Super League Betting: Wire could trip up after Wembley exertions

Super League / Graham Cunningham / 02 September 2010 / Leave a Comment

Ryan Atkins was a Challenge Cup hero but will the Wolves' Wembley exertions see them trip up against Quins?

"Warrington must still be on Cloud Nine after last week's runaway Challenge Cup defeat of Leeds, but there tends to be a hangover after such a triumph and coach Tony Smith is resting a posse of their biggest stars with a daunting playoff campaign in mind."

It's the final round of the regular Super League season this weekend, but have some players mentally clocked off? Graham Cunningham thinks a few teams have something to prove this weekend and is hoping Harlequins and Wigan can send their supporters home happy and richer to boot.

Mentality is crucial in any sport but particularly in a game as physically demanding and unforgiving as rugby.

Put simply, a very ordinary side can upset a very good side if their mental approach is spot on.

And even high-class teams become vulnerable to far lesser outfits if their approach to the job is less committed than it needs to be.

Mentality is clearly the key word as the last round of Super League fixtures looms large this weekend and I'm more than happy to base this week's recommendations on how certain teams are likely to set about the job.

Take Harlequins against Warrington (Fri 20.00), for example.

Certain eyes will light up at the prospect of backing highflying Wire to give a relatively modest start to a team who could yet be wooden spoonists if results go against them this weekend, but not mine.

Warrington must still be on Cloud Nine after last week's runaway Challenge Cup defeat of Leeds, but there tends to be a hangover after such a triumph and coach Tony Smith is resting a posse of their biggest stars with a daunting playoff campaign in mind.

Quins haven't been playing badly of late and their coach Brian McDermott will be hammering home the need for a peak performance in the last game before he departs for Leeds on a day when the Londoners are also expected to announce that their financial future has been shored up by new investment.

In summary, Quins are well worth an interest if receiving double figures on the handicap. And they could even be worth an additional press up punt to win outright given the dynamics at work here.

Now to Wigan's Friday game at home to beleagured Bradford. I'll be high in the South Stand to see the Warriors collect a deserved League Leaders' Shield after the game and this is surely a case of the home team by plenty.

I don't know what Bradford's mentality will be like after such a miserable season, but I do know that Wigan will be firing in with their usual efficiency after a week off.

It could be party time, with the cherry and whites going 30 or more clear in the second half on what promises to be a warm night.

And it wouldn't be a massive price about the mighty Pat Richards collecting the 15 points needed to beat Andy Farrell's club record and Mark Riddell and Feka Paleaaesina both scoring on their final appearances.

Standout bets in the rest of the weekend's games aren't easy to find, but here's how I see them...

St Helens will know whether they have secured second spot by the time they host Cas (Sat 18.45) and that's significant.

If Wire win in London, Saints will have to go full out and that will spell problems for a Castleford team who are clinging on to the final playoff spot on points difference from Crusaders.

Crusaders against Hull KR (Sat 16.30) makes little appeal as a punting contest.

However, Hull look set to have vastly experienced half backs Sean Long and Richard Horne operating in tandem for the first time since Easter and that gives them some potential as an odds on punt to win outright in an absorbing KC Stadium clash with the wounded Leeds Rhinos (Sat 16.30) which will decide who seals fourth spot.