Leigh Leopards welcome Hull FC on Thursday night for their Round 12 Super League clash, with both sides confirming their squads ahead of kick-off.
Their last encounter ended in a golden-point draw, but since then, Leigh have maintained their momentum, while Hull FC have hit a difficult patch. John Cartwright’s team come into the fixture on a four-match losing streak, although three of those defeats were against top-four sides. Now they face another formidable opponent in Leigh, who also sit in the top four – making this another stern challenge for Hull.
Leigh suffered a 36-28 defeat to Wigan in the Battle of the Borough last week and also picked up a key injury in the process, forcing head coach Adrian Lam to adjust his line-up. The Leopards were only able to name a 20-man squad for this fixture.
Leigh Leopards Squad Update
Adrian Lam makes several changes from the squad that faced Wigan. David Armstrong drops out after missing the last match, while Gaz O’Brien is also sidelined after failing a head injury assessment. Keanan Brand returns to the squad, providing a welcome boost after impressing earlier in the season. Bailey Hodgson is expected to return to the full-back role, and Alec Tuitavake is cleared to play after escaping a ban. However, Frankie Halton and Aaron Pene remain out.
Leigh Leopards 20-man squad:
2 – Darnell McIntosh, 3 – Tesi Niu, 4 – Umyla Hanley, 5 – Josh Charnley, 7 – Lachlan Lam, 8 – Owen Trout, 9 – Edwin Ipape, 10 – Robbie Mulhern, 12 – Jack Hughes, 13 – Isaac Liu, 15 – Alec Tuitavake, 16 – Matt Davis, 17 – Brad Dwyer, 18 – Keanan Brand, 19 – Louis Brogan, 20 – Ethan O’Neill, 21 – Andrew Badrock, 22 – Ben McNamara, 24 – Bailey Hodgson, 32 – Joe Ofahengaue
Hull FC Squad Update
Hull FC make only one change from the team that narrowly lost to Leeds Rhinos. Jordan Rapana is ruled out after a lengthy spell of medical attention during the previous game. He’s replaced by Matty Laidlaw, though Cartwright confirmed Rapana is thankfully only undergoing standard HIA protocols.
Injuries continue to impact the squad with Ligi Sao (knee), Jed Cartwright (hamstring), Jordan Lane (arm), Oliver Holmes (knee), Ryan Westerman (ankle), and Liam Watts (calf) all still sidelined.
Hull FC 21-man squad:
2 – Harvey Barron, 3 – Zak Hardaker, 4 – Ed Chamberlain, 5 – Tom Briscoe, 6 – Will Pryce, 7 – Aidan Sezer, 8 – Herman Ese’ese, 9 – Amir Bourouh, 13 – John Asiata, 14 – Cade Cust, 16 – Yusuf Aydin, 17 – Jack Ashworth, 19 – Brad Fash, 20 – Davy Litten, 22 – Lewis Martin, 23 – Logan Moy, 24 – Jack Charles, 25 – Denive Balmforth, 27 – Matty Laidlaw, 39 – Sam Eseh, 40 – Liam Knight
Both teams will be eager to bounce back, with Leigh aiming to strengthen their top-four spot and Hull desperate to turn their form around.
