Warrington Wolves vs Catalans Dragons - Prediction, team news and lineups

Fresh from their dense decision to the Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves volition beryllium looking for a instrumentality to winning ways erstwhile they invited an improving Catalans Dragons broadside to the Halliwell Jones Stadium this Thursday night.

Last week’s decision means Wire are present 2 points adrift of Super League leaders Leeds, portion the Dragons find themselves wrong 4 points of the playoff places - a spread they volition beryllium hoping to close.

Match preview

Warrington’s six-match winning tally successful the Super League came to an emphatic extremity arsenic Leeds Rhinos bagged six tries distant from location to unafraid a 34-6 victory.

The Wire were simply outclassed by a squad with a much experienced spine, leaving caput manager Sam Burgess with nary enactment but to heap praise connected his opponents.

The Warrington boss, who admitted his broadside person been “clunky” for a fig of weeks, volition present crook his attraction to different large location clash with the Catalans Dragons.

During their travel to Perpignan earlier this year, the Wire shipped 38 points successful a dense decision against the French side, though having won 4 anterior head-to-head meetings, the hosts volition beryllium assured of their chances.

Recent victories implicit Hull FC and St Helens person enactment Warrington successful a steadfast presumption successful the standings, with the broadside enjoying a two-point vantage implicit Hull KR, Wigan Warriors, Wakefield Trinity and St Helens. 

Burgess and his men volition present beryllium looking to clasp oregon adjacent widen that vantage erstwhile they invited the Dragons to the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

The Catalans Dragons person endured a pugnacious mates of months, enduring dense defeats to the likes of Leeds, Leigh Leopards, Wakefield and Wigan.

Nevertheless, John Cartwright’s men person seen the airy astatine the extremity of the tunnel, and their results person picked up successful caller weeks, with the French broadside present eyeing up their 3rd consecutive Super League victory.

The Dragons welcomed Bradford Bulls to the southbound of France past week, and they delivered a prime attacking performance, winning the lucifer 34-24. 

A week earlier, the Catalans were pushed each the mode by Castleford Tigers, earlier yet sealing a 34-28 triumph connected location soil.

Victories physique assurance and with 3 wins from 4 games nether their belts, the Dragons volition beryllium feeling optimistic up of a tricky travel to Warrington.

Cartwright’s broadside are presently 4 points adrift of the apical six, meaning they could bash with different triumph to effort and adjacent that spread to those each important playoff spots.

Warrington Wolves Super League form:

W W W W W L

Warrington Wolves signifier (all competitions):

L W W W W L 

Catalans Dragons Super League form:

L L W L W W 

Team News

Warrington Wolves volition beryllium without cardinal guardant Toff Sipley for Thursday’s encounter, with the NRL enlistee expected to beryllium connected the support for the adjacent 2 to 3 weeks.

Max Wood has been recalled from his indebtedness astatine Hull FC to capable the vacant position, and the young prop volition beryllium relishing the accidental to radiance successful Warrington’s archetypal team.

Cai Taylor-Wray besides drops retired of the 21-man squad, with Tom McKinney acceptable to regenerate him. Sam Stone and Toby King stay connected the wounded list.

Catalans Dragons person made 3 changes to their squad up of their travel to the British Shores.

Veteran Tommy Makinson and homegrown talents Clement Martin and Leo Darrelatour person not been named successful the squad.

Josh Simm and Lenny Marc are some backmost successful the fold and volition beryllium looking to diagnostic connected Thursday.

The aforesaid goes for the returning skipper Benjamin Garcia, whose instrumentality volition travel arsenic large quality for the Catalans supporters.

Warrington Wolves 21-man squad:
Thewlis, Hopoate, Ashton, Sneyd, Harrison, Walker, Holroyd, Currie, Powell, Bryne, Crowther, Irwin, Hayes, Bentley, Thomas, Lindop, Wood, Smith, McKinney, Tanginoa, Webster

Catalans Dragons 21-man squad:
Staines, Cotric, Faataape, Sexton, Dodd, Satae, Bousquet, Maria, Condon, Garcia, Allen, Navarrete, Wilson, Leeming, Lipowicz, Laguerre, Simm, Aispuro-Bichet, Marc, Tison, Lis

We say: Warrington Wolves 24-18 Catalans Dragons

While the Catalans Dragons person momentum heading into Thursday’s game, determination are superior questions astir their leaky defence.

Warrington volition beryllium looking to bounce backmost from their decision to Leeds, and we are backing them to bash conscionable that - particularly successful beforehand of their location fans.