Warrington Guardian:

6 HEAD-TO-HEADS: number 1

Stefan Ratchford v Zak Hardaker: Two very capable matchwinners in their own right, either in attack or defence. Ratchford pulled off two try-saving tackles in the season’s opener against Salford Red Devils when Wolves were under the cosh, while Hardaker’s ability to stop a try was a feature of Wolves’ 18-12 loss at Headingley in February, 2014. They are just renowned for their elusive running with the ball and earning valuable metres on kick returns. Ratchford returned from a shoulder injury last week and was influential in some of the try-scoring plays. The long looping pass for Matty Russell’s opener was world-class, and his short ball for Joel Monaghan to hare home on a good angle was just as skilful. He can easily feature in the halves, at centre or loose forward too. Both Ratchford and Hardaker were taken by England coach Steve McNamara on the Four Nations tour Down Under last winter but he used neither of them in the matches against Samoa, Australia and New Zealand. This, as well as being an opportunity to be influential in such a big Super League game, is a battle of England’s travelling reserves, a chance to show McNamara they were wrong to be overlooked.

Warrington Guardian: GUARDIAN VERDICT: Warrington Wolves 24 Leeds Rhinos 6

6 HEAD-TO-HEADS: number 2

Ashton Sims v Adam Cuthbertson: The new signings up front, two prop forwards from last year’s NRL competition in Australia. Sims, the Fiji captain, has given Wolves an extra physical presence since his arrival from North Queensland Cowboys. He takes no messing, and to that end it is perhaps a little disappointing that Ryan Bailey is no longer in the Leeds ranks – that duel would have been well worth keeping a close eye on. But he’s more than an enforcer. Sims has the ability to sucker punch the defence with his passing ability, before or during the point of collision. That area of the game is one of Cuthbertson’s strong points. The former Newcastle Knights front rower has added another dimension to Leeds’ attacking prowess and is a ball-handling forward of the kind now rarely found in the game. He doesn’t shirk the donkey work either. We’re calling this tonight’s battle of Australia.

Warrington Guardian:

6 HEAD-TO-HEADS: number 3

Matty Russell v Tom Briscoe: Not the tallest of opposing wingers, but two of the most elusive in Super League. We were looking at Russell last year as one of the brightest young full backs in the competition with his outstanding kick returns and won the Super League award for the most metres gained in 2014 but he has featured on the wing in the past two Wolves matches and boss Tony Smith has since revealed it is the player’s choice of preference this season. His low sense of gravity and dancing feet make him a tough man to shut down, as former Parramatta Eels winger Ken Sio found out last weekend for Hull KR. Russell also has extraordinary balance to stay on his feet despite attempts to knock him over, as he showed for his second try versus the Robins. Although he stumbled after deceiving covering defender Albert Kelly, he stayed upright and beat two more scrambling defenders in a dash for the line. He’s also very strong in the upper body and can regularly be seen bumping off tacklers that get in his way. That is a strong point for Briscoe too. The former Hull flyer, who matches Russell for electric pace off the mark and over distance, noticeably carries the ball into two or three defenders and he somehow busts his way through and scarpers. Both can be vulnerable under a high ball against a rangier opponent but that aspect of the game looks to be another intriguing battle between the pair tonight. We’re calling this the battle of Scotland v England, Russell having starred for the Bravehearts in the 2013 RL World Cup, when Briscoe was an England squadman.

Warrington Guardian:

6 HEAD TO HEADS: number 4

Micky Higham v Rob Burrow: Two pocket battleships who know how to turn a game in their team’s favour, whether its from hooker, at half back or even at loose forward sometimes in Higham’s case. Two of the game’s elder statesmen these days but they continue to show there is plenty of life in the old dog yet. Burrow, last week, danced in and out of Hull FC defenders for fun when he entered play at dummy half as a substitute. His eye for the smallest gap, the frame and speed off the mark to be able to go through it have left many an opponent embarrassed during a highly decorated career. He gets targeted in defence due to his size but punches above his weight in that department too, in the same way Higham does. Wolves’ impact hooker admits he’s lost some of his pace but is still dynamite against a tiring defence, tearing it up from dummy half. And with a wiser head he knows when to go, when to show and when to throw. He’s a three-times Challenge Cup winner with Wolves and one of the longest-serving players still on the books and the 34-year-old remains very hungry for more success. We’re calling this the battle of the benchmen.

Warrington Guardian:

6 HEAD TO HEADS: number 5

Ryan Atkins v Kallum Watkins: We’re taking a stab here that Ryan Atkins has recovered from flu to figure tonight. Two explosive centres that are true matchwinners. Kallum Watkins, who celebrated his 24th birthday yesterday, came through the ranks at Latchford Albion and ended up with Leeds, whereas Atkins is a Leeds boy who has found his career progressing in Warrington – it’s a funny old world! Atkins is a brute. His raw power causes problems for packmen to block his path to the try line, never mind centres. And he’s got the pace to live with the fastest in Super League too. His strength in the tackle takes on the form of an ox, and he regularly wrestles his arm free to deliver an offload. And he’s a worker not a shirker, well prepared to mix it with the forwards to grind out hard-earned metres. England’s current right centre of Steve McNamara’s choice, Watkins, no less classy than Atkins, is probably more graceful if such a thing exists in this gladiatorial sport of rugby league. His sidestep beats markers all ends up and his swerve is so good it takes him round the most acute of angles. With pace to burn and a hunger to reach the try line, he’s always a handful. We’re calling this the battle of the explosion

Warrington Guardian:

6 HEAD TO HEADS: number 6

Ben Westwood v Jamie Jones-Buchanan: Equally at home anywhere in the pack, these two old adversaries and ex-England teammates both packed down at loose forward against respective Humberside clubs last week. Now they can get their claws into one another. It’s probably safe to say there is a little more mongrel in Super Bennie than JJB when they step over the white line, but they are both destructive with and without the ball. Both teams lean on them as leaders and to provide inspiration when the going gets tough, whether that’s with a huge hit in defence, a power surge down the middle or a cleverly angled charge out wide. We’re calling this the battle of the bangs

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian: