This Week's Rugby League

By The Man

Another difficult week for me as far as predictions go. I have found one wager but even that was induced by the enhanced odds offered by bet365 on live games. I guess the odds compilers have seen the same things as me and have access to the same information. It is perhaps not surprising that at this stage of the season we agree on a lot of the lines. Certainly early season produces more wagers as I hope to be a step ahead.

I did have a big difference of opinion with the handicap on offer between Batley and Barrow as I thought initially the 16pts on offer was too high. But a quick check of the Batley news and I find that Batley have injury problems especially in the halves and with their Northern Rail cup final looming next week I see the players wrapped in cotton wool and lacking intensity.

I also have a fancy for Wigan to post a lot of points against Salford especially with the returning Sean O'Loughlin and Amos Roberts but there is drizzle in the North West which makes scoring more difficult.

St.Helens may struggle to cover against Catalan especially with the absence of their key playmakers, Kyle Eastmond, Leon Pryce and Keiron Cunningham, but I find it very difficult to trust Catalans to put in a performance, and they have injury problems of their own.

Hull KR have impressed me in the last few weeks and with their home form solid I have no qualms in taking on Leeds at the 8.5pt exchange handicap line but I will be laying odds on and so can't recommend a wager with the bookmakers. And so to the wager:
 
Wakefield v Hull FC

 

10th July 19:30 GMT

I know Wakefield have been in woeful form with the exception of a big victory recently at Crusaders but I still believe they have a team on the paddock that is capable of turning over teams like Hull. If you look down their squad they still have a nucleus of a very good team. They have lost many games but with a couple of exceptions have been competitive and they showed when pushing Leeds all the way that they do have ability. In the reverse fixture Hull ground out a 4pt victory but it was very much a dour game that could have gone either way.

Hull continued their winning ways last week at Bradford but the hosts aren't a patch on the Bradford of old and are suffering from a long injury list. I still believe that the loss of Sean Long will hurt the Black and Whites and his direction and experience adds so much.

This is a game that could go either way and I had it as a scratch affair so the handicap on offer, coupled with the even money means I'll have a play. Not the most confident wager I've ever placed, and I'm far from certain with Wakefield's dodgy form that it will be successful, but I think these types of bet will make money in the long run.
 
Wakefield Wildcats squad:

Blaymire, Blanch, Gleeson, Millard, Jeffries, Korkidas, Morrison, Demetriou, Johnson, Henderson, Murphy, King, Leo-Latu, Cooke, Morton, Davey, Moore, Leaeno, Rinaldi.
 
Hull FC squad:

Tansey, Calderwood, T. Briscoe, Whiting, Turner, Yeaman, Hall, Horne, Washbrook, Berrigan, Houghton, Dowes, Cusack, Radford, Lauaki, Burnett, Manu, Tickle, Fitzgibbon.

Pick: Wakefield +4 2pt s@ 2 with Bet365, Sportingbet or Stan James
 
The Man