Super League Betting: Bouncebackability?

Super League / Graham Cunningham / 22 July 2010 / Leave a Comment

Harrison Hansen will be aiming to help Wigan recover after last week's defeat

"Wigan need to bounce back quickly if they want to secure top spot ahead of the playoffs."

With little over a month of the regular season left it's coming to crunch time for the stars of Super League. Graham Cunningham has been scanning the weekend programme and nominates Castleford, Wigan and Hull KR as the teams to keep an eye on.

It never rains but it pours and dashing back from a windswept St Andrews to a rain lashed DW Stadium last Friday proved all to no avail as a disjointed Wigan were kicked into defeat by the wily Warrington veteran Lee Briers.

Make no mistake, Warrington sent out a stark message by moving within just two points of the leaders and it's not inconceivable that they could move level this weekend if they win on the road against Catalans (Saturday 17.30) and Wigan slip up at Hull in Friday's live Sky game (20.00).

However, Wigan will be acutely aware of the need to bounce back quickly if they want to secure top spot ahead of the playoffs and there are several reasons for thinking they can do just that at the KC Stadium.

First, the Warriors didn't perform at all badly despite being beaten last week, dominating the opening stages only to be caught out by a failure to take chances and giving Briers far too much room to weave his magic.

Second, with relatively few injury worries the competition for places remains intense and is likely to be cranked up another notch by the news that coach Michael Maguire is bringing in Melbourne Storm stars Brett Finch, Ryan Hoffman and Jeff Lima for the 2011 campaign.

And third, the absence of Sean Long, Richard Whiting, Mark O'Mely, Danny Tickle and Craig Fitzgibbon means Hull are shorn of five of their most influential players.

Injuries haven't stopped them climbing to a highly creditable fourth in the table, but I doubt they have enough firepower to threaten the Wigan line too often this week and the Warriors look poised to land this with bright prospects of covering an eight point handicap.

Sky's merry band of broadcasters can look forward to a weekend on Humberside given that Saturday's live game features Hull KR taking on Bradford for a 17:15 kickoff.

In years gone by taking a double figure start for Bradford in this fixture would have been a no brainer. But that was then and this is now. The bottom line here is that the current Bulls side aren't a patch on their predecessors and a losing run spanning over two months has seen them concede an average of over 30 points a game.

Parting company with the uninspiring coach Steve McNamara didn't seem to have the desired effect with a home defeat by Salford last week and the dependable Hull KR outfit look good to cover a start of 10 or possibly 12 here.

Last but not least this week, a positive word for Castleford ahead of their Sunday clash away to Crusaders (14:00).

Crusaders can be justly proud of what they have achieved with a hastily assembled squad this season, but Castleford have developed into a very reliable and successful squad after a sluggish start to this season.

Five wins from the last six mean they are high on confidence with a solid chance of making the playoffs and I rate them as the best bet of the weekend to win and concede a small start to the Welshmen.