Sunday 9 February 2020 14:02, UK
We take a look at what to keep an eye on as Wakefield Trinity host Catalans Dragons and Huddersfield Giants take on Leeds Rhinos in Sunday's Super League matches...
With Catalans having not named controversial signing Israel Folau in their 21-man squad for the trip to Wakefield on Sunday, attention will now be mainly trained on what happens on the field.
For both clubs, that means trying to get a first win on the board after suffering defeats in Round 1 of the 2020 Super League season.
Wakefield suffered a further injury blow in their 30-12 loss away to Hull Kingston Rovers last Friday, with Danny Brough being forced off amid concerns the 37-year-old could be out for the season.
Further examination revealed Brough suffered a PCL rather than an ACL injury, so will not require surgery, but the biggest concern for Trinity head coach Chris Chester is the ankle injury the half-back suffered at the same time.
"I think he's more concerned about the foot than anything else," Chester said. "I've known players - Gary Connolly at Wigan for example - play for a number of years without a PCL.
"It's a case of managing it. We're a lot more positive than we were initially."
Brough's absence means Ryan Hampshire moves into the halves and Max Jowitt lines up at full-back. Joe Arundel is in the home side's 21-man squad as well in case centre Ryan Atkins fails a fitness test.
Along with Folau not being included, the Dragons head to Mobile Rocket Stadium without Papua New Guinea international three-quarter David Mead, who joins Lewis Tierney and Tom Davies on the injury list.
But even if the Australian back had been included for his first rugby league match since leaving Brisbane Broncos 10 years ago, Chester was not concerned.
"I don't know a great deal about him to be honest, not really bothered too much about him either," Chester said.
"It's more about what we need to do this week."
Catalans head coach Steve McNamara does, however, have Antoni Maria available for the first time this season after the prop completed his recovery from injury.
There are two ways of looking at Leeds' opening-day defeat to Hull FC at Headingley last Sunday.
One is that the Rhinos were simply overpowered by a rampant Black and Whites team in the 30-4 loss. The other is to pick over Leeds' failings and how they failed to build on a promising start to the match.
Head coach Richard Agar straddled both viewpoints, praising Hull for their display while at the same time being disappointed with what he saw from his team and expects his side to produce better when they head to Huddersfield on Sunday.
"It was Round 1, but still I can't say it wasn't a little bit of a concern how far off we were," Agar said. "But…we're a bunch of boys who learn quickly and we're a fairly honest bunch, and we know we can be better than against Hull.
"The obvious thing is to look at it and think they rolled us, but I thought we brought that on a bit ourselves with how we handled things."
The Rhinos have received a boost with the news Konrad Hurrell is available having passed the return to play protocol after being forced off with a head injury in the defeat to Hull.
Ava Seumanufagai has recovered from the knee injury which kept him out of that match as well, adding more depth at prop. However, Agar would still like to sign another forward if the right one becomes available.
"We missed our big man through the middle and the knee-jerk reaction is you need to go out and get a middle," Agar said.
"But, as we've said all along, you want to get the right bloke. We'd like to bring in another middle to the club, but there will be no knee-jerk reactions."
One player absent for Leeds is captain Stevie Ward, who is ruled out due to concussion. That means vice-captain Rhyse Martin will lead the team at the John Smith's Stadium.
Aidan Sezer could hardly have asked for a better start to life in Super League after inspiring Huddersfield to an opening-weekend 32-12 victory in a potentially tricky match away to Catalans.
The former Canberra Raiders half-back earned maximum Man of Steel points for his showing in Perpignan as well, along with earning praise from Giants head coach Simon Woolford.
It might still be very early days in the 2020 season, but Woolford believes the team have shown signs they can be confident of looking up the table rather than over their shoulders again this year.
"Aidan Sezer's made a huge difference to our team, I think it's obvious for all to see," Woolford said.
"We're a different team, we've brought in four or five different players and some young kids who got some game-time last year who have now got another pre-season behind them.
"We know where we're heading, we know what sort of team we've got and what we're capable of, and (against Catalans) we took a step in the right direction.
"If we can compete like that every week and turn up with that defensive mentality, I think we'll win a lot more games than we'll lose."
Woolford has Jordan Turner available again after missing the win over the Dragons due to suspension. He replaces Jake Wardle, who suffered a fractured eye socket in France, in the centres.
