Leeds Host Warrington in Super League Semi-Final — SkimNews
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- Leeds Rhinos welcome Warrington on Friday in the first Super League play-off semi-final, having earned a bye week via a second-placed regular-season finish, with the Grand Final scheduled for 3 October at Old Trafford.
- Warrington Wolves advanced after Matty Ashton scored a hat-trick in a 35-12 eliminator win over reigning champions Hull KR, completing a run of nine victories in their final 11 regular-season matches to finish third on points difference.
- Brad Arthur's Leeds side have lost their last two home games (to Wigan and Hull FC), but the head coach told BBC Radio Leeds the form slide "doesn't really count for much right now" and that his team are "nice and fresh" after the bye week.
- Sam Burgess, who has previously seen Warrington's form tail off late in past seasons, attributed this year's improvement to an unconventional approach: "As coaches we just stay out of the way. We don't need to overdo anything, we leave them to it."
- Leeds will be without captain Ash Handley (back), Man of Steel nominee Lachie Miller (hamstring) and centre Jack Bird (hamstring), thrusting 20-year-old Fergie McCormack into just his fourth career start for a play-off semi-final.
- Warrington have already lost to Leeds twice this season in the regular campaign, a head-to-head fact Burgess acknowledged: "They will be aware of that, they can't hide from it."
- Leeds last reached a Grand Final in 2022 under interim coach Rohan Smith, who took over after a 1-from-6 start and won 11 of 13 matches, but they were beaten by St Helens at Old Trafford.
Why it matters: Leeds have home advantage and rest, but three injuries at full-back, wing and centre force a 20-year-old into only his fourth career appearance on a semi-final stage. Warrington arrive with momentum from Ashton hat-trick and a 35-12 win over the reigning champions, and their coach is choosing deliberately to "stay out of the way" rather than overcoach heading into a knockout game against a side that has already beaten them twice.
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