Johns to play
2nd game for Wire, West Yorkshire derby at Leeds, Reds travel to Leigh

Star names clash

Two of Super League?s newest additions go head to head on Friday when Australian Test half-back Andrew Johns makes his second appearance for Warrington against Kiwi international Sione Faumuina, who will make his home debut for Hull.

Both high-profile short-term acquisitions made their mark on debut and their mouth-watering clash could influence the outcome of an engage Super League match which will determine home advantage in the play-offs.

Around 2,000 Warrington fans are making the trip to east Yorkshire, having had their appetites whetted by Johns? match-winning heroics against Leeds.

Having made such a massive impression just four days after stepping off a plane from Sydney, Johns promises to be a more potent threat after 10 days? acclimatisation and a full week?s training with his new team-mates.

But Hull coach John Kear is loathe to target individuals.

?Of course you prepare for him because he?s the best player in the world,? said Kear. ?But, if you prepare for him too much, then you get hurt by some of their other players.

?They?ve currently got Nat Wood at dummy-half which has been a masterstroke and then you have Lee Briers and Andrew Johns at first receiver and Martin Gleeson out wide.

?I rate Gleeson in the top six centres in the world and he can really hurt you so we have to be patient and play to our own plans.?

Victory for the fifth-placed Wolves in their last game of the regular season will ensure at least one more full house at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, but defeat would force them to return to the KC Stadium next Saturday for a sudden-death tie.

Johns, who has appeared in two Grand Final-winning teams for Newcastle Knights, wants to take his English club all the way to Old Trafford but defeat tomorrow could mean his Super League career lasts just three matches.

He has been doing his homework on Friday?s opponents and has identified two members of the Great Britain training squad, prop Jamie Thackray and winger Gareth Raynor, as potential danger men.

?I watched Hull?s Challenge Cup final win against Leeds and I was blown away by their courage,? said Johns. ?I understand they have a terrific stadium and it is right up there with the best in the competition. It will certainly be a tough assignment.

?The boys have been giving Jamie Thackray big raps, he?ll be a player I?ll have to watch. Also I hear Gareth Raynor brings the ball back well so we?ll have to watch him, especially on the kick-chase part of our game.?

While Warrington go in search of their first-ever win at the KC Stadium, Hull can expect a heroes? welcome for their first home game since their Challenge Cup triumph.

But it could be their last at home if they fail to avenge a 36-34 defeat at the Halliwell Stadium in April.

Their tremendous cup run makes double-chasing Hull the dark horses for Old Trafford but Kear has been trying to take the pressure off his team.

?Obviously we?ve learnt how to deal with those type of games,? he said. ?But the game against Warrington isn?t a one-off, it?s just part of our regular league campaign.

?We?ve prepared for it in the right way and we?re treating it as two points. If we win, then we get two points and finish fourth; if we don?t, then we?ll be playing Warrington or Bradford. It?s as simple as that and we?ll be very relaxed.?

Hull, who are still without stand-off Richard Horne through injury and centre Kirk Yeaman because of suspension, switch Nathan Blacklock to full-back in the absence of Motu Tony (hamstring) and recall Richie Barnett to the wing, with Tom Saxton set for a place on the bench. Recent signing Sione Faumuina makes his home debut.

Warrington have recalled veteran prop Mark Hilton but they are still without second row pair Mike Wainwright (foot) and Ben Westwood (ankle).

Hull v Warrington Wolves, KC Stadium, KC Stadium, Friday September 16

Hull 18-man: Blacklock, Raynor, Dowes, Swain, King, McMenemy, Kearney, Cooke, Thackray, Saxton, Chester, Faumuina, Carvell, Brough, G. Horne, McNicholas, Barnett, Whiting.

Warrington 18-man: Grose, Fa?afili, Martin Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Briers, N. Wood, Leikvoll, Clarke, Hilton, Swann, Noone, Mark Gleeson, P. Wood, Lima, Bracek, Bridge, Riley, Johns.

Referee: S Ganson

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Rhinos look for form

Leeds, condemned to a second-paced finish behind St Helens despite leading the table for most of the season, will be looking to rediscover the winning touch when they meet Wakefield at Headingley on Friday.

The champions are aiming to avoid losing five successive matches for the first time since the first year of Super League in 1996 but coach Tony Smith remains optimistic about a return to Old Trafford.

?A lot has been made of our recent run of form but there are 10 teams who would love to swap places with us right now,? said Smith. ?We are 80 minutes away from returning to Old Trafford, although we face a tough trip to Knowsley Road in a fortnight.

?Our efforts and hard work during the season have rightfully given the players a great opportunity to defend their title.?

Wakefield are one of only two teams to win at Headingley this year, courtesy of a shock 44-28 triumph there on Easter Monday, and Smith is expecting another difficult test.

?They have played really well in their last two games in particular and were unlucky to lose last week against Hull,? he said.

?They will be looking to finish the season on a high and completing a double over us at Headingley. They have got quality players throughout their side and will be a real threat for us.?

The Rhinos go into the game needing just two points to equal the Super League record of 1,120 in a season set by Bradford in 2001.

They are without second rower Ali Lauitiiti (knee) but have a straight replacement in Chris McKenna, who has recovered from an ankle injury, and prop Ryan Bailey is also back after missing last week?s defeat at Warrington with a knee injury.

The match could mark the last Headingley appearance for Francis Cummins, Mark Calderwood, Marcus Bai, Andrew Dunemann, Chris McKenna and Barrie McDermott, who are all leaving the club at the end of the season.

Wakefield are set to give a debut to 19-year-old half-back Liam Campbell and bid farewell to Hull-bound centre Sid Domic. The team includes five former Leeds players in Michael Wainwright, Jamie Field, Dave Wrench, Chris Feather and Austin Buchanan.

Leeds Rhinos v Wakefield Trinity Wildcats, Headingley, Friday September 16

Leeds 18-man: Mathers, Calderwood, Walker, Bai, McGuire, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, McDermott, McKenna, Sinfield, Dunemann, Ward, Poching, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Smith, Cummins.

Wakefield 18-man: Halpenny, Wainwright, Henderson, Domic, Applegarth, Jeffries, Obst , Griffin, March, Korkidas, Solomona, Wrench, J. Field, Spicer, Campbell, Feather, Elima, Buchanan.

Referee: J King

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Hill gets Leigh chance

Leigh assistant coach Heath Cruckshank adds youngster Chris Hill to the team that lost a 15th successive match at Widnes last week for their last match in engage Super League.

Overseas duo Mark Leafa and Craig Stapleton are set to maintain their record of playing every game for the Centurions in the top flight.

Salford recall Australian second rower Mark Shipway after a four-match absence for what is almost certain to be his last match for the club, while Nathan McAvoy returns in place Ian Sibbit.

Leigh v Salford, The Coliseum, Friday September 16

Leigh 18-man: Wilshere, Maden, Cooper, Owen, Jackson, J. Duffy, Forber, Fleary, Rowley, Sturm, Wilkes, Leafa, Kent, Stapleton, Stevens, J. Duffy, Marshall, C. Hill.

Salford 18-man: Beverley, Hodgson, Littler, Langi, Robinson, Stewart, Alker, Baldwin, Fitzpatrick, Brocklehurst, Coley, Shipway, Charles, Haggerty, Highton, Rutgerson, Clough, McAvoy.

Referee: R Silverwood