Saturday 25 May 2019 13:47, UK
Day one of Super League's Magic Weekend at Anfield features Wakefield Trinity vs Catalans Dragons, Hull FC vs Huddersfield Giants and Wigan Warriors vs Warrington Wolves, and we have all of the team news and views...
Kelepi Tanginoa is set to make his debut for Wakefield barely a week after the club confirmed his signing on an 18-month contract.
The former Manly Sea Eagle back row's signing was announced on Tuesday and he goes straight into Trinity's 19-man squad for the Magic Weekend opener with Catalans Dragons.
Head coach Chris Chester is pleased to see Tanginoa has settled quickly at the club and has no concerns over thrusting him straight into action against the French side.
"I told him last week when he was getting everything sorted 'if we can get you here over the weekend or on Monday then you'll go straight in'," Chester said.
"He's fitted in really, really well and I think he'll complement us."
Anthony England and Matty Ashurst both return to Wakefield's 19-man squad from injury as well, but inspirational half-back Danny Brought is still a week away from a comeback.
The Catalans are without Greg Bird, who sustained a bicep injury in last Saturday's 33-16 victory over Wigan Warriors in Barcelona, while Michael McIlorum is ruled out too and Sam Tomkins remains sidelined with a back injury.
Wakefield Trinity 19-man squad: Matty Ashurst, James Batchelor, Mason Caton-Brown, Anthony England, David Fifita, Ryan Hampshire, Keegan Hirst, Ben Jones-Bishop, Max Jowitt, George King, Danny Kirmond, Craig Kopczak, Reece Lyne, Jacob Miller, Tyler Randell, Ben Reynolds, Junior Sa'u, Kelepi Tanginoa, Kyle Wood
Catalans Dragons 19-man squad: Tony Gigot, David Mead, Brayden Wiliame, Lewis Tierney, Samisoni Langi, Matty Smith, Remi Casty, Sam Moa, Kenny Edwards, Ben Garcia, Julian Bousquet, Mikael Simon, Benjamin Julien, Matt Whitley, Alrix Da Costa, Lambert Belmas, Jason Baitieri, Fouad Yaha, Sam Kasiano.
Liverpool fan Danny Houghton is relishing the prospect of making his return from injury at Anfield on Saturday.
The Hull FC hooker missed last weekend's win 19-12 win over Warrington Wolves after being rested as a precautionary measure due to a calf problem.
However, hooker Houghton is back in contention after being included in Hull's 19-man squad for the clash with Huddersfield and cannot wait to play at a venue he has been to many times as a supporter.
"When I was younger, I used to come pretty often - my dad used to bring me all of the time," Houghton said.
"I've not really had the chance to get down here the last couple of years because I'm playing, but to walk out there after sampling it as a fan, to sample it as a player will be pretty special."
Sika Manu is set to return as well, but Bureta Faraimo has not recovered from a dead leg in time and Jack Logan is out for up to four months after undergoing elbow surgery this week.
Huddersfield welcome Alex Mellor back into the squad after beating Hull Kingston Rovers 30-22 last Friday and Giants forward Michael Lawrence has his sights set on a place in the Super League play-offs.
"We're not really looking down, we're looking at the top five and there's only four points in it at the moment," Lawrence said.
"We're just looking to find that consistency which we've missed all year."
Hull FC 19-man squad: Jamie Shaul, Josh Griffin, Albert Kelly, Marc Sneyd, Scott Taylor, Danny Houghton, Josh Bowden, Dean Hadley, Mark Minichiello, Joe Westerman, Jake Connor, Chris Green, Masi Matongo, Brad Fash, Sika Manu, Mickey Paea, Danny Washbrook, Ratu Naulago, Kieran Buchanan
Huddersfield Giants 19-man squad: Darnell McIntosh, Jermaine McGillvary, Jordan Turner, Lee Gaskell, Paul Clough, Kruise Leeming, Suaia Matagi, Aaron Murphy, Alex Mellor, Michael Lawrence, Adam O'Brien, Ukuma Ta'ai, Matty English, Jake Wardle, Oliver Russell, Sam Hewitt, Louis Senior, Innes Senior, Joe Wardle
Sam Powell and Liam Marshall are both absent for Wigan after picking up a knock and a shoulder injury respectively in the defeat away to Catalans Dragons last Saturday.
However, Jarrod Sammut is back in the 19-man squad for the first time since suffering a knee injury at the start of April and Jake Shorrocks returns after missing the trip to Barcelona with a shoulder injury.
Wigan were edged out by just two points when they faced Warrington in the Challenge Cup two weeks ago and Oliver Gildart is aiming to build on the positives from that day.
"Obviously, we fell short at Warrington a few weeks ago, but I think the performance was there and we got a bit of our old selves back, a bit of aggression in contact and stuff like that," said Gildart.
"Hopefully we can try to get a result this weekend and kick on for the rest of the season."
Warrington welcome back Jake Mamo and Tom Lineham from injury, with Harvey Livett and Matt Davis in contention too. The quartet replace Ryan Atkins, Lama Tasi, Ben Westwood and the injured Stefan Ratchford.
Steve Price's side are aiming to rebound from last Saturday's Super League loss at home to Hull, but star half-back Blake Austin is not too worried by that result.
"It's getting to the point of the season where it's more important to look at performances rather than results," said Austin.
"We've created a bit of a gap between the teams below us and Saints have done that, but we're comfortable with how we're travelling.
Wigan Warriors 19-man squad: Joe Bullock, Joe Burgess, Tony Clubb, Morgan Escare, Ben Flower, Oliver Gildart, Joe Greenwood, Chris Hankinson, Zak Hardaker, Willie Isa, Thomas Leuluai, Sean O'Loughlin, Oliver Partington, Jarrod Sammut, Dan Sarginson, Jake Shorrocks, Morgan Smithies, Taulima Tautai, George Williams.
Warrington Wolves 19-man squad: Sitaleki Akauola, Blake Austin, Josh Charnley, Daryl Clark, Jason Clark, Mike Cooper, Ben Currie, Matt Davis, Bryson Goodwin, Chris Hill, Jack Hughes, Toby King, Tom Lineham, Harvey Livett, Jake Mamo, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Declan Patton, Joe Philbin, Danny Walker
