This Week's Rugby League

By The Man

I'm starting to enjoy this rugby league season. I feel as though I have a handle on all the team's abilities. I think one of the key things is not to get carried away by the most recent results. Each match should be judged primarily taking in to account the merits of each team. Most often if a team puts in a really good or really bad performance their next one is not going to be at the same level. Yet punters and bookmakers themselves are often guilty of giving too much weight to the last performance. Anyway, enough of the sermon I've got a couple of wagers lined up for tonight.
 
Salford v Bradford



26th February 20:00 GMT
 
Bradford got their season back on track with a comfortable victory over Castleford but I'm not getting too carried away. Castleford voiced concerns over the frozen pitch before the kick off and the energy expended in the two previous games against Leeds and Warrington had taken their toll, Cas just didn't seem up for it. In contrast Bradford had taken a good hiding from St.Helens and the voices in the camp suggested that they couldn't wait for the Friday game to erase that memory. They will go to Salford trying to get back to back victories but I'm not convinced they are good enough to win by a really big score. If they meet a committed team then they could win the arm wrestle but I don't see a runaway victory.

Salford will have been mortified with their last home outing and the crushing defeat at the hands of the Crusaders. However, that defeat doesn't look too bad as the Welsh team followed up with a victory against Hull. Crusaders may not be the whipping boys many expected. Following that defeat they went to Headingley and gave Leeds a real run for their money. From all reports Leeds were flattered by the margin of victory and Salford dominated for long spells.

Salford will see this Bradford fixture as an opportunity to get their season going. Influential stand off or loose forward Daniel Holdsworth returns to the side and that will be a boost. Unfortunately Salford are no great side and they could well implode but for me the start on offer is too big. There is rain around in the North West which is a further boost to the wager. Rain tends to keep the scoring low and that in turn makes it difficult for favourites to cover the large handicaps. I had Bradford by 4pts.
 
Salford City Reds squad:

Fitzpatrick, Broughton, Henry, Talau, Gibson, Ratchford, J. Smith, Sidlow, Alker, Parker, Sibbit, Adamson, Swain, M. Smith, Littler, Leuluai, Tyrer, Holdsworth, Boyle.
 
Bradford Bulls squad:

Sykes, Langley, Sheriffe, Kopczak, Donaldson, Scruton, Menzies, Kearney, Godwin, L'Estrange, Halley, Nero, Lynch, Reardon, Hall, Crookes, Worrincy, Whitehead, Orford.

Pick: Salford +10 3pts @ 1.91 with Sky Bet
 
 
St Helens v Wakefield Wildcats


 
26th February 20:00 GMT

Wakefield continue to be under-rated. They have got off to a fine start and sit jointly at the top of the table after an unbeaten opening. Included in that was a fine win over champions Leeds and they go in to this fixture with the benefit of a week off. John Kear seems to have got his men highly motivated and they will believe they can win this one. I believe it too. They won at St.Helens last season, coincidentally coming on the back of a home fixture when just undone by Leeds.

St.Helens have recovered from a poor first outing when defeated by Hull with back to back victories against Bradford and Catalan. Cunningham and Flannery return to the side but Gardner, Wilkin and Soliola are joined on the sidelines by Lomax. There was also doubts about Graham and Puletua earlier in the week and their absence wouldn't surprise me.

I've said in earlier articles that I don't think this is the greatest St.Helens side but I admit there are still threats aplenty from the likes of Pryce, Eastwood and Gidley. However, if Wakefield can contain the dangerous half-backs then they have a chance of winning the fixture. Brough's kicking game will be crucial to keeping Saints on the back foot. Again the key thing for me is the handicap. There is plenty of fat in a quote of 12pts for a team that I think could spring a shock. I'm hoping that the bookmakers have over-reacted to the two big wins against a poor Bradford outfit and a Catalan side reduced to 12 men. Without those big wins the handicap would have been nearer 8pts and that's where I've pitched it.
 
St. Helens squad:

Wellens, Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Eastmond, Fozzard, Cunningham, Graham, Puletua, Roby, Hargreaves, Moore, Clough, Ashurst, Dean, Wheeler, Dixon, Fa'asavalu.
 
Wakefield Wildcats squad:

Blaymire, Blanch, Gleeson, Millard, Jeffries, Brough, Tronc, Korkidas, Ferguson, Morrison, Demetriou, Obst, Bibb, Henderson, Murphy, Leo-Latu, Morton, Davey, Moore.

Pick: Wakefield +12 3pts @ 1.91 Coral, Sky Bet , Totesport, Betfred , Sportingbet
 
The Man