Trinity will look to make it three on the bounce after a thrilling victory over Huddersfield Giants on Friday, when Danny Brough kicked a one-pointer against his former club to seal the win.
Wigan Warriors, on the other hand, will be out to avenge last week’s defeat away to Castleford Tigers. Wigan had held a sixteen point lead heading into the second half, but Castleford clawed their way back into the game to overcome their opponents 38-28, and condemned the Warriors to their sixth defeat of the season.
It is set to be a tough battle between the two sides, with Trinity eager to continue their recent home run, and Wigan desperate to retain form and climb up the league ladder. This set of fixtures also allow for teams to catch-up on the amount of league games played, as the fifth round of the Coral Challenge Cup gets underway this weekend, with last season’s bottom four entering into it.
Trinity
Trinity are searching for their third consecutive win for the first time this season, aiming for consistency and to make the Mobile Rocket Stadium a fortress. With four home games on the bounce, Trinity have so far suffered a narrow loss against table toppers Warrington, yet have managed to achieve two fantastic wins against Salford and Huddersfield. They will be hoping to make it a hat-trick of wins before their trip over to the Tigers next Thursday.
Chris Chester has named an unchanged 19-man squad, as Trinity will head into Friday’s game with confidence, and have the momentum and belief behind them.
Opposition – The Warriors
It has been an uncharacteristic start to the season so far for the Champions, as they currently occupy 9th place in the Super League table, totalling only three wins from a possible nine.
The Warriors suffered their first loss of the campaign to local rivals St Helens, before coming up short against Hull FC and London Broncos, and then experiencing defeats to Warrington, Huddersfield, and the Tigers.
This Friday evening, Wigan will undoubtedly be looking to bounce back after their setback, as prior to last week’s game, they had seemingly found form. This included a gritty victory against Salford Red Devils and a convincing win on home soil, where the Wigan side nilled the Catalans Dragons, 42-0.
Adrian Lam’s 19-man squad changes considerably after last week’s loss, as Dom Manfredi suffered a season-ending ACL injury, and familiar face Jarrod Sammut drops out, likewise with a form of knee injury. Joe Greenwood, a try-scorer from last week, is also ruled out after a sustained head knock.
All of the other try-scorers have been named however, and ones which Trinity will certainly be looking out for include Oliver Gildart in the centres, and Wigan winger Joe Burgess, who returned from injury only a few weeks ago, but has since played a pivotal role in the side. Former 2015 Man of Steel Zak Hardaker will be another one to watch, as well as the dangerous half-back pairing of internationals George Williams and Thomas Leuluai, French full-back Morgan Escare, and youngster Joe Shorrocks, who could make his debut this Friday night.
Previous meetings
While Trinity were beaten by the Warriors away in 2018, 30-18, they produced a convincing 32-16 victory on home turf. They may have fell short away at The DW Stadium in the Super 8s, as Wigan went on to be crowned Champions of the campaign, yet Trinity fans will always have fond memories of hosting Wigan at home.
The unforgettable 62-0 victory in 2016 surely springs to mind, as well as Trinity’s 2017 season curtain closer, where Trinity triumphed 32-0 live on Sky Sports, finishing a place above the Warriors in the table; for the first time since 2009.
Match Preview by Emma Holley