Latest news with #MattDufty
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Matt Dufty and Jordan Rapana to both score a try is a BOOSTED 9/1 - as Warrington and Hull FC meet in a crucial Super League clash
In what is a fixture that could prove crucial in the context of both of their seasons - Warrington Wolves and Hull FC go head-to-head at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday. Hull FC are in sixth and just one point clear of those beneath them fighting for a playoff spot, while Warrington are in eighth and five points adrift of the top six. Despite being below them in the table - Warrington enters the fixture as an odds-on favourite - with Sam Burgess' side priced at 1/2 with Sky Bet. Matt Dufty and Jordan Rapana to both score a try tonight is a BOOSTED 9/1 with Sky Bet Conversely, Hull FC are 7/4 outsiders to upset the applecart in enemy territory, while a drawn match is the widest in the market at 16/1. In addition to the Match Result market outlined above - Sky Bet are offering a Price Boost for this fixture. Enhanced from 15/2 to 9/1 - the boost requires Matt Dufty and Jordan Rapana to both score a try. Dufty and Rapana have combined to score five tries in the English Super League to date this season. Sky Bet odds in Match Result market for Warrington Wolves vs Hull FC: Warrington Wolves 1/2 Hull FC 7/4 Drawn Match 16/1 Sky Bet Price Boost for Warrington Wolves vs Hull FC: Matt Dufty and Jordan Rapana to both score a try WAS 15/2 NOW 9/1
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Potential double boost for Wire as they bid to return to winning ways
Matt Dufty could return for Warrington Wolves against Hull FC on Saturday (Image: Olly Hassell/ WARRINGTON Wolves could be boosted by the return of two players as they bid to find their winning groove against Hull FC on Saturday, kick-off 5.30pm at The Halliwell Jones Stadium. The Wire, with just one victory from their last six outings and their play-offs hopes on the line over the next few weeks, look likely to welcome back Matt Dufty as well as James Harrison. Advertisement Saturday will mark 21 days since creative full-back Dufty fractured his cheekbone in the late stages of the heartbreaking Challenge Cup Final loss against Hull KR at Wembley and there were positive signs in training today that he could be available for selection by the end of the week. In May, Marc Sneyd was back in action 17 days after a similar injury as he helped steer Sam Burgess' boys to their Challenge Cup semi-final victory against Leigh Leopards. 'We'll give Duff right up until game time,' said Burgess, whose side currently sit five points outside of the top six. 'Duff will be in the 21-man squad but whether he plays or not, I don't know Advertisement 'He got through a little bit of training today so we'll see how he goes on Friday (last training session before the match). 'He'd been doing some running and stuff to get a feel for it but he did some ball work today. 'It's similar to the Sneydy situation. It will be Duff's decision in the end, if he's confident enough. 'Duff's followed the same protocol as Sneydy and they're very similar time frames. 'So we'll see, but he's in a good mood and that's always a good start with Duff. 'He's obviously a big part of the team and we certainly miss him when he's out of the side. 'He's a quality player, he's intelligent on both sides of the ball for us. Advertisement 'He's certainly a valuable player but it will come down to him and his confidence levels. 'He practised well enough today so we'll see if that pushes him forward on Friday. 'If he comes back it would be great for us and we'd welcome that, but if he doesn't I think Josh Thewlis has been doing a great job (at full-back) and handled everything thrown at him.' More: Ex-Wolves prop given massive ban for offence following Challenge Cup semi More: Win or bust for Warrington Wolves? Pre-Hull FC talking points Prop forward Harrison is back in the mix after being stood down for 11 days to meet the sport's concussion protocols. Advertisement 'He's such value for us. He's been coming off the bench, and for us it's been a really important role,' said Burgess. 'He's been steadying things for us. We've had to manage quite a bit of stuff, so he's been playing bigger minutes as well but he just handles it so he would be good for us for sure.' Burgess feels new loan signing Sam Stone will be better this weekend for having made his debut in the 24-16 home loss to Huddersfield Giants last Saturday. He looks set for a prolonged run in the second row with Adam Holroyd now sidelined for six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury suffered in training. Advertisement 'Sam's not played a lot of game time over the last six months,' said Burgess. 'I thought the game on the weekend was demanding for him, with the heat and a lot of defence. 'He's only going to improve. He'll gradually pick up his involvements and his connection with the players around him. 'Going forward, I want him to do his job, enjoy his rugby, grow into his position in the side. 'We're not going to have Holroyd for six to eight weeks so he'll have a bit of time to get some combinations there and get his job done. 'It's timely to have him with us, but unfortunate for Adam in that respect.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Warrington Wolves' full-back options assessed - who could replace Dufty?
Stefan Ratchford is among the options to replace the injured Matt Dufty at full-back (Image: Paul Currie/ AS they pick up their Super League campaign again, Warrington Wolves will do so with a fresh injury to a key player. Full-back Matt Dufty fractured his eye socket during Saturday's Challenge Cup Final defeat following a head-on-head collision with Hull KR's James Batchelor, who received a Grade C head contact charge and five penalty points as a result. Advertisement After the game, Sam Burgess said they would be without the Australian for 'a while,' with a further update on his condition expected this afternoon when Burgess addresses the media to preview the trip to Leeds Rhinos this weekend. Matt Dufty is treated for the injury he suffered at Wembley (Image: Allan McKenzie/ At the very least, The Wire can plan to be without Dufty for the game at Headingley, which brings about the question of how he will be replaced. The waters are muddied given youngster Cai Taylor-Wray, who has established himself as Dufty's understudy, is also injured – he tore his hamstring playing for the reserves back in April and is not expected to play again this season. Oli Leyland also has history of playing at full-back but his season is also over having suffered an ACL injury, meaning Burgess' options have narrowed. Advertisement Below, we look at some of the potential solutions he could opt for… STEFAN RATCHFORD The veteran utility man replaced Dufty for the latter stages at Wembley having been named on the bench primarily as half-back and centre cover given George Williams and Toby King's fragility as they returned from injury. Simply drafting him in from the start would cause the least disruption to other areas of the team in terms of selection – he would simply move from the bench to the starting side, with Max Wood then seemingly favourite to take his interchange spot. Full-back has been his most common position during his long Warrington career – of his 351 appearances for the club, more than half (182) have seen him start in the number one shirt. Advertisement However, the last of those starts at the back came nearly three years ago during a 35-22 defeat at Castleford Tigers in July 2022. Stefan Ratchford could slot into full-back having played extensively in the halves during 2025 in George Williams' absence (Image: Paul Currie/ JOSH THEWLIS Another option could be moving Josh Thewlis into the position many had earmarked him for long-term as he became an established first-teamer. As recently as the start of last year, the expectation was that Thewlis was next in line for the club's number one jersey, but Dufty's resurgence in form and the emergence of Taylor-Wray through the academy means his future is set to lie on the wing. Advertisement However, he remains a natural full-back and would no doubt relish the prospect of more time in a position he is still keen to play in. Moving Thewlis to full-back would create an opening on the right wing, which would likely be filled by either his younger brother Jake or Connor Wrench, who made two bright appearances against Wakefield and Hull KR having recovered from his second ACL injury in as many years. His last start at full-back came in June 2023 during a 22-6 defeat to Leeds Rhinos at The Halliwell Jones Stadium. Wembley try-scorer Josh Thewlis spent his academy and early first-team career at full-back before moving to the wing (Image: Simon Wilkinson/ FLYNN HOLDEN No doubt the most left-field and unlikely option, but could Burgess put his faith in a youngster who has been in fine form for the academy and reserves? Advertisement Livewire full-back Flynn Holden has been a key part of flying starts to the season for both sides, scoring 10 tries in 11 appearances to date. He would be making his senior debut should he be given the nod and given the more experienced options available, the likelihood is he may have to wait but Burgess has shown his willingness to put faith in the club's young talent – even this year, Holden's teammates Ewan Irwin and Zack Gardner have made their first-team debuts.
BBC News
07-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wire were 'better side' in cup final loss
Head coach Sam Burgess felt his Warrington Wolves side were "the better side" despite suffering late heartbreak in the Challenge Cup final.A late try from Tom Davies and Mikey Lewis' conversion gave Hull Kingston Rovers a narrow 8-6 victory at Wembley Stadium, but Burgess said he was proud of his team's performance."It's tough for the players," Burgess told BBC Sport. "I thought that we were good today and executed our game plan well."We were physical when we needed to be and I thought we were the better side - I really do."It's going to be a tough one for the guys to take. I don't have a great deal to say because I was proud of our performance and the end of the game was a bit of a blow for me really." Burgess also revealed that the defeat was compounded by a facial fracture for winger Matt Dufty which will now see him miss a chunk of the Super League season."Matt Dufty broke his cheek or eye socket with about 25 minutes to go and was trying to get to the end of the game, but it just popped out," said Burgess."We'll be without Duft for a little while but it was outstanding to try to play through the pain. It's just unfortunate we didn't get the job done for him."Burgess has the job of lifting his players before next weekend's trip to Leeds Rhinos, a game they need to win to stay in the mix for the top six places in the Super League table."We will take some hard lessons out of today," he said. "I'll be OK but the players put a lot of effort in so emotionally it's going to be a tough couple of days for them but it's their job."We have to bounce back, we have to find a way and move forward." Wolves to support Lindop Wire half-back Marc Sneyd was in the unusual position of being awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his man-of-the-match performance despite ending on the losing side, but he said "I don't really want it to be honest".He said the Wolves players would rally around 19-year-old Arron Lindop, who allowed a grubber kick to squirm under his body, with Davies touching it down to level the scores late on before Lewis' winning goal."We were very, very unfortunate and I feel for [Arron] Lindop," said Sneyd. "We'll get round him and sort him out out. It is what it is."It'd part and parcel of it. To him that will be the end of the world but you live and learn and he will be better for it."They (Hull KR) know how to play for 80 minutes and unfortunately we played for 78 today."
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
More injury woe for Wire during Challenge Cup Final loss
WARRINGTON Wolves have lost the services of their star full-back Matt Dufty on a day of Wembley blows. Head coach Sam Burgess said on the BBC that the Australian broke his cheekbone or eye socket with 25 minutes to go. Advertisement "He tried to to get to the end of the game but it popped out, so we'll be without him for a while." Stefan Ratchford came off the bench to replace Dufty late on but Hull KR snatched victory out of Warrington's hands with Tom Davies' late, late try.
