FANS are likely to get their first look at Chris Sandow in primrose and blue tomorrow, Friday, when Warrington Wolves face Leeds Rhinos at Headingley.

The 26-year-old half back was in the crowd as Wolves lost to Hull KR on Saturday, but head of coaching and rugby Tony Smith expects him to feature in the Super 8s opener.

Toby and George King also enter the 19-man squad, with Gene Ormsby (broken jaw), Ryan Atkins (dead leg) and Ben Harrison (concussion) missing.

But it is ex-Parramatta man Sandow that will stoke fans’ interest.

“There’s a fair chance he’ll get a shot this week,” said Smith. “He’s come to play and if we had nailed it on the weekend I’d have had a tougher decision to make.

“I’m not going to say everything‘s going to be easy from the moment he pulls on that jersey, it’s a tough ask to play his best rugby with a new team straight up.

“It won’t be for lack of trying, he’s a goer. He loves his rugby league and he’s an instinctive player who likes to have the ball in his hand and likes to kick the ball.

“We need some of that in our team, he’ll be a real boost and he has been already – the players have got a real lift from him in training already.

“The time was right for him and his style suits Super League. I think he’ll be a real success.”

Sandow’s fall out with Eels head coach Brad Arthur was well-documented, but Smith says the indigenous Australian will not encounter the same problems at Warrington.

“There was a direct contrast of philosophies in him and his coach; Chris is creative and likes to play what he sees,” he explained.

“His coach was fairly conservative in the approach that he takes, so they just weren’t a fit for each other.

“We’ve spoken at length. Chris and I see things very similar. He’s the type of player that I like to coach and we get on well.

“I’ve got a pretty good understanding of where his mindset is and he’s pretty confident about mine.

“We did our homework on each other before we joined up, so I think it’ll be a pretty successful combination.”

And Smith says Sandow’s arrival ends The Wire’s long search for a half back.

“There’s that much more money and salary cap in Australia and rugby union that it’s hard to entice people to come when they’re in their prime,” added Smith.

“To get somebody it has to be the right circumstances and fortunately it’s fallen that way for us.

“We’ve been looking for half backs for the past couple of years and until you find the right one that you think is suited, you go with what you’ve got.

“The boys who have been there have tried really hard but we felt we needed to strengthen and we would have had a desire to do that before now, but it’s not an easy thing to strengthen in those positions, they’re that much in demand.

“They’re usually snapped up on longer term contracts.”