Former Salford star full-back Evalds returns to the AJ Bell Stadium for the first time with new club Castleford in Friday's live Super League match. Plus news as Wakefield host Catalans and promoted Leigh face champions St Helens
Friday 30 April 2021 17:10, UK
We look at what is being said ahead of Friday's three Super League matches, including the televised clash between Salford Red Devils and Castleford Tigers...
Niall Evalds is relishing the prospect of facing some former team-mates when he returns to the AJ Bell Stadium with Castleford in Friday's live Super League match.
The full-back made his professional debut with Salford in 2013 and went on to be a key member of the team which reached the 2019 Grand Final and 2020 Challenge Cup final, as well as becoming the Red Devils' record try-scorer in Super League.
However, he chose to move to Castleford for the 2021 season and will now be lining up against Salford for the first time since that move - and the 27-year-old cannot wait to face his old club.
"I'm excited for it," Evalds, who has scored three tries in his first four Super League appearances for the Tigers, said. "A few of the boys have said make sure you go in the right dressing room before the game.
"I loved my time there. I signed at 15 and pretty much grew up there. I've a lot of good memories that will live with me for the rest of my life.
"It will be strange to be back there but I'm just focusing on the game and getting the two points."
Cas, who announced earlier this week former Hull FC boss Lee Radford will take over from Warrington Wolves-bound head coach Daryl Powell at the end of the season, go into the match having lost their unbeaten record in a 22-12 defeat at the hands of Wigan Warriors a week ago.
The visitors have Jesse Sene-Lefao available again following his suspension, with Danny Richardson, Gareth O'Brien and Lewis Peachey all in contention as well.
The sides meet again in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals next week and Salford head coach Richard Marshall is keen to start stringing results together after picking up their first Super League win of the season against Leigh Centurions last week.
"A cup game is completely different though," Marshall, who could have Kallum Watkins back, said. "A cup game is a one-off, it's knockout and it's a quarter-final so we'll look forward to that but hopefully win this one first and build some momentum into that game."
Named squads
Salford Red Devils: Morgan Escare, Ken Sio, Kallum Watkins, Krisnan Inu, Tui Lolohea, Kevin Brown, Lee Mossop, Andy Ackers, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Danny Addy, Ollie Roberts, Greg Burke, Josh Johnson, Chris Atkin, Elliot Kear, Harvey Livett, James Greenwood, Rhys Williams, Jack Ormondroyd, Darcy Lussick.
Castleford Tigers: Niall Evalds, Derrell Olpherts, Peter Mata'utia, Michael Shenton, Jake Trueman, Danny Richardson, Liam Watts, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Oliver Holmes, Cheyse Blair, Adam Milner, Nathan Massey, George Griffin, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Lewis Bienek, Lewis Peachey, Brad Martin, Sam Hall, Gareth O'Brien.
Chris Chester hopes Wakefield's home comforts will play into their hands as they prepare to host a team for the first time in Super League this year.
Trinity have been on the road for all of their matches in 2021, but they will now welcome Catalans - who they lost 26-6 to the Challenge Cup third round in St Helens earlier this month - to the Mobile Rocket Stadium.
Head coach Chester, who is set to give debuts to loan signings Olly Ashall-Bolt and Josh Eaves, is in no doubt being on their home patch gives Wakefield a boost as they aim to get their first win of the year on the board following a 20-14 loss to Hull FC last Friday.
"It's nice not to have to travel over to Lancashire," Chester said. "Playing at home gives you that psychological advantage.
"Nobody wants to come to play at Wakefield - I am sure James Maloney is looking forward to getting dressed in our sheds, it will be a real eye-opener for him."
Catalans are without Matt Whitley due to injury but have Joel Tomkins available in the second row instead after he completed his suspension and are aiming to rebound from the 24-8 loss at home to Warrington last Saturday.
"It's rugby league, it's what happens if you're a little bit off and if you're not quite on it then you get beat," Dragons head coach Steve McNamara said. "Clearly, we want to put in a better performance."
Named squads
Wakefield Trinity: Max Jowitt, Bill Tupou, Reece Lyne, Liam Kay, David Fifita, Kyle Wood, Tinirau Arona, Kelepi Tanginoa, Joe Westerman, Jay Pitts, Eddie Battye, James Batchelor, Chris Green, Innes Senior, Jordy Crowther, Joe Arundel, Lee Kershaw, Olly Ashall-Bott, Josh Eaves, Sam Eseh.
Catalans Dragons: Arthur Mourgue, Tom Davies, Samisoni Langi, Dean Whare, Fouad Yaha, James Maloney, Josh Drinkwater, Gil Dudson, Micky McIlorum, Julian Bousquet, Mike McMeeken, Benjamin Garcia, Alrix Da Costa, Paul Seguier, Matthieu Laguerre, Joel Tomkins, Jason Baitieri, Joe Chan, Sam Kasiano, Sam Tomkins, Jordan Dezaria.
The other match-up of the night sees reigning champions St Helens aim to keep their unbeaten start to the season going when they travel to promoted Leigh.
The sides have already faced off once this year in a testimonial match for Tommy Makinson, who returns to the visitors' squad for this match, during pre-season - with the Centurions emerging victorious that night.
Saints head coach Kristian Woolf has no concerns there will be a repeat of that at Leigh Sports Village though.
"I don't think we have to worry about that one bit," Woolf said. "They played with a real intensity and energy that night.
"They caught our blokes by surprise a bit with the physicality they came at us with. Our blokes won't forget that."
Leigh have yet to record a win after being promoted from the Championship, although they have Junior Sa'u available for his first appearance of the year while Nathaniel Peteru and Matty Wildie are in line to return as well.
"It seems a long time since we played Saints in that pre-season game and they have gone from strength to strength since and are probably the best team in the competition right now," Centurions head coach John Duffy said.
"There has been a lot of talking this week with the players and I'm hopeful our boys can put in a good performance against one of the top teams in the competition."
Named squads
Leigh Centurions: Ryan Brierley, Matty Russell, Iain Thornley, Junior Sa'u, Lewis Tierney, Ben Flower, Liam Hood, Mark Ioane, Ben Hellewell, Jordan Thompson, James Bell, Matty Wildie, Alex Gerrard, Nate Peteru, Matty Gee, Nathan Mason, Tyrone McCarthy, Craig Mullen, Nathan Peats, Ben Reynolds, Anthony Gelling.
St Helens: Lachlan Coote, Tommy Makinson, Kevin Naiqama, Mark Percival, Regan Grace, Jonny Lomax, Theo Fages, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, James Bentley, Sione Mata'utia, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Kyle Amor, Agnatius Paasi, Jack Welsby, Aaron Smith, Joe Batchelor, Lewis Dodd, Jake Wingfield, Dan Norman, Ben Davies.
