Super League Betting: Saints marching on?

Super League / Graham Cunningham / 24 June 2010 / Leave a Comment

Saints host Salford in fine form after their impressive win last week

"Saints were very good at the DW Stadium last week. They won't let up if they get on top against Salford, who struggle on the road, and a start of around 20 may not be enough."

World Cup football and Wimbledon dominate the sporting landscape this summer, but the gladiators of Super League are gearing up for another bruising round of action this weekend and Graham Cunningham is looking to an American rock god for inspiration as he bids to land that elusive treble.

Two out of three ain't bad might have been good enough for that portly American warbler Meat Loaf. But getting two selections right and one wrong on a regular basis in this Blog has been getting on my nerves recently.

Last week, Huddersfield and Catalans got the ball rolling nicely by covering their respective handicaps only for Wigan to let the side down on Sunday evening by coming off second best in a bruising clash with St Helens.

This week it's probably best to swerve Wigan's clash with Harlequins at the Stoop (Sat 3pm). Not because it shouldn't be a good game. And not because the spoilsports among the Quins' management have taken the shameful step of banning fans from bringing vuvuzelas into the ground. No, the reason for treating this one with caution is simply because the oddsmakers seem to have done their sums right by asking Wigan to concede 14pts to their southern rivals.

By contrast, it could be that there is some value to be had by siding with Warrington, St Helens and Castleford this weekend.

Warrington's home clash with Leeds on Sunday (5.45pm) should be the ideal dessert after England and Germany's World Cup blockbuster and with the away side deprived of several star players the Wolves have to be the call to concede around six.

Granted, Leeds had the edge when the two teams met at Headingley in May, but Warrington have racked up five impressive wins on the spin since and the combination of a posse of dangerous strike players and a fast summer track should see the Wolves assert by daylight in the second half.

Huddersfield's clash with a back-to-form Hull KR will serve up a fair spectacle for Sky viewers on Friday night, but once again the handicap looks on the money with the Giants asked to concede around 12.

However, St Helens appeal as likely to beat Salford with plenty in hand in their Friday fixture. Much as it pains me to admit it, Saints were very good at the DW Stadium last week. They won't be letting up if they do get on top against a Salford side who still tend to struggle on the road and a start of around 20 may not be enough.

Last but not least this week, a quick word on Castleford's Sunday game with Bradford, which has been brought forward to 11.30am to avoid clashing with the football.

With Cas chasing a playoff place on the back of a recent revival and Bradford desperate for points after a depressing summer slump this has all the makings of a very tight one. But whereas Cas are finding ways to win of late the Bulls are finding ways to lose.

Perhaps they will turn things around this time, but Castleford have momentum and confidence right now and the best option is to back them to win outright at a shade of odds on rather than trust them to defy a handicap of 4 or thereabouts.