ESL Round 17 Sunday game previews

Salford V Warrington

Salford City Reds have received a timely boost ahead of their daunting visit to form team Warrington Wolves on Sunday with the return of the talismanic Karl Fitzpatrick.

The Irish international, who was in sparkling form in the first month of the season following his switch to full-back, plays his first engage Super League match for more than three months after recovering from a hamstring problem.

His eagerly-awaited comeback is just what the Reds need as they look to end their seven-match losing run, the worst in the League.

?It?s a massive boost, we?ve missed him big time,? admitted Harrison, whose side last tasted victory against Leigh on April 22.

?He?s been back in full training for almost three weeks now and has been wanting to play the last couple of weeks. He will get his chance this week and I?m sure he won?t let us down.

?It?s like having a new signing, he?s been out that long, and it?s come at a nice time as well, with Tony Stewart being out. David Hodgson has been fantastic at full-back but he can go back onto the wing.?

With the exception of centre or stand-off Kevin McGuinness, who is out for the season undergoing a knee re-construction, the Reds are starting to get their injured troops back but Harrison will stick with youngster Tim Hartley at stand-off.

The academy starlet was switched from the wing and came up with an impressive two-try display against St Helens last week to justify his coach?s faith in him.

?He showed a lot of composure for a young guy,? said Harrison. ?St Helens didn?t know much about him but he will find it harder against Warrington because Paul Cullen will have done his homework.?

The Wolves, who lost 42-10 at Salford on Good Friday, will reclaim third place in the table if they make it six wins in a row.

Warrington Wolves v Salford City Reds, Halliwell Jones Stadium, Sunday June 19 2005

Warrington 20-man squad: Grose, Fa?afili, M. Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Gaskell, Briers, N. Wood, Leikvoll, Clarke, Hilton, Swann, Noone, M. Gleeson, Westwood, P. Wood, Lima, Appo, Pickersgill, Bracek, Bridge.

Salford 20-man squad: Hodgson, Fitzpatrick, Littler, McAvoy, Hartley, Beverley, Robinson, Rutgerson, Alker, Highton, Coley, Shipway, Charles, Jonkers, Haggerty, Dickens, Johnson, Langi, Baldwin, Clough.

Referee: R Laughton ************************ Wakefield V Huddersfield

The spotlight falls on the relegation zone on Sunday, with Wakefield Trinity Wildcats hoping to leapfrog Salford with a win at Huddersfield Giants.

With just two wins from their last eight matches, Huddersfield need to quickly get back to winning ways if they are to avoid being dragged into the relegation dogfight and coach Jon Sharp is confident their next win is just around the corner.

?We?re frustrated because we?ve been playing really well and giving ourselves opportunities to win games but we?re not winning,? he said. ?We?re not getting what we deserve.

?We feel as though we?re doing enough to win games but just not getting our rewards at the moment. But we?ll stick at what we?re doing and it will come our way.?

Huddersfield Giants v Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Galpharm Stadium, Sunday June 19

Huddersfield 18-man squad: Reilly, Evans, Donlan, Thorman, March, Drew, Gannon, Nero, Roarty, Jones, Smith, Crabtree, Grayshon, White, Jackson, Clayton, McDonald, St Hilaire.

Wakefield 18-man squad: Halpenny, Demetriou, Domic, Tadulala, Rooney, Jeffries, Griffin, March, Korkidas, Solomona, J. Field, Spicer, Obst , Snitch, MacGillivray, Elima, M. Field, Feather.

Referee: R Silverwood ********************** Bradford V Widnes

Three wins in their last five matches have given Widnes Vikings renewed hope of avoiding the drop and, after beating Bradford 31-22 in the second match of the season, they will travel to Odsal with optimism.

?Their recent record is as good as anyone?s outside the top two,? admitted Bulls coach Brian Noble.

?They have a big pack that gets them forward and they have some talented people, like (Shane) Millard and (Owen) Craigie and they have just re-signed Jules O?Neill, who will give them plenty more attacking options.

?They have beaten us already this season so they won?t lack confidence against us but it is in our hands. We need to play tough and smart and if we do that we should be okay.?

Bradford Bulls v Widnes Vikings, Odsal Stadium, Sunday June 19 2005

Bradford 18-man squad: Ferres, Deacon, Cook, Fielden, I. Harris, Withers, Johnson, Lynch, B. Harris, Parker, Paul, Peacock, Pratt, K. Pryce, Langley, Radford, Reardon, Vagana.

Widnes 18-man squad: Connolly, Emelio, Craigie, Myler, O'Connor, Millard, J. O'Neill, Cassidy, Stankevitch, Hulse, Whitaker, Frame, Mills, Fa-alogo, Smith, Holmes, Viane, J. O'Neill.

Referee: S P Ganson

Thanks to: http://www.superleague.co.uk for another excellent article.