Match Preview – Wigan vs Leeds

Blake Austin is set to make a belated Leeds debut against Wigan on Friday

We look at what’s being said and team news ahead of Friday’s Betfred Super League clash between Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos, live on Sky Sports…

Austin primed for belated Rhinos bow

Blake Austin was reduced to the role of spectator for Leeds’ season opener against Warrington Wolves last week due to suspension but is finally free to make his competitive bow on Friday.

The Australia-born Great Britain international is likely to go straight into the starting line-up to give fans the first glimpse of his highly-anticipated partnership with fellow newcomer Aidan Sezer in a Super League match.

Although the hosts were beaten 22-20 after battling bravely with just 12 men for a large part of the match, Austin was impressed with what he saw and is eager to get stuck in against Wigan, who he faced on plenty of occasions in derby clashes with the Wolves.

“It’s a week later than anticipated, but I got to watch from the stands last week and was really impressed with the effort and the way the team went about it,” Austin told Rhinos TV.

“I guess my job is to get out there and match that, and bring a couple of things I can do, but I’m just really excited.

“I spent the last three years with every game against Wigan being a big one. It’s a big rivalry I used to have, and I’ll be bringing the same sort of energy and passion I have.”

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Highlights as Leeds Rhinos took on Warrington Wolves in the Betfred Super League

One player who will be missing for the Rhinos is James Bentley, who was sent off in that match and handed an initial three-match suspension which was subsequently increased to four after the club’s challenge to the severity of that ban was deemed “frivolous” by the disciplinary panel.

“The frivolous challenge part of it is the only disappointment,” Leeds head coach Richard Agar, who had no complaints about the red card, said. “We took expert advice on it; we didn’t just think ‘let’s try it on’.”

More rewards to come for Field?

Jai Field’s long-awaited return to action for Wigan as they defeated Hull Kingston Rovers 24-10 in the first game of the 2022 campaign last Friday could hardly have gone better for the Australian back.

His try-scoring display at full-back caught the eye so much that Field was named player of the match, looking like he had barely been away after coming off a first year at the Warriors which was heavily disrupted by injury.

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Jai Field says he really enjoyed playing in a hostile ground and they completed well after Wigan Warriors got off to a winning start against Hull KR

Few people were more pleased with the 24-year-old’s night than head coach Matt Peet and he believes the former St George Illawarra Dragons and Parramatta Eels man will enjoy more games like that.

“To everyone within the club, it felt like seeing Jai get a reward, seeing him space and being able to showcase his ability,” Peet said. “If you look at how much unselfish work he did off the ball, we’ve been seeing that a lot in pre-season.

“The fact he’s been putting himself in those positions is what we’ve been encouraging him to do. There will be games where the ball doesn’t bounce for him, but almost like a striker in football, you’ve got to keep getting on the end of things and you’ll get your reward.”

Field’s try came from a visionary piece of attacking play which saw new signing Cade Cust put in a kick behind the Rovers defensive line from a scrum, underlining Wigan’s new emphasis on how they attack.

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Jai Field sprints after a kick into space for Wigan Warriors to score a try from nothing against Hull KR

That is something Leeds will no doubt be wary of, but for Peet it is down to more than just spotting those opportunities to score.

“In our team meetings, we show players the opportunities from the way teams defend…then we have a discussion about how best to take advantage of certain situations,” Peet said.

“But ultimately, it’s the players having the confidence and skill to take those – we’ve spoken about that quite a bit in pre-season.”

Team news

Wigan have just one change from the season-opening win over Hull KR, with Brad O’Neill coming in for Iain Thornley after the centre picked up an injury early on in the match at Sewell Group Craven Park.

Corey Johnson has been recalled to the Leeds squad

Leeds are without Richie Myler (groin) and David Fusitu’a (head) due to injury, while Bentley and Brad Dwyer start four and one-match bans respectively. Rhyse Martin is also back in Australia on compassionate leave following the death of his father.

But along with Austin being available, the Rhinos have recalled hooker Corey Johnson from his loan spell with Bradford Bulls and included 17-year-old centre Max Simpson in the initial 21-man squad.

Named squads

Wigan Warriors: Jake Bibby, Zak Hardaker, Liam Marshall, Cade Cust, Tommy Leuluai, Brad Singleton, Sam Powell, Patrick Mago, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell, John Bateman, Morgan Smithies, Kaide Ellis, Harry Smith, Oliver Partington, Liam Byrne, Kai Pearce-Paul, Joe Shorrocks, Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Brad O’Neill.

Leeds Rhinos: Jack Walker, Harry Newman, Liam Sutcliffe, Ash Handley, Blake Austin, Aidan Sezer, Mikolaj Oledzki, Kruise Leeming, Matt Prior, Zane Tetevano, Alex Mellor, Cameron Smith, Bodene Thompson, Tom Briscoe, Morgan Gannon, Jack Broadbent, Jarrod O’Connor, James Donaldson, Corey Johnson, Max Simpson, Liam Tindall.