Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos confirm strong squads ahead of final pre-season match
Wigan Warriors travel to Leeds Rhinos on Sunday for Ash Handley’s testimonial match, with both sides naming strong squads for the fixture at Headingley Stadium.
Matt Peet’s reigning champions defeated Oldham 28-16 in the first of their two pre-season outings, with a mixed squad of experienced and youth having featured at Boundary Park, while assistant coach Thomas Leuluai took charge of the Warriors.
For Sunday’s clash, Wigan’s overseas and international stars are in line to feature, including the likes of Bevan French, Jai Field and 2024 Young Super League Player of the Year Junior Nsemba, with an extended 26-player squad announced.
Academy duo Josh Cartwright and Finlay Yeomans have both been named, having scored in the win over Oldham. Kian McDermott and Lukas Mason drop out following their short-term loan moves to London Broncos.
Leeds Rhinos welcome back Morgan Gannon for the first time in a year, having not played since suffering a concussion in a pre-season game against Hull KR last February. Having suffered with the same issues in 2022, it was his second head knock in successive pre-season matches, and he was subsequently stood down for the 2024 campaign.
Leeds Rhinos squad: Connor, Sivo, Newman, Handley, Hall, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, Gannon, Smith. Subs Diskin, Thomas, McDonnell, Brown, Lisone, Cooper, Holroyd, Sinfield, Nicholson-Watton, Lumb, Smith, Warren.
Wigan Warriors squad: Field, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis, Mago, Byrne, Leeming, Dupree, Hill, Walters, Eckersley, Forber, Farrimond, Douglas, Makin, Kerr, Hodkinson, Hirst, Cartwright (academy), Yeomans (academy).