Preview: Leeds Rhinos vs Warrington Wolves – prediction, team news, lineups

Warrington Wolves will be looking to put their Challenge Cup final loss behind them as they travel across the M62 for a tasty Super League encounter with the Leeds Rhinos on Saturday.

While the Wolves are still dwelling on their Wembley woes, the Rhinos are riding a wave of good form and are beginning to position themselves as serious title contenders.

Match preview

Warrington may have been the underdogs for last weekend’s Challenge Cup final, but that did not make their dramatic 8-6 defeat taste any less bitter.

The Wolves were arguably the better team at Wembley, yet it was a late Hull KR score that allowed the Robins to end their 40-year wait for a major trophy.

Warrington’s attention now turns back to Super League duties as Sam Burgess and his men look for an upturn in results.

Wire picked up just one win from their last four matches in the competition, with that sole success coming against out-of-form Castleford Tigers side one week before Wembley.

Victory over Leeds Rhinos would not only mark a big turning point for Warrington, but it would also do their playoff ambitions a lot of good - the Wolves head into the weekend in eighth place, two points adrift of the top six.

Leeds, on the other hand, are in sensational form. The Rhinos have won their last four Super League games, including a 22-18 victory over Wakefield Trinity a fortnight ago.

While Brad Arthur’s men are far from being the best attacking side in the league, their defence has been exceptional, conceding 151 points across their 13 matches in the competition this season – fewer than 12 points per match on average.

Leeds are still trying to rediscover their glory days, with the club winning just one Challenge Cup crown over the last eight years, but things are certainly beginning to look up for the success-starved side.

One big worry for the Rhinos heading into the weekend will be their dreadful run of head-to-head results against Warrington - Leeds have lost their last four meetings against Wire, including their last meeting at Headingley back in April 2024.

Leeds Rhinos form: WWWWL

Warrington Wolves form: LWLLW

Team News

Leeds star Kallum Watkins is set to make his 400th career appearance this Saturday. The 34-year-old has played 265 times for Leeds across his two spells at the Yorkshire club, 96 times for Salford, eight for Gold Coast Titans and 30 for England.

Andy Ackers returns to the squad for the first time since defeat to St Helens in the Challenge Cup, while Alfie Edgell also returns to the squad after suffering a shoulder injury at Magic Weekend.

Warrington, meanwhile, will be without Matt Dufty for the next few weeks after he fractured his eye socket at Wembley.

He joins long-term absentees Matty Ashton, Oli Leyland, Danny Walker and Cai Taylor-Wray on the sidelines.

George Williams returned from injury last week and will be crucial to Wire's attacking efforts, as will Stefan Ratchford, who is likely to feature at full-back.

Leeds Rhinos predicted lineup: Miller, Sivo, Newman, Handley, Hall, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, Smith; O’Connor, Lisone, Gannon, Jenkins 

Warrington Wolves predicted lineup: Ratchford, Thewlis, King, Tai, Wrench, Williams, Sneyd, Vaughan, Powell, Harrison, Currie, Fitzgibbon, Yates; Philbin, Musgrove, Crowther, Whitehead

We say: Leeds Rhinos 16-12 Warrington Wolves

This has the makings of a good game. Leeds are in far better form, but Warrington showed encouraging signs at the weekend and will be looking to respond after their Challenge Cup defeat.

The Rhinos are strong at home and we are backing them to bag their sixth season win at Headingley in what is shaping up to be a close contest.

Written by
Barney Corkhill

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