Performances of Warrington Wolves loan players

While Keanan Brand and Nathan Roebuck are named in a 20-man Leigh Centurions squad to face The Wire at the Totally Wicked Stadium in St Helens on Good Friday, kick-off 12.45pm, Riley Dean, Cole Oakley and Eribe Doro will be looking for appearances in the opening weekend of the Betfred Championship.

Sadly Samy Kibula looks to be ruled out for the season though after rupturing his Achilles in pre-season training with Newcastle Thunder.

Here's the stories so far of the other loanees, supported by pictures from SWpix.com:

Keanan Brand:

Made his Leigh Super League debut at right centre against Wigan Warriors last Thursday, helping his side to assemble an 18-0 lead before being pipped 20-18 in the final reckoning.

The Ormskirk-born 22-year-old marked Toby King when Leigh visited The Halliwell Jones Stadium in Chris Hill's Testimonial game six days prior, a role he is expected to play again tomorrow.

His first run out for the Leythers came on the wing outside Junior Sa'u when John Duffy's men were narrow victors over champions St Helens in the Tommy Makinson Testimonial match on March 13.

Brand is spending the season with Leigh after making three first-team appearances in his maiden campaign with The Wire in 2020 following his arrival from Widnes Vikings.

Nathan Roebuck:

The 6ft 5ins three-quarter made one appearance in Leigh's three 2021 games so far.

That came on the left wing outside of Keanan Brand in the Chris Hill Testimonial game on March 18.

Ex-Wire and Scotland international winger Matty Russell returned to the side for the Super League opener against Wigan, meaning Roebuck missed out.

Like Brand, Oldham-bred Roebuck will be spending the full 2021 season with the red and whites.

The former Saddleworth Rangers junior scored a try on his Wire Super League debut at Salford in 2020, his only appearance for Steve Price to date.

Roebuck was voted the club’s joint under 19s player of the year in 2019.

Eribe Doro:

His two-week loan deal with Widnes Vikings was announced yesterday and is likely to see him line up for the back and whites at Newcastle Thunder on Sunday in their first Betfred Championship contest of the 2021 season.

The explosive prop from Oldham, who turned 20 last Friday, came off the bench for The Wire in Chris Hill's Testimonial game on March 18.

He was a sub in two of Wire's first-team encounters last season.

Cole Oakley:

He may get to face Doro on Sunday as he is spending the season with Newcastle Thunder.

The 20-year-old was one of 13 debutants in the Thunder side which fell to Swinton Lions in the second round of the Betfred Challenge Cup at the weekend, joining the action from the bench.

Oakley, mostly a centre who can play on the wing and in the second row, featured in the pre-season friendly too against Whitehaven.

The former Rylands Sharks and Woolston Rovers junior is yet to make his Super League debut for Warrington, having been an unused sub on his one call-up in 2020.

He previously played for Bridgewater High School rugby union team in the Natwest Schools U15 Vase semi-finals, bowing out one step away from Twickenham

Riley Dean:

The up-and-coming half back, on loan to York for the season albeit with a two-week recall notice, is likely to return to the side for their Betfred Championship opener at home against Toulouse Olympique on Saturday.

Dean made headlines last month when in the pre-season friendly against Super League side Hull FC he scored York's first try at their new LNER Stadium in what was a narrow 28-22 loss.

His loan deal did not allow for him to appear in York's Challenge Cup wins against Sheffield Eagles and London Broncos to avoid being cup-tied for Warrington, so Saturday's meeting with Toulouse would be his first outing since Hull.

Dean, who played his junior rugby for Siddal, Halifax, has progressed through The Wire's junior system, going on to achieve England Youth honours.

He made his Wire Super League debut against St Helens in August, 2019, and was called up for Ireland's World Cup qualifiers at the end of last season.