WRAP: 2023 Betfred Super League Round 1

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A full wrap of the opening round of the 2023 Super League season.

Match information and lineups courtesy Rugby League Project, match summaries written by AJ Lucantonio.

All listed times are AEDT.

RELATED: See the full list of 2023 Betfred Super League Draw and Results.

Warrington Wolves 42 Leeds Rhinos 10

Venue: Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington
Crowd: 11082
Date: Friday 17 February 2023 at 7:00am

Warrington Wolves (42)
Tries: Greg Minikin, James Harrison, Sam Kasiano, Matthew Dufty, Danny Walker, Josh Thewlis, Daryl Clark
Goals: Stefan Ratchford 7

Leeds Rhinos (10)
Tries: Justin Sangare, Derrell Olpherts
Goals: Rhyse Martin 1

Warrington: Dufty, Thewlis, Mata'utia, Ratchford (C), Ashton; Williams, Drinkwater; Mikaele, Clark, Vaughan, Currie, Nicholson, Harrison. Int: Kasiano, Walker, Bullock, Minikin.
Leeds: Myler, Roberts, Fusitu'a, Handley, Olpherts; Austin, Sezer; Holroyd, Leeming (C), Lisone, Gannon, Martin, Tetevano. Int: Donaldson, O'Connor, Sangaré, Smith.

The Warrington Wolves have gotten their 2023 campaign off to a perfect start, thrashing the Leeds Rhinos by 42-10 in the opening match of the season. The Wolves were keen to show that last year was just one off year, while the Rhinos were looking to avoid second year syndrome under coach Rohan Smith.

The first half was played at a frantic pace and it was outspoken fullback Matt Dufty who crossed for the first try inside the first five minutes showing brilliant support play. Off the ensuing set, Leeds were ill disciplined which allowed Ratchford to shoot for goal and give Wolves an 8-0 cushion. Eight minutes later, hooker Daryl Clark fooled the defence with a dummy and strolled over the line and Leeds were in big trouble.

It was getting worse for Rohan Smith's men conceding three tries in the 17 minutes before half-time. Clark turned provider in the 23rd minute, tossing a long pass out to the right which allowed Josh Thewlis to leap acrobatically over in the corner. It was all too easy for the hosts as Danny Walker stretched the lead to 24 points by winning the race to his own grubber kick to touch down after opposite fullback Richie Myler slipped as he tried to gather. Sam Kasiano made an instant impression from the bench for his new side crossing after collecting a kick from half George Williams and it was 30-0 at the half.

The second half was a scrappy affair to start with, but four tries in the final twenty minutes brought the crowd back into the contest. Leeds avoided a shutout when new buy Derrell Olpherts touched down, but it would prove to be consolation. James Harrison and Greg Minikin crossed each within five minutes of each-other and it was becoming an opening night horror show for Leeds. French international Justin Sangare crossed inside the last ten minutes to make the score a bit respectable at 42-10.

Wakefield Trinity 24 Catalans Dragons 38

Venue: Be Well Support Stadium, Wakefield
Crowd: 4076
Date: Saturday 18 February 2023 at 6:30am

Wakefield Trinity (24)
Tries: Max Jowitt, Craig Hall, Matty Ashurst, Lee Gaskell
Goals: Mason Lino 4

Catalans Dragons (38)
Tries: Matthieu Laguerre, Tom Johnstone 3, Tom Davies 2, Cesar Rouge
Goals: Adam Keighran 5

Wakefield: Jowitt, Lineham, Lyne, Langi, Murphy; Gaskell, Lino; Whitbread, Smith, Atoni, Pitts, Ashurst (C), Proctor. Int: Kay, Battye, Butler, Hall.
Catalans: Mourgue, Johnstone, Laguerre, Whitley, Davies; Rougé, Keighran; Navarrete, McIlorum, Bousquet, Séguier, Ma'u, Garcia (C). Int: Goudemand, Chan, Dezaria, Zenon.

The Catalans Dragons have fought off a determined Wakefield side to get their Super League campaign off to a flying start with a 38-24 victory.

It was the home side that crossed early when Max Jowitt crossed inside the first ten minutes to give the Wildcats a 6-0 lead. Catalans responded twelve minutes later when a clever grubber kick landed in the breadbasket of Matthieu Laguerre to reduce the gap to two points.

Tom Johnstone crossed for the first of his three tries against his former side five minutes later. Wakefield stayed in the contest and were rewarded when Corey Hall crossed 12 minutes out from the break to keep the Wildcats back in front.

The lead was short lived when Johnstone crossed for his second six minutes out from half-time off a clever cross-field kick. This allowed the Dragons to have a 16-12 lead at the break. After the resumption, Tom Johnstone continued his homecoming party crossing for his hattrick five minutes into the second stanza. Wakefield weren't going out quietly and crossed seven minutes later when Matty Ashurst barged over from close range to reduce the gap to two.

However, their efforts were in vain, two quick tries to Tom Davies blew the match out of Wakefield's grasp. Despite a consolation try to Lee Gaskell, the Dragons ran away and sealed their first road win of the season with a try to Cesar Rouge on the full-time siren for a determined 14 point victory.

Leigh Leopards 10 Salford Red Devils 20

Venue: Leigh Sports Village Stadium, Leigh
Crowd: 8589
Date: Saturday 18 February 2023 at 7:00am

Leigh Leopards (10)
Tries: Josh Charnley, Jack Hughes
Goals: Zak Hardaker 1

Salford Red Devils (20)
Tries: Kallum Watkins, Andy Ackers, Ryan Brierley
Goals: Marc Sneyd 4

Leigh: Hardaker, Charnley, Chamberlain, Leutele, Briscoe; O'Brien, Lam; Amone, Davis, Mulhern, Wardle, Holmes, Asiata (C). Int: Nakubuwai, Hughes, O'Donnell, Ipape.
Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Williams; Croft, Sneyd; Dupree, Ackers, Vuniyayawa, Watkins (C), Stone, Partington. Int: Gerrard, Ormondroyd, Atkin, Wright.

It was the return of the newly rebranded Leigh Leopards to the top flight of English Rugby League. However, their first up match for season 2023 wasn't to be with the home side going down 20-10 to the Salford Red Devils.

After a titanic struggle to open proceedings. The Leopards crossed for first points when former Wigan flyer Josh Charnley was on the end of a cut-out pass from Lachie Lam to stroll across for the first try and a handy 4-0 lead.

Six minutes out from the break, Kallum Watkins converted a short range effort, charging over the top of a handful of defenders after a lovely pass from the newly re-signed Man of Steel Brodie Croft. Salford went bang bang with Andy Ackers crossing just before the half-time buzzer to give the Red-Devils a 12-4 half-time advantage.

Salford extended their margin after the break when Scottish international fullback Ryan Brierley was on the end of another bust from Brodie Croft to give the Red-Devils an 18-4 advantage. Leigh would get a sniff closer to this one after being awarded a contentious penalty try by video referee Liam Moore after Jack Hughes was impeded getting to the football. This got Leigh to within 8 points, but a late penalty goal on full-time was enough to keep Leigh away and secure an away victory to open 2023.

Hull KR 27 Wigan Warriors 18

Venue: Sewell Group Craven Park, Hull
Crowd: 10029
Date: Sunday 19 February 2023 at 12:00am

Hull KR (27)
Tries: Shaun Kenny Dowall 3, Kane Linnett, Ryan Hall
Goals: Lachlan Coote 3
Field Goals: Jordan Abdull 1

Wigan Warriors (18)
Tries: Liam Marshall, Jake Wardle, Kai Pearce-Paul, Jai Field
Goals: Harry Smith 1

Hull KR: Coote, Ryan, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall (C), Hall; Lewis, Abdull; Sue, Parcell, Kennedy, Batchelor, Linnett, Minchella. Int: King, Litten, Storton, Hadley.
Wigan: Field, French, King, Wardle, Marshall; Cust, Smith; Cooper, Powell, Havard, Pearce-Paul, Farrell (C), Smithies. Int: Byrne, Singleton, O'Neill, Ellis.

Hull Kingston Rovers have delivered the first shock of the season defeating the much fancied Wigan Warriors 27-18 at home.

The home side got off to the perfect start when Ryan Hall crossed in the fourth minute of play after a clever kick was batted back by Shaun Kenny-Dowall. Five minutes later, the Warriors hit back when Liam Marshall hauled in a Harry Smith chip and we were set for quite the contest this afternoon.

However, the Warriors would continue their scoring spree in the fifteenth minute of play when last year's most dynamic player Jai Field scored off a mid-field bomb that couldn't be handled by Rovers. This gave Wigan an 8-6 lead, they weren't finished there though with future NRL star Kai Pearce-Paul crossing seven minutes later to give the Wigan side a 6 point lead with Smith struggling with the boot.

Rovers hit back when SKD crossed 11 minutes before the break using his strength to get past three defenders and we were locked at 12-12. Jamie Abdull wasn't satisfied and knocked over a field goal to give Hull KR a 13-12 half-time lead.

Rovers continued their scoring spree when Scottish international Kane Linnett crossed seven minutes after the resumption from point blank range to extend their margin to five points, the missed conversion was cancelled out by a penalty goal which gave Hull KR a 19-12 lead. After a fifteen minute arm-wrestle, SKD crossed for his second try to give the Rovers a two possession lead.

Not to be outdone, Wigan hit back with new recruit Jake Wardle and with Smith's first conversion of the day, the margin was back to within a converted try. However, the Rovers were going to be victorious in their first round match. Victory was sealed five minutes from time with SKD securing his hattrick and the two competition points with a deserved 27-18 victory.

Hull FC 32 Castleford Tigers 30

Venue: MKM Stadium, Hull
Crowd: 15383
Date: Monday 20 February 2023 at 2:00am

Hull FC (32)
Tries: Darnell McIntosh 2, Adam Swift 2, Danny Houghton, Liam Sutcliffe
Goals: Jake Clifford 4

Castleford Tigers (30)
Tries: Bureta Faraimo 2, Kenny Edwards, Jacob Miller, Jake Mamo
Goals: Gareth Widdop 5

Hull FC: Hoy, Swift, Sutcliffe, Scott, McIntosh; Clifford, McNamara; Taylor, Dwyer, Satae, Griffin (C), Lane, Fash. Int: Houghton, Lovodua, Cator, Evans.
Castleford: Evalds, Faraimo, Turner, Fonua, Mamo; Widdop, Miller; Watts, McShane (C), Massey, Edwards, Mellor, Westerman. Int: Lawler, Griffin, Broadbent, Matagi.

Hull FC have held off a fast finishing Castleford Tigers side to escape with a 32-30 verdict at the MKM Stadium to begin the Tony Smith era in style.

 It was an electric first forty minutes for the black and whites racing in five first half-tries in a devastating display of attacking football. The fun began in the eighth minute of play when Darnell McIntosh crossed after a lovely cut-out pass from new recruit Tex Hoy. The hosts doubled their score on the next set when Liam Sutcliffe raced in for a debut try on the back of a break from Brad Dwyer.

McIntosh grabbed his second in the fifteenth minute controlling the ball with his feet, staying in play and getting the ball down first and Hull had a convincing early lead of 16-0. The Tigers needed to respond and, on the back of a penalty, new buy Gareth Widdop creating space for former Hull winger Bureta Faraimo to score in the corner and give Castleford life down two possessions.

Winger Adam Swift crossed for two tries in the space of five minutes. The first came in the twenty-eighth minute after Jake Clifford created the extra man to allow Swift to score in the corner. In the thirty-third minute, Swift completed his double after a lovely pass from Hoy off a well worked scrum play, this gave Hull FC a 26-6 half-time lead.

The hosts continued their rampage after the break. Danny Houghton barged over after Ben McNamara jumped on a wayward kick to put Hull in complete control. With a seemingly comfortable margin, Hull decided to go asleep. Unfortunately, the Tigers had other ideas when Kenny Edwards crossed on the hour mark to give the visitors some life in this contest. Minutes later, new half Jacob Miller strolled over to reduce the gap to three scores.

If that wasn't scary enough Faraimo crossed for his second try with just over ten to play and the score was 32-24. The Tigers left their run too late, despite a late Jake Mamo try with five minutes to play. Castleford were unable to get the final blow to get a miraculous come from behind victory, this left Hull FC with the opening victory of the 2023 season.

St Helens v Huddersfield Giants

Venue: Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens
Posptoned to a future date

Disciplinary

Super League sanctions following Round One:

• Morgan Smithies (Wigan) - Grade B Dangerous Contact - £250 fine
• Tom Amone (Leigh) - Grade B Dangerous Contact - £250 fine
• Elliot Minchella (Hull KR) - Grade A Dangerous Contact - No further action
• Jack Hughes (Leigh) - Grade A Dangerous Contact - £250 fine
• Andy Ackers (Salford) - Grade A Dangerous Contact - No further action

The following player was handed a caution:

• Suaia Matagi (Castleford) - Other Contrary Behaviour

Table after Round 1

RELATED: Click here to view the current Betfred Super League table.