This Week's Rugby League

By The Man

I hope some of you managed to join me with my prices on the exchanges for the Dewsbury v Leigh fixture. In the end I managed to get Dewsbury, the draw, Dewsbury +12.5 and Leigh -24.5 all layed to turn a game that had little prospect of a bet at the prices in to a decent night's work.

Looking forward I have a couple of further wagers that I like the look of:
 
Widnes v Featherstone

  

30th April 20:00 GMT

Featherstone stand unbeaten at the top of the Championship but face an acid test with this trip to Widnes. It is a test I expect them to pass with flying colours. Widnes are themselves play-off candidates and will have aspirations of Grand Final success but they meet a Featherstone side in red hot form.

Featherstone signalled their intentions with an early season win at champions Barrow and they were magnificent that day. Their swarming defence left the hosts clueless at times. For me, at the moment they are the most impressive team in their division. They are playing with confidence in attack and the defence is rock solid.

Widnes will be boosted by the loan signings of Kirk Netherton from Castleford and Shaun Ainscough returning from Wigan but they still have lots of problems in the treatment room. The recent league defeat to Toulouse confirms that they aren't firing at the moment and quite simply I believe Featherstone will be too strong.

I expect a physical battle and Widnes won't lie down and they are actually capable of victory but my handicap had Featherstone between 6-8pts favourites and a strong wager is suggested.

Pick: Featherstone off scratch 4pts @ 1.80 with Betinternet

 
Hull FC v Harlequins

 

1st May 15:00 GMT

Last week I wrote of the return of a number of Harlequins better players and of the squad having a Super League feel. However, I wouldn't be trusting them with my money until they proved they were playing to a decent standard. Well, after last week's expensive victory at Wigan I now trust them and I confirm they are at Super League standard.

That come from behind victory added to the cup win over Wakefield and a fine effort versus St.Helens will have done wonders for the confidence of 'Quins and they will look to this Hull fixture to build momentum.

Whilst Harlequins were beating Wigan I had the dubious pleasure of watching Hull and Wakefield in a dire affair. Hull tackled reasonably well but without Sean Long, Craig Fitzgibbon and Shaun Berrigan they lacked spark and direction in attack and they looked like the Hull of the last few seasons which is a pretty poor outfit.

All those players along with Danny Tickle again miss out though Lee Radford and Kirk Yeaman are set to return.

Harlequins have picked up an injury to Ben Jones-Bishop but otherwise keep the side that performed so well at Wigan. I really feel this is a game that could go either way on the neutral venue and the generous start on offer is a nice insurance buffer against a small Hull victory. I had Hull by 2pts.
 
Hull FC squad:

T. Briscoe, Dowes, Cunningham, Burnett, Hall, Horne, Houghton, Tansey, Turner, Manu, O'Meley, Lauaki, Moa, McShane, Radford, Washbrook, Whiting, Yeaman, Nicklas.
 
Harlequins RL squad:

Clubb, Dorn, Esders, Gale, Howell, Jones, May, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Melling, Orr, Penny, Purdham, Randall, Sharp, Temata, Ward, Wilkes, Williams, Williamson.

Pick: Harlequins +8 3pts @ 1.91 with Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, VCBet, Bluesq
 
The Man