Big Match preview - Wakefield Wildcats v Salford Red Devils

Salford travel to Wakefield on Saturday hoping for another good performance and win. Dan Robinson takes you though his players to watch on Saturday.

Key battles

Scott Moore V Logan Tomkins The battle of the 9's

Scott Moore has been a good addition to the Wildcats since joining from the Cowboys. He likes to play on the front foot and makes the forwards work hard to make room for the backs to get the tries. He is also one of the Wildcats key players in defence. If we can stop him running from hooker and try and make him tired in defence then that cuts out a lot of there go forward play

 LoganTomkins has also been a great players since signing permanently from Wigan. He has had to wait his turn off the bench this season with Tommy Lee being first choice but since Lee's absence he has played very well especially on Easter Monday against the Huddesfield Giants in our fantastic comeback. If he can have another good performance in a Devils jersey and be a good link between the forwards and backs then I feel he will out play Moore and come out on top.

Liam Finn V Josh Wood

After moving from close rivals Castleford in the off season Liam Finn has been ever present in the Wildcats side. There 2 wins over the Easter weekend were a lot down to his play with fellow halfback Jacob Miller. He can also have a very diverse kicking game both long and short so we will need to keep an eye on him for sure.

Josh Wood has made a good start to his 2016 season against the Huddesfield Giants. His stand out moment in the game was beating 3 giants players to the ball and then offload for Gaz O'Brien to score. He was also very strong in defence on the right edge and will hope to kick on from where he left off on Monday.

Tom Johnstone V Josh Griffin

After a good performance against the Huddesfield Giants on Good Friday and a possibility for try of the season Tom Johnstone certainly had speed in abundance and will be a threat to whoever he faces on the wing this week. Solid under a high kick also he can turn a game on its head as proved with his try against the Huddesfield Giants.
Josh Griffin for me should start on the wing this week as he has been very strong in attack and we are lacking options in the winger position. After making an error in defence on Monday he made up for it with a great try after following up a break from Mason Caton-Brown.. For me he has to be one of the best signings we have made since he has been at the club and would be first on the team sheet if I was picking the team.

Stats

It promises to be a exciting game on Sunday full of action and tries. Salfords main threat in this area will be Josh Griffin who is in great try scoring form for the Salford Red Devils. Junior Sau and Justin Carney will a cause for concern for the Wildcats as there is lots of tries in Salfords back division if they get the service.

Tom Johnson is Wakefields Danger Man. With his speed Salford will need to be tight defensively.

ex Salford player Stuart Howarth will be looking to exploit the midde of the field and will be a thorn in the side of his ex employers.

Both teams will be looking for good go forward on Saturday and Salford have the quality to do this. Justin Carney Superleagues top meter maker will lead the way as well as Salfords pack Star Craig Kopczak will get the forward moving in the middle.

Jacob miller will be looking to get the Wakefield Wildcats going forward on Saturday and Big Mickel Simon will be a handful for Salford if he get good ball.

Defence for both teams will need to be at their best for their team to get a result.

Salfords work horses in the pack lead the way with Craig Kopzak, George Griffin and Mark Flannagan being Salfords main defenders and will be looking to disrupt Wakefields go forward on Saturday.

Mat Ashurst another ex Red will be working extra hard to beat his former team, Nick Scruton and Bill Tupou will be looking to keep the Wakefields defence strong against a testing Salford attack.

Coaches Corner

Both Coaches are young modern coaches and getting some good performances out of their teams.

Chris Chester lead Hull KR to the Challenge cup final in 2015 before being released by the Robins early in 2016 but since his arrival Wakefields peformances have picked up and after a successful Easter will be looking keep the good form going on Saturday.

Ian Watson has got Salford playing a great style of rugby and is growing into the role. With Tim Sheens assisting him as Director of Football the partnership seems to be going great at the moment and after a good win away at Huddesfield on Bank Holiday Monday will travel to Wakefield full of confidence.