Leeds Rhinos v Huddersfield Giants - all you need to know

Leeds Rhinos will aim to complete back-to-back victories for the first time since February/March when they cross swords with Huddersfield Giants at St Helens on Friday.
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Here's all the essential information ahead of a big derby for both sides.

Competition: Betfred Super League round 12.

At: TW Stadium, St Helens (Rhinos home game).

Luke Gale celebrates his winning drop goal against Huddersfield last month. Picture by James Hardisty.Luke Gale celebrates his winning drop goal against Huddersfield last month. Picture by James Hardisty.
Luke Gale celebrates his winning drop goal against Huddersfield last month. Picture by James Hardisty.

On: Friday, September 11.

Kick-off: 8.15pm.

Coverage: Sky Sports.

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

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Opposition coach: Coach: Simon Woolford made his Super League coaching debut against Rhinos at Headingley in June, 2018. The 45-year-old Australian is a former hooker with Canberra Raiders and St George-Illawarra and was assistant-coach at Newcastle Knights before joining Huddersfield as successor to Rick Stone. He is expected to return to Australia at the end of this season.

Opposition star man: Huddersfield are set to hand a debut to Australian second-row Chris McQueen who recently joined them from Wests Tigers. An NRL Grand Final winner with South Sydney in 2014, he has played State of Origin for Queensland and earned one England Test cap in 2017, having qualified through his father. He has the potential to do well in Super League.

Key battle: Ashton Golding is one of the best defensive full-backs in Super League and will be keen to impress for Giants against his former club. With Jack Walker still injured, he will be up against Richie Myler who scored a hat-trick last time out and has been arguably Rhinos’ player of the year so far.

Opposition form: Giants were one of the form teams at the start of the season, but have struggled since returning from the Covid-19 shutdown, losing all four games including a 54-6 drubbing by St Helens last week. They led by 20 points in the final quarter of their first game back, against Leeds at Headingley, but were beaten 27-26 in golden point extra-time. They began round 12 in seventh place on the table.

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Previous meeting: August 2, 2020. Betfred Super League round two. Huddersfield Giants 26 (Tries McIntosh 3, L Senior 2. Goals Sezer 3), Leeds Rhinos 27 (Tries Hurrell 2, Gale, L Briscoe, Mellor. Goals Martin 3. Drop goal Gale). After extra time. Referee: Robert Hicks. At Emerald Headingley.

Last five results: Rhinos WWLLW. Huddersfield LLLLL.

Super League head-to-head: Rhinos won 33, Giants won 11, three draws. Leeds’ highest score: 86-6 (Home in 1999, also widest margin), Huddersfield’s highest score 48-24 (home in 2012, widest margin 38-6 away in 2011).

Milestones: Rhinos’ Richie Myler needs eight points to reach 500 in Super League.

Team news: Konrad Hurrell is back in Rhinos’ initial 21-man squad after recovering from a hamstring problem. Alex Mellor (knee) and James Donaldson (back) could also return. Giants have Ashton Golding, Jake Wardle, Darnell McIntosh, Aidan Sezer, Michael Lawrence and new signing Chris McQueen all available after missing the 54-6 defeat by St Helens a week ago. Dominic Young and Reiss Butterworth drop out. Half-back Lee Gaskell remains on Giants’ injury list.

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Leeds Rhinos: from T Briscoe, Newman, Hurrell, Handley, Lui, Gale, Seumanufagai, Leeming, Prior, Mellor, Martin, Dwyer, L Sutcliffe, Myler, Oledzki, Thompson, McLelland, L Briscoe, Donaldson, A Sutcliffe, Holroyd.

Huddersfield Giants: from Golding, McGillvary, Jake Wardle, Turner, McIntosh, Sezer, Gavet, O’Brien, Edwards, Joe Wardle, Lawrence, English, Wilson, Cudjoe, Holmes, Russell, L Senior, Hewitt, Wood, Trout, McQueen.

Rhinos injuries: Jack Walker (foot), Stevie Ward (head), Adam Cuthbertson (back), Cameron Smith (jaw).

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas (Leigh). First Leeds game this season.

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Next games: Leeds Rhinos v Hull KR (Coral Challenge Cup quarter-final), Friday, September 18 at St Helens (8.15pm), Castleford Tigers v Huddersfield Giants (Super League), Thursday/Friday, September 24/25 to be confirmed.

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