah Taylor, Danny Addy, Josh Johnson, Chris Atkin, Harvey Livett, Rhys Williams, Dan Sarginson, Matt Costello, Jack Ormondroyd, Sam Luckley, Dec Patton, Connor Aspey, Ata Hingano, Nathan Roebuck, Ellis Robson.