It's time for Betfred Super League's annual festival of action, with the entire competition going to play one round at the home of Newcastle United - St James' Park!
The Saints are meeting the Rhinos for the first time ever at MAGIC WKND, and kick off is scheduled for 7:30pm on Saturday.
🪄 MAGIC WKND 2025 – FULL SCHEDULE
Saturday, 3rd May 2025
- Leigh Leopards vs Catalans Dragons – 3pm
- Hull KR vs Salford Red Devils – 5:15pm
- St.Helens vs Leeds Rhinos – 7:30pm
Sunday, 4th May 2025
- Huddersfield Giants vs Hull FC – 1pm
- Warrington Wolves vs Wigan Warriors – 3:15pm
- Castleford Tigers vs Wakefield Trinity – 5:30pm
ℹ FAN GUIDE
It is a jam-packed two days, so here is our Fan Guide to help you make it a weekend to remember!
- Ticket Information & Pass-Out System
- Getting to St James’ Park
- Refreshments & Fan Zone
- Special Offers and more!
Click on the image below to read our full spectators information!
📰 SQUAD NEWS
There are two changes to Paul Wellens’ match day squad that he last declared for Round 9, with Ben Davies and Jake Burns stepping out.
Jake Wingfield is back in contention for selection, and Deon Cross is included for the very first time.
Click or tap on the image below to read more about our MAGIC WKND squad news.
💬 COACH PREVIEW
With Deon Cross now training and in the Saints environment, Wellens discusses the options that the outside back brings to his team, and talks about whether our new recruit could feature for his hometown club for the first time at MAGIC WKND.
The Saints boss also chats about his captain Jonny Lomax potentially coming back into the starting seventeen fold.
With the Red V already recording a win over Leeds in 2025, the team is aiming to get back to winning ways against a Rhinos side that Brad Arthur has got to be more physical in on-field battles.
Saints TV subscribers can watch Wello’s full Coach Preview!
WHO WILL BE THE MATCH OFFICIALS?
Jack Smith will be the Referee for Saturday night’s fixture, and he will be supported by Touch Judges Marcus Griffiths and Cameron Worsley, as well as Video Referee Ben Thaler.
📲 FOLLOW THE GAME WITH SAINTS
Fans not in attendance will be updated in full with the Saints’ Live Match Centre – your hub to find out the team news, follow live game updates, see behind the scenes photos, and click to read all the key stories of the fixture.
St.Helens’ social media accounts will keep supporters up to date of every key moment, so ensure you are following us!
X/Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Highlights and the full match replay will be available for Saints TV subscribers too.
🪽 WINGY EXCITED FOR MAGIC
Jake was forced to come off the field due to head injury protocols in the Challenge Cup Quarter Final and has been working his way through all the correct protocols for his return to play. Now with those boxes ticked, he’s eager to get back on the field again.
On the back of two losses, including a very disappointing performance against Warrington last week, Jake talks about how we wish to build consistency and win big games in the season.
Watch the full player preview with Wingy on Saints TV!
😎 EX TERRA LUCEM
The Saints will be wearing our 2025 Third Kit for the first time at MAGIC WKND!
The kit is a striking Mint green colour fading downwards through the torso, to a lower third of Glow-lime stripes, with this colour bursting out from under the arms also. There is a small glowing lime vee shape in the centre of the chest, which sits behind a metallic-look black and white tonal crest, which changes base colour in different angles and light.
Catching the eye throughout the torso there is a watermarked logo which is a pattern containing the St Helens Town crest with a ribbon featuring the Town’s motto – Ex Terra Lucem – meaning – ‘From the Ground, Comes Light‘
The Saints’ 2025 Third Kit is available to purchase in-store and online now at: saintssuperstore.com
📺 TUNE IN TO WATCH LIVE
Fans not in attendance at St James’ Park can watch the game live on Sky Sports Action, and all the other five games of MAGIC WKND across the two days of the event.
The full match replay will be available for Saints TV subscribers on Sunday afternoon.
THE RECORD AGAINST THE RHINOS
Super League summary
St.Helens have won 48 matches against the Rhinos (this includes win in 2022 Grand Final & 1999, 2001, 2007, 2008 and 2021 play-offs).
Leeds have won 33 matches (includes wins in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011 Grand Finals; 1998, 2005, 2013 and 2015 play-offs)
St Helens highest winning score was 62-18 at home back in 1999, with the widest margin being 48-0 at Headingley in 2020.
MAGIC WKND summary
St Helens: Won 9, Lost 7, Drawn 1 (52.94%)
Leeds: Won 9, Lost 8 (52.94%)
(Head-to-head: This match on Saturday is the first meeting at the event between Saints & Leeds)
Last ten meetings
St Helens 22, Leeds 14 (CCR4, 14/3/25)
St Helens 40, Leeds 10 (SLR12, 24/5/24)
Leeds 6, St Helens 20 (CCR6, 22/3/24)
Leeds 8, St Helens 18 (SLR5, 15/3/24)
St Helens 22, Leeds 18 (SLR20, 28/7/23)
Leeds 12, St Helens 13 (aet) (SLR13, 26/5/23)
St Helens 24, Leeds 25 (SLR3, 3/3/23)
Leeds 12, St Helens 24 (SLGF, 24/9/22) (at Old Trafford, Manchester)
St Helens 42, Leeds 12 (SLR16, 23/6/22)
Leeds 0, St Helens 26 (SLR7, 1/4/22)
⏭️ UP NEXT AT HOME: CATALANS
🦏 LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT LEEDS…
After a rocky 2024, the Rhinos will desire to push back into the Play-Offs spots under Brad Arthur.
The Australian took over during last season following the exit of Rohan Smith and brought more steel to the Leeds defence. Now after a full pre-season and looking to a full season in charge of the West Yorkshire side, and a number of new players, Leeds are looking to move back up the table.
One of the big names that has joined for Leeds for this season is Ryan Hall, a winger synonymous with the glory years of the Rhinos’ ‘Golden Generation’. The 37-year-old is Super League’s all-time top try scorer and goes back to Headingley after seven years away.
One of Super League’s most discussed players Jake Connor also joined Arthur’s squad from Huddersfield Giants, looking to re-establish himself as one of the best talents in the competition.
Further additions have included big pack men Keenan Palasia and Cooper Jenkins, both joining from Australian clubs, and the powerhouse winger Maiko Sivo – however he has sadly suffered an ACL injury ruling him out for the season. Not wasting any time in getting a replacement with former Sydney Roosters centre Ethan Clark-Wood joining the blue and amber.
It’s been a mixed bag of results so far in the 2025 season for Leeds. Focusing firstly on Super League matters they have two wins from the opening four matches, but they will need to build consistency is they are to challenge at the top or in the play-offs.
Round 1 was a disappointing home defeat to Wakefield, with only a late score improving the scoreline 12-14. In Round 2 with all the discussion of Salford being back at full strength following the salary cap restrictions, Leeds focused on themselves to earn an impressive 6-32 away victory.
Back at home in the third round the Rhinos took their foot of the gas after marching out to a strong lead over Castleford, but the Tigers grabbed a number of late tries themselves to improve the scoreline.
The Rhinos then went to Catalans Dragons and lost 11-0, failing to register a point at the home of the Dragons for a third successive season, before coming to our house for the Fourth Round of the Challenge Cup and losing 22-14, but with positive signs they are heading in the right direction.
One week on after losing to the Saints, the Loiners got their biggest result of the season so far, deservedly beating the Wigan Warriors at home 12-10, but they could not turn it into a winning run at that point of the season, coming up agonisingly short against Warrington 16-14 away – in a game they could feel they had much more control over.
Back-to-back wins came in April though with a comfortable, albeit tough, 0-28 away win over financially struggling Salford. In came a familiar face too with the return of Kallum Watkins, bolstering their back-row and centre options. Over Easter weekend they then saw off Huddersfield comfortably at home 28-6.
Last time out, another strong showing was put on by Arthur’s men and they led the current league leaders Hull KR for the majority of the match. A debatable red card for both teams late on in the piece made for a fiery finish, but the Robins showed their class to steal the win away and put Leeds 6th heading into MAGIC WKND.
So, both the Saints and the Rhinos are looking to build better and more consistent form, placed 5th and 6th respectively in the league ladder and with plenty of motivation on either side, it makes for a thrilling main event to close out day one of MAGIC WKND in Newcastle!
Three to watch
- Lachie Miller – injects himself in attack and looks to make an impact for Leeds with his kick returns, elusive to tackle too
- Ryan Hall – whilst the number of tries he has scored always make him a threat, it’s Hall’s early set carries that are vital to getting Leeds going, so Saints need to mind him on both ends of the field
- Ash Handley – co-captain and one of Super League’s fastest men, on an edge you have to be sharp to avoid Handley making a big break
