Super League: Talking points and team news for Saturday and Sunday’s matches | Rugby League News

Matt Dufty is set to make his Warrington debut at Huddersfield on Saturday

We take a look at what is being said and team news for the three remaining games of Round 21 of the Betfred Super League season…

Huddersfield Giants vs Warrington Wolves (Saturday, 3pm)

Matt Dufty hopes a fresh start will prove just what he needs as he prepares to make his Warrington debut on Saturday afternoon.

The full-back has joined the Wolves on a two-and-a-half-year contract after being granted his release from NRL side Canterbury Bulldogs.

Dufty is set to go straight into the team for the trip to fourth-placed Huddersfield and revealed how the intense glare players in the NRL often find themselves in was taking its toll on him.

“They are a lot harsher – you are a lot more in the spotlight, especially in Sydney,” Dufty, who also played for St George Illawarra Dragons, said. “I don’t read the papers, but I was getting slammed a bit at the start of the year and it really started to affect my mum and dad and my nieces.

“Mental health is a big thing, and it was starting to get to the point where I was losing the drive to come to training and losing the drive to play.

“For a sportsman, if you’re not enjoying doing what you’re doing, it’s a massive thing. I was still playing good footy; I just needed a fresh start.”

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Highlights of the match between Warrington Wolves and Hull Kingston Rovers in the Betfred Super League

Dufty’s addition to the Warrington squad comes with Daryl Powell’s side aiming to revitalise their dwindling hopes of making the play-offs following last week’s 30-22 home defeat to Hull Kingston Rovers.

The Giants, meanwhile, have Adam O’Brien back in contention, with star full-back Tui Lolohea and former Warrington prop Chris Hill closing in on returns from injury too – although this match will come too soon for the latter pair.

“It looks like we might get a few players back in the next couple of weeks, which is good for us,” Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson, who saw his side edged out 13-12 by Catalans Dragons last Saturday, said.

“Out running at the moment we’ve got Tui, Chris Hill and young Aidan McGowan, so there are three bodies who are starting to come back into training.”

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Highlights of the Super League match between Catalans Dragons and the Huddersfield Giants

Named squads

Huddersfield Giants: Will Pryce, Ashton Golding, Theo Fages, Danny Levi, Michael Lawrence, Josh Jones, Chris McQueen, Luke Yates, Matty English, Joe Greenwood, Owen Trout, Adam O’Brien, Oliver Wilson, Louis Senior, Olly Russell, Innes Senior, Jack Ashworth, Sam Hewitt.

Warrington Wolves: Kyle Amor, Matty Ashton, Joe Bullock, Daryl Clark, Jason Clark, Ben Currie, Matt Davis, Riley Dean, Matt Dufty, James Harrison, Oliver Holmes, Peter Mata’utia, Tom Mikaele, Greg Minikin, Robbie Mulhern, Matty Nicholson, Stefan Ratchford, Danny Walker, Jake Wardle, George Williams, Connor Wrench.

Catalans Dragons vs Leeds Rhinos (Saturday, 6pm UK time)

Catalans’ win over Huddersfield in Perpignan last Saturday saw them move back above the Giants into third in the Super League standings.

Victory at home to Leeds this weekend would ensure they are just two points behind second-placed Wigan Warriors with six games of the regular season remaining.

The top two finishers in the table go straight through to the play-off semi-finals and get home advantage too, and Dragons half-back Mitchell Pearce is well aware there are plenty of sides chasing them too.

“The win puts us in a decent position; we’re in the top three, but the top four and even the top five is very congested,” Pearce said. “It’s about being humble, staying consistent and developing as a team.

“Leeds had a very good game last week and they’re a good side. Everyone is a good team on their day, so we’ll rest the bodies, freshen up and get ready to fight again.”

Catalans have hooker Michael McIlorum and winger Fouad Yaha available again for the visit of the Rhinos, but Dylan Napa, Tyrone May, Matthieu Laguerre, Benjamin Garcia, Tom Davies, Julian Bousquet, Matt Whitley, Mike McMeeken and Jordan Dezaria are all unavailable.

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Highlights of the Super League match between Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors

The Rhinos travel to the South of France buoyed by last week’s impressive 42-16 win at home to Wigan, which ensured they remain in with a chance of making the play-offs too.

Half-back Aidan Sezer and prop Matt Prior are back in contention for this match too and head coach Rohan Smith is in no doubt there is plenty more to come from his side following the win over the Warriors.

“It was a really good performance across the board and we’ve an opportunity to replicate the process,” Smith said.

“It probably confirmed my belief, we’ve a lot of good players in there. It’s a work in progress, we’re just getting started really.”

Named squads

Catalans Dragons: Arthur Mourgue, Samisoni Langi, Dean Whare, Fouad Yaha, Mitchell Pearce, Josh Drinkwater, Gil Dudson, Micky McIlorum, Alrix Da Costa, Benjamin Jullien, Paul Seguier, Mickael Goudemand, Arthur Romano, Corentin Le Cam, Mathieu Cozza, Cesar Rouge, Romain Franco, Joe Chan, Sam Kasiano, Sam Tomkins, Tiaki Chan.

Leeds Rhinos: David Fusitu’a, Harry Newman, Liam Sutcliffe, Ash Handley, Aidan Sezer, Mikolaj Oledzki, Matt Prior, James Bentley, Rhyse Martin, Brad Dwyer, Richie Myler, Cameron Smith, Bodene Thompson, Morgan Gannon, Jarrod O’Connor, James Donaldson, Corey Johnson, Muizz Mustapha, Liam Tindall, Jack Sinfield, Zak Hardaker.

Salford Red Devils vs St Helens (Sunday, 3pm)

Paul Rowley believes Salford are showing the qualities which the people of their home city would identify with after four wins in their past five matches put the Red Devils firmly in the race for the play-offs.

The most recent of those was a hard-fought 24-11 win away to Toulouse Olympique last Saturday despite Rowley’s side being afflicted by a lengthy injury list.

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Highlights of the Super League match between Toulouse Olympique and the Salford Red Devils

Danny Addy joined those on the sidelines after suffering a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in that match, but Rowley is full of praise for how the squad are continuing to overcome adversity.

“Salford is a battling town full of battling people and this group of players reflects that because they refuse to give in,” Rowley said. “They have a ferocious team spirit and a lot of skill.

“The mentality of this group is a reflection of the mentality of the city of Salford and the attitude of the people of the city.”

The injury list means Rowley has only been able to name an 18-man squad for Sunday’s match at home to league leaders St Helens.

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Highlights of the Super League match between Wakefield Trinity and St Helens

Saints needed golden point extra-time to see off Wakefield Trinity 13-12 last week and although this week’s opponents are down to the bare bones, head coach Kristian Woolf is not underestimating the challenge they pose.

“With them sitting as well as they are at the moment, it makes it a little bit easier with our blokes will get excited about that challenge,” Woolf said.

“We know it’s going to be a tough game and we know we’re going to have to improve, especially from what did in the first half last weekend.”

Named squads

Salford Red Devils: Ken Sio, Kallum Watkins, Tim Lafai, Joe Burgess, Brodie Croft, Marc Sneyd, Sitaleki Akauola, Andy Ackers, Greg Burke, Elijah Taylor, Ryan Lannon, Chris Atkin, Jack Ormondroyd, Rhys Williams, Dan Sarginson, Sam Luckley, Deon Cross, Alex Gerrard.

St Helens: Jack Welsby, Regan Grace, Jonny Lomax, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Matty Lees, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles, Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Curtis Sironen, Agnatius Paasi, Jake Wingfield, James Bell, Ben Davies, Konrad Hurrell, Jon Bennison, Lewis Baxter, Dan Hill, Taylor Pemberton, George Delaney.