Super League Betting: Back Wildcats to wound Wolves

Rugby League / George Riley / 26 February 2009 / Leave a Comment

Three defeats in a row marks Wigan's worst start to a season for a quarter of a century. But followers of this column are smiling after George Riley's excellent tipping form continued. Can our man keep up the good work this weekend?

The headline to last week's column "Noble on the brink of big bother" turned out to be eerily accurate for the Wigan coach.

Three defeats out of three at the start of Super League marks Wigan's worst start to a season since 1984 and those who decided to go with my hunch for a [2.8] Castleford win at the JJB would have enjoyed their weekend far more than Brian Noble upon whom the pressure mounts. Round two's other betting highlights of another terrific weekend for followers of this column, were the predicted away victories for St Helens and Leeds - neither of whom have yet fully hit top form.

As expected, Celtic Crusaders did make it tough for Hull FC in Bridgend but my trip to South Wales couldn't yield a first home Super League win for the Crusaders. We also backed Wakefield to continue their run in their face of adversity with victory over Salford, so the only real slip up came with a crushing Catalans win at Warrington - the margin of which I would never have predicted in a million years.

The Wolves - and their unproven coach Jimmy Lowes, are in as much bother as Noble and Wigan. Both desperately need a win and a performance. Warrington's capitulation from a winning position to lose 40-20 at home to the Dragons, was a seventh successive defeat dating back to last August. So probably the last thing the Wolves need right now is a televised trip to Wakefield to face the fiery Wildcats.

Ben Westwood starts a five-match ban for Warrington and prop Garreth Carvell has a worrying-looking knee injury. The Wolves are also without long-term casualties Paul Johnson and Stuart Reardon but Lowes is confident that captain Adrian Morley will be fit.

Wakefield have an horrendous injury list and no fit halfbacks, although Sam Obst and Danny Sculthorpe could return. Before the season you wouldn't have given Wakefield much of a look-in in this fixture, and Warrington (1.9) will produce a much-improved performance as they seek their first win. But knowing Wakefield as I do, I still back the underdogs at [1.91] to further wound the Wolves.

Elsewhere on Friday, St Helens, who host Hull Kingston Rovers , should be too good for Justin Morgan's side at [1.21]. Rovers provide superb value at [4.0], and gave Leeds a real fright last week, but I think Saints will improve with every round, and last week's away win at in-form Huddersfield was a belter.

The Giants can win their West Yorkshire derby with Bradford on Friday night. The Bulls have only played once this season after an opening-round postponement at Harlequins and were out of sorts in their draw with Hull KR. Steve McNamara has had to wait a fortnight to make amends, and will bid to do so against a Giants side keen to hit back after their home humbling by Saints.

Bradford are big favourites at [1.4] but I'm quite keen on Huddersfield under the shrewd guidance of Aussie Nathan Brown - I fancy them to provide the weekend's big shock with a [2.9] away win at fortress Odsal.

Friday's other fixture could be a cracker as Catalans Dragons go to Hull FC - both teams brimming with confidence after terrific away wins last weekend. The Dragons were awesome at Warrington, while I saw a much-improved Hull side slay the Crusaders at Brewery Field. I honestly don't know how to call this one.

I was shocked at the way Catalans walloped the Wolves, and if they play with the hunger of their second-half display at the Halliwell Jones, then they will win this game too at [2.26]. And that is the value, with the home side a short-odds [1.33]. If the odds were equal I'd take a home win, but with that value on offer for the Dragons I'd certainly be looking at another win on the road for the French.

The weekend's remaining two Super League fixtures take place on Saturday evening, with the wobbling Wigan Warriors at Harlequins, and Castleford - fresh from their win over Wigan, hosting Salford. Both games will be fiercely contested, but I'm going for two home wins, and real, real trouble for Brian Noble at Wigan.

I watched Harlequins play Manly in a friendly last Sunday and was impressed by the link-up of Danny Orr and Luke Dorn. At [1.9] Quins are definitely the value call to heap further pain on Wigan. (1.65). Both Castleford and Salford have recruited well, but knowing what the Jungle is like on a Saturday evening, I take the Tigers to oust the Reds.

The showpiece event of this weekend takes place at Elland Road in the World Club Challenge on Sunday evening, as Leeds (2.12) take on Manly (1.94) for the right to be crowned the best club side on the planet. The Rhinos are unbeaten in Super League while the Sea Eagles' season hasn't even started. This is a big reason why the English side has won this fixture for the last five years on the spin.

However, I was blown away by Manly's second-half display at Harlequins and I fear Leeds may be too. The Aussie players told me afterwards they were still "blowing off a few cobwebs". That spells bad news for the injury-ravaged Rhinos.