ESL Round 16 Previews - Friday
Games

Leeds v Hull: Smith demands more, and Wigan v London: First home test for Millward

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Smith demands more

Leeds coach Tony Smith has warned his side to be wary of Hull as they attempt to bounce back from their loss at St Helens.

The engage Super League leaders suffered only their second defeat of the season as they went down 38-24 at Knowsley Road last week and Smith was not pleased with their performance.

They return to action against Hull at Headingley on Friday, but even though their third-placed visitors travel on the back of a heavy loss of their own, Smith knows they are a strong proposition.

Smith said: ?We are all about performance and not necessarily results but we were obviously disappointed with our performance last week. Unfortunately that can happen sometimes.

?It is impossible to keep such a high intensity of performance up over the course of a long season.

?Not to take anything away from St Helens and their efforts, I thought we were down in a few areas last week and we have worked hard this week to rectify those problems.

?We have not looked at any specific individuals in the Hull side this week because they have got quality throughout their team.

?They have got strength in depth this season, and despite suffering a lot of injuries, they have still performed consistently and are once again in the top three of Super League.

?We know we will need to be at our best to get the right result.?

Champions Leeds, who still have a two-point lead at the top of the table, have centre Chev Walker available again after missing the Saints game with a cold.

Hull are without in-form back Richard Whiting ? one of their key players in the three-game winning run which came to an end against Bradford last week ? with a shoulder injury.

Forwards Paul McNicholas and Chris Chester have also been ruled out meaning youngsters Danny Washbrook and Kirk Dixon could get a chance.

Hull coach John Kear said: ?It?s a blow to lose Richard but we have prepared without him all week and I am fully confident we can do a job with the team I have selected.

?Danny and Kirk have been very impressive in training and we all know what they are capable of.

?I never lose sleep about the opposition, I just worry about if we have prepared well enough. We have prepared admirably this week and we are ready for the challenge.?

Leeds v Hull, Headingley, Friday June 3

Leeds 18-man: Mathers, Calderwood, Walker, Senior, Bai, McGuire, Burrow, Bailey, McDermott, Lauitiiti, McKenna, Sinfield, Dunemann, Ward, Poching, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Botham.

Hull 18-man: Briscoe, Blacklock, Yeaman, Raynor, R. Horne, Dowes, King, McMenemy, Kearney, Cooke, Thackray, Saxton, Carvell, Brough, Dixon, G. Horne, Barnett, Washbrook.

Referee: R Silverwood (West Yorkshire)

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First home test for Millward

London Broncos are the JJB Stadium visitors for Ian Millward?s first home game since taking charge of Wigan.

Millward?s reign got off to a winning start with victory at Salford on Monday and the Australian wants to maintain the momentum to help fans forget Wigan?s last home game.

On that occasion the Warriors were booed off the pitch after squandering an 18-0 lead against Huddersfield.

Former Saints coach Millward said: ?It?s a really tough game, especially as we?ll be playing Monday-Friday and the Salford match was hard and played in real heat.

?We?ve also got to put some things in place to deal with a team which scored 12 tries in their last game.

?I was at the last home game working for Sky and they got booed off, and it?s hard for a player to get that reaction from a public like Wigan, who have come to expect success.

"But I made a point of going over to the fans at the end of the Salford game because I thought they had been fantastic both before the match and during it.

?So as long as we just stick in this together, the fans and the players and the staff, and we work really hard, then I?m sure we can come out the other end.?

Wigan are without prop Danny Sculthorpe, who begins a two-match suspension for illegal use of the forearm against Salford.

London, who beat Leigh 70-16 last week, rest Joe Mbu and Mark Tookey with injuries, bringing back Francis Stephenson, Tyrone Smith and Steve Trindall.

Broncos coach Tony Rea said: ?Our players are looking forward to it. They are in the right frame of mind and I know they will be on Friday as well.?

Wigan v London, JJB Stadium, Friday June 3

Wigan 18-man: Radlinski, Dallas, Aspinwall, Wild, Carney, Brown, Moran, Seu Seu, Newton, Hansen, Guisset, Tickle, Godwin, Hargreaves, Tomkins, Gleeson, Prescott, Melling.

London 18-man: Armour, Bradley-Qalilawa, Dorn, Haumono, Highton, Hopkins, Leuluai, Lolohea, Mateo, McLinden, O?Halloran, Purdham, Smith, Stephenson, Sykes, Trindall, Wells, Williams.

Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington)

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Thanks to www.superleague.co.uk for more great articles.