Catalans Dragons v Leeds Rhinos - All you need to know about Friday's Super League play-off elimination tie

The victors go through to a semi-final next week, but it will be the end of the season for the beaten team.

Rhinos are without coach Richard Agar, who is self-isolating, for the fifth versus fourth elimination tie.

Here's everything you need to know to set the scene for the big match.

Opponents: Catalans Dragons.

At: HJ Stadium, Warrington.

On: Friday, November 13.

Kick-off: 7.45pmpm

Coverage: Sky Sports and Our League app (for season ticket holders only).

Tickets: No admission for fans - the game will be played behind closed doors.

Dragons coach: A former Hull, Bradford Bulls and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats player, Steve McNamara, 49, was Bulls' coach from 2006-2010 and England boss from 2010-2015. He then had stints as an assistant at Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors before joining Catalans in 2017. He steered them to their first major trophy, the Challenge Cup, the following year.

Dragons star man: Sam Tomkins is 14 points short of 1,000 in Super League, which will be an impressive achievement. The 31-year-old full-back is still one of the most naturally talented players in the European game and a potential match-winner if given time and space with the ball.

Key battle: The sides look evenly-matched in the backs and the team whose pack gets on top will edge what should be a tight contest. Catalans have more size, but if Ava Seumanufagai and Matt Prior play well, Leeds can handle what Catalans’ forwards throw at them.

Form: Catalans finished fourth in Super League, ahead of Rhinos on win percentage, but played only 13 games. Their only fixture in the last month was a 42-24 loss at Salford Red Devils on November 2. Leeds have had almost a two-week break since their 20-18 win over Wakefield Trinity, which was their sixth game in 20 days. They win three of those.

Previous meeting: September 30, 2020. Betfred Super League round 14. Leeds Rhinos 6 (Try Evans, goal O’Connor), Catalans Dragons 34 (Tries Davies 3, Yaha 2, Mourgue. Goals Maloney 5). At Emerald Headingley. Referee: Robert Hicks.

Last five results: Rhinos WLWLW. Dragons LWWWL.

Super League head-to-head: Rhinos won 23, Dragons won 12. Leeds’ highest score was 60-12 at home in 2006 (also widest winning margin, along with 58-10 away in the same year). Catalans’ highest score 46-16 at home in 2016 (also widest margin).

Milestones: Rhinos prop Ava Seumanufagai will make his 150th career appearance, Richie Myler needs four points to reach 500 in Super League and Brett Ferres’ next try will be the 100th of his career. Catalans’ Sam Tomkins needs 14 points to reach 1,000 in Super League.

Team news: Tom Briscoe, Konrad Hurrell, Matt Prior and Richie Myler are all available for Rhinos after two weeks’ self-isolation and Luke Gale, Alex Sutcliffe, Cameron Smith and Brett Ferres could also return. Luke Briscoe, Callum McLelland, Sam Walters and Jarrod O’Connor drop out from the side which beat Wakefield last time out. Sam Tomkins, Joel Tomkins, Matt Whitley, Jason Baitieri and Mickael Simon are all included in Dragons’ initial squad after missing the defeat at Salford. Benjamin Jullien is the player to drop out.

Catalans Dragons: from Mead, Langi, Folau, Yaha, Maloney, Drinkwater, Casty, McIllorum, Moa, Whitley, J Tomkins, Garcia, Bousquet, Simon, Davies, Goudemand, Seguier, Baitieri, Mourgue, Kasiano, S Tomkins.

Leeds Rhinos: from Walker, T Briscoe, Hurrell, Handley, Lui, Gale, Seumanufagai, Leeming, Prior, Martin, Dwyer, L Sutcliffe, Myler, Oledzki, Thompson, Evans, Smith, Donaldson, A Sutcliffe, Harrison, Ferres.

Referee: Chris Kendall (Huddersfield). This will be the fourth time he has refereed a Rhinos game this year. He was in charge of the home defeat by St Helens in August, October’s Coral Challenge Cup semi-final win against Wigan Warriors and the pre-Wembley loss to Warrington Wolves a month ago.