Super League / George Riley / 31 July 2009 / Leave a comment

George Riley selects his best bets from the weekend's Super League action- starting on Friday night with a top of the table bruiser and rounding up on Sunday with a bout of play-off position jostling...

"My three selections this week are Salford @ [3.3], Castleford [1.76] and St Helens [1.41]."

St Helens will move one step closer to securing top spot in Super League with victory over bitter rivals Wigan in Friday night's TV game.

Saints have overcome a wobble, and Wigan are absolutely on fire. Last week's stunning win over Leeds extended the Warriors purple patch to five successive wins, and sets us up for an absolutely belting derby. Saints trade at around [1.41] with Betfair punters, Wigan a somewhat surprising [3.75].

The visitors certainly have the capacity to win this one but I expect Saints to edge a bruiser. The league leaders absolutely walloped Harlequins with an understrength side, and full-back Paul Wellens has surprisingly been included in the squad despite breaking his hand only a fortnight ago.

Winger Ade Gardner is also available and I expect Saints to be too strong, although this is a fixture I am steering. Derbies, especially this one, are dangerous to call, and Wigan were surprisingly comfortable winners when they upset the form book at the Murrayfield Magic weekend.

I can't see any let up for Hull FC as their lacklustre run continues. Huddersfield should justify their [1.66] with a win at the KC. The Black and Whites trade around the [2.64] mark with Betfair punters but that is not enough to tempt me. I've been hugely impressed by Huddersfield's transformation under Nathan Brown this season, and they will be further strengthened by the return of Jamahl Lolesi and Keith Mason. Hull have missed centre Kirk Yeaman, and even if he returns it will be an uphill ask.

John Kear was hugely frustrated by Wakefield's home defeat to Castleford in last week's derby. A trip to Salford therefore represents a real banana skin in their race to make the playoffs. Salford have been massively hit and miss this season - losing games you would expect them to win, and toppling the likes of Leeds and Saints. I like the [3.3] about the Reds to win this fixture. Wakefield trade around [1.47] and I won't be having any of that. All things equal Wakefield have the side to win this game, but Kear told me this week Salford "take some beating" on their home turf. I have to agree and, given the value, I'm edging towards a surprise home win.

Leeds versus Warrington on Saturday is a great game, as Tony Smith makes his first return as an opposition coach to Headingley. Smithy left Leeds by winning the Grand Final in 2007 and will be given a fantastic reception by the Southstand. He knows better than anyone how to beat the Rhinos, and Leeds look exceptionally ordinary in their second-half humbling at Wigan last week.

The Wolves on the other hand put 62 points on Salford and will really fancy this. Being a Leeds boy it is not in my nature to back against Leeds winning but I can't see how Warrington trade at [4.3] with Leeds around [1.31]. Sure, Leeds are favourites but it is much tighter a call than those odds suggest. I can't see Leeds playing as badly again as they did at Wigan last week, but they have been rocked by the loss of hooker Danny Buderus with a broken leg. I can't see him playing again this season. Matty Diskin and Brent Webb should be back though while Warrington, who ended a two-match losing run with that big win over Salford, lost Paul Wood with a broken leg too. I still favour Leeds but a slip up would not surprise me.

I can't see anything other than a Catalans win over Celtic Crusaders in Perpignan. The home side trade at [1.08] with the Welsh side an obscene [14.0], and that tells you all you need to know.

Sunday's two fixtures are good ones. Harlequins go to Bradford as [4.5] underdogs, out of form and out of sorts. The Bulls should have enough at [1.26] but there is something about the Quins - perhaps their unpredictability - that attracts me.

Castleford versus Hull KR is sixth versus fourth, and I tip the Tigers to triumph at [1.76] to close that gap on Rovers in the jostle for play-off positions.

My three selections this week are Salford, Castleford and St Helens.

Tags: Brian Nobel, Castleford, George Riley, Harlequins, Rugby League betting, St Helens, Super League Betting, Tony Smith, Wigan Warriors