Three non-televised Super League games on Saturday; Hull FC host Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves welcome Salford Red Devils at 3pm; Catalans Dragons will be presented with the League Leaders' Shield after their home match against Huddersfield Giants (6pm UK time)
Friday 10 September 2021 15:18, UK
What is being said and team news ahead of Saturday's three non-televised Super League matches...
Brett Hodgson is not worrying about results elsewhere which Hull FC need to go their way if they are to make the Super League play-offs.
The Black and Whites need to win their two remaining games and hope the teams above them slip up in the final two rounds of the regular season if they are to sneak into the top six.
Hodgson's men, who were edged out 25-24 in golden point by Leeds Rhinos at Magic Weekend, face a difficult trip to fourth-placed Wigan Warriors on Saturday and the head coach is only focused on the job in hand.
"We're not stressing in any way about other results because that's all out of our hands," Hodgson said.
"Wigan aren't playing superbly at the moment but they're still knocking off wins and they're very tough to play against because they hang in the contest for 80 minutes and that's something that potentially we've lacked in a number of weeks in the past couple of months."
Hull have lost hooker Danny Houghton for the rest of the season with a wrist injury so Jordan Johnstone switches from loose forward and Jordan Lane returns after missing the Magic Weekend defeat by Leeds Rhinos with a knee injury.
Hodgson has also called youngsters Jude Ferreira and Jacob Hookem into his 21-man squad.
Wigan centre Oliver Gildart is expected to return after pulling out of the defeat by Warrington Wolves in Newcastle in the warm-up with a groin strain in what is likely to be the only change to Adrian Lam's team.
Named squads
Hull FC: Jake Connor, Bureta Faraimo, Carlos Tuimavave, Mahe Fonua, Marc Sneyd, Chris Satae, Andre Savelio, Manu Ma'u, Ligi Sao, Jordan Johnstone, Jordan Lane, Brad Fash, Ben McNamara, Josh Bowden, Connor Wynne, Cameron Scott, Jude Ferreira, Mitieli, Vulikjapani, Jamie Shaul, Aidan Burrell, Jacob Hookem.
Wigan Warriors: Zak Hardaker, Oliver Gildart, Liam Marshall, Brad Singleton, Sam Powell, Joe Bullock, Liam Farrell, John Bateman, Oliver Partington, Morgan Smithies, Liam Byrne, Harry Smith, Ethan Havard, Jake Bibby, Mitch Clark, Joe Shorrocks, Kai Pearce-Paul, Sam Halsall, Umyla Hanley, Jackson Hastings, Brad O'Neill.
Ben Currie believes Warrington need to up their game as they build towards the Super League play-offs, starting with Saturday's visit of Salford Red Devils.
The third-placed Wolves are on course for a home eliminator and came through a hard-fought encounter with Wigan at Magic Weekend to triumph 10-6.
But they have struggled to put together consistent performances of late and Currie knows that must change if they are to keep their ambitions of a maiden Grand Final triumph alive.
"We're building, we've not been anywhere near our best and we know that," Currie said. "I suppose that's a good thing as well that we're getting the results and yet performances have not been as good as we know we can be.
"We've got some improving to do and we've got to do it pretty fast because we've only got two more games until the play-offs but we know we're heading in the right direction."
Warrington are set to give a debut to academy hooker Tom Inman in the absence of both specialist No. 9s Daryl Clark and Danny Walker. Stand-off Blake Austin and back rower Matt Davis are back in contention and coach Steve Price calls up another academy player Tom Whitehead.
Salford are without half-back Ata Hingano, and second rower Harvey Livett has failed to recover from a calf injury that forced him to pull out of the Magic Weekend clash with Castleford, but the Red Devils have loose forward Elijah Taylor back after a three-match absence.
Named squads
Warrington Wolves: Sitaleki Akauola, Matty Ashton, Blake Austin, Josh Charnley, Jason Clark, Ben Currie, Matt Davis, Eribe Doro, Chris Hill, Jack Hughes, Tom Inman, Toby King, Ellis Longstaff, Jake Mamo, Robbie Mulhern, Stefan Ratchford, Josh Thewlis, Tom Whitehead, Gareth Widdop, George Williams, Connor Wrench.
Salford Red Devils: Morgan Escare, Ken Sio, Krisnan Inu, Joe Burgess, Tui Lolohea, Kevin Brown, Andy Ackers, Ryan Lannon, Elijah Taylor, Danny Addy, Oliver Roberts, Greg Burke, Josh Johnson, Chris Atkin, Rhys Williams, Dan Sarginson, Matt Costello, Jack Ormondroyd, Sam Luckley, Nathan Reobuck, Ellis Robson.
Sam Tomkins has his sights set on ensuring Catalans go on to claim Super League's top prize after securing the League Leaders' Shield, which they will be presented with after Saturday's match at home to Huddersfield, for the first time in the club's history.
James Maloney's drop goal in last Saturday's 31-30 win over St Helens at Magic ensured the French outfit will finish top of Super League, with their sights now firmly set on a maiden Grand Final triumph.
The team were greeted by supporters on their return to the south of France in the early hours of Sunday morning following that success and full-back Tomkins knows just what it would mean to lift the title at Old Trafford in a month's time.
"We got back to Perpignan at 3am on Sunday morning and there were fans waiting to clap us out of the airport, which was nice," Tomkins said.
"It means a lot to people here. When you're walking around the street, everybody is talking about the semi-final at home.
"The League Leaders is really nice, but the big trophy in October is what we're really focusing on."
Tomkins and his brother Joel, Samisoni Langi, Fouad Yaha, Julian Bousquet, Mike McMeeken and Sam Kasiano all sit out the Catalans' last home game of the regular season.
However, experienced forwards Benjamin Jullien and Jason Baitieri are back from injury and there could be debuts for Florian Vailhen, Tiaki Chan and Robin Brochon.
Huddersfield expect to have full-back Ashton Golding and winger Jermaine McGillvary back after they missed the defeat to Wakefield Trinity at the Magic Weekend through injury.
Named squads
Catalans Dragons: Arthur Mourgue, Tom Davies, Dean Whare, James Maloney, Josh Drinkwater, Gil Dudson, Micky McIlorum, Matt Whitley, Benjamin Jullien, Paul Seguier, Mickael Goudemand, Matthieu Laguerre, Corentin Le Cam, Mathieu Cozza, Jason Baitieri, Jordan Dezaria, Cesar Rouge, Romain Franco, Florian Vailhen, Tiaki Chan, Robin Brochon.
Huddersfield Giants: Ashton Golding, Jermaine McGillvary, Jake Wardle, Ricky Leutele, Michael Lawrence, Josh Jones, Matty English, Joe Greenwood, Jack Cogger, Chris McQueen, Oliver Wilson, Leroy Cudjoe, Olly Russell, Louis Senior, Owen Trout, Olly Ashall-Bott, Will Pryce, Nathaniel Peteru, Nathan Peats.
