This Week's Rugby League

By The Man

I'm on my hols this weekend and as I type the bookmakers have not produced any handicaps for the weekend so I will preview tomorrow's live Championship game and the next round of Super League fixtures and hopefully there may be some pointers for profit there:

Barrow v Halifax


 
22nd July 19:30 GMT
Sky Sports 4 (19:30-21:30)

With the Northern Rail cup final taking centre stage last weekend the other Championship teams could rest their weary players and both of these teams will come in to the game fresh.

Barrow had been on a great run of form until last time out when things fell apart at Batley. Barrow were missing both their halfbacks in Liam Campbell, gone for the season, and more significantly Jamie Rooney with an ear infection. I have heard other rumours accounting for the absence of Rooney so it will be interesting if he plays as he could well be the difference between victory and defeat. Rooney adds so much to the Barrow team in terms of organisation and his kicking game and they could struggle without him. Barrow have normally bounced back well from defeats and they actually have a better record this season than last when they secured the league leaders shield.

Halifax are very similar in ability in a different sort of way. They can be lethal in attack but their porous defence can be their undoing and for that reason I don't expect them to win the really big games. Featherstone showed that if they are faced with a strong defence their attack becomes clueless and that defence still leaks. Generally the Barrow defence has been very good this season and they are capable of beating the very best in this division. Castleford will testify what a strong team Barrow can be.

With home advantage I have to side with the Cumbrians in terms of the handicap but as ever in these televised affairs expect a close game. I had Barrow by 6-8pts.

 
Hull v Wigan


 
23rd July 20:00 GMT
Sky Sports 2 (19:30-22:00), Sky Sports HD2 (19:30-22:00)

I don't like the noises coming out of the Hull camp. Already coach Richard Agar has pointed out the fact that they could be facing Wigan at the wrong time as they visit on the back of defeat to Warrington and will be smarting. In the reverse fixture Hull were riding high but were put to the sword by a Wigan team that had just lost at Bradford.

Hull had a very intense derby fixture that is sure to have been emotionally draining as you could tell they were very up for the battle. That derby has left casualties in the shape of a broken arm for Richard Whiting and a hamstring pull for Mark Calderwood, add in Danny Tickle receiving a suspension for his part in a melee and Hull are looking a little light on numbers. I still feel Sean Long is a massive miss and something is lacking in the team to mix it with the very best.

For Wigan Lee Mossop will miss out but this is compensated with the return from suspension of Andy Coley. Wigan have bounced back well from defeats so far this season and, though the Wire match will also have been draining for them, I expect a reasonably comfortable victory. I have Wigan by 8-10pts

 
Catalan v Warrington


 
24th July 17:30 GMT

Catalan's players were kept in the dressing room for a barrage of criticism and a few hope truths by their owner after their weekend home defeat to Crusaders. They were left in no doubt that the performance was unacceptable. Prior to that we had seen some improvement in Catalan culminating in a fine victory at St.Helens. However, you need the right attitude in every fixture and no Super League team will lie down from the off. You have to earn the right to play fancy rugby and from all reports Catalan lacked intensity and thought they could showboat after their recent wins. I expect a much more committed performance from them this weekend. I wouldn't completely rule out a shock victory as it is possible that Warrington may be carried away by their own press after the victory at Wigan but this is tempered by the fact that they miss influential Clint Greenshields through injury.

Warrington were awful in the opening twenty at Wigan and did well to hang in there and it will give them much confidence after finally defeating a big boy. They probably have too much talent to lose to the French but I don't see this as a walk in the park that some might suggest. I had the handicap 10-12pts and wouldn't be surprised if the layers go higher.

 
Hull KR v Bradford


 
24th July 17:15 GMT
Sky Sports 2 (17:00-19:30), Sky Sports HD2 (17:00-19:30)

Last week I wrote that I expected Rovers to feel the effect of their bruiser with Leeds and then having to play the Hull derby. I suspected that the drop off in intensity would be this week. Unfortunately I sensed the Leeds game took some petrol out of the tank last week and they couldn't match a Hull team that was clearly up for the fixture. The question this week is whether there has been a culminating effect and the energy levels have hit rock bottom.

In all honesty they couldn't be playing a better team in Bradford. They are on a long losing run, have effectively sacked their coach Steve McNamara and have zero confidence. The loss of star halfback Matt Orford has derailed their season and with Paul Sykes suspended they will be without both their first choice halves.

I feel this game will be decided in the opening quarter. If Bradford can hang in there then I feel they could take advantage of their host's low energy levels in the closing stages. Conversely if Rovers can take advantage of Bradford's low confidence they could blow them away. A difficult game to handicap but I had Rovers by 8pts.

 
Crusaders v Castleford


 
24th July 14:00 GMT

Crusaders returned to winning ways with victory at Catalan but for me this team is no great shakes. As with most of Brian Noble's teams they play the percentages well and aim to complete sets without being too ambitious. If other teams are not on the ball they are certainly capable of winning games and have the scalp of Leeds at Headingley to prove this.

After an indifferent start Castleford have found some form and they seem to have found the habit of defeating the mid to lower ranked teams in recent weeks. So much so that they now sit in a play-off position that will be consolidated with victory here.

This is a game that I feel can go either way. Most of Cas' recent success has been at home and this presents a challenge though a winnable one on the road. Given Cas' recent form and confidence I have to make them slight favourites but only by the slenderest 2pts.

 
Huddersfield v Harlequins


 
15th July 15:00 GMT

Both these teams put up creditable performances last week with close defeats at Leeds and St.Helens respectively.

For me, I had Huddersfield as a potential top four team at the start of the campaign and to a degree they have disappointed. I still feel they are reasonably consistent in that they generally lose to the top teams and generally beat the poor teams especially with home advantage.

I expect Huddersfield to duly oblige. They are superior to Harlequins in most departments and the visitors are still light in terms of numbers. After a mid season revival Quins have returned to type and probably haven't got what it takes to win this fixture. That said, I won't get too carried away with Huddersfield who will be deflated with that last minute drop goal defeat at Leeds and they may well be flat as a result. I had Huddersfield by 10-12pts.

 
Salford v Leeds


 
25th July 15:00 GMT

Salford had a fine win at Bradford last week that has kindled some play-off ambition. I think they are deluding themselves and Leeds will quickly quash any lingering hopes of that becoming a reality. After fine wins at Warrington and against St.Helens, they have been off key with the defeat at Hull KR and an uninspiring win versus Huddersfield but I feel they will have too much for Salford. It's possible they will have one eye on double fixtures with Wigan next week and Saints to follow with the cup semi final taking priority, but they have now got back most of their stars on to the paddock and abiltywise they should have too much.

Salford have got a fine victory over St.Helens in the bank so they are capable and beat Leeds last season so let's not completely rule them out but I've still got to have Leeds by 14-16pts.

 
Wakefield v St.Helens


 
25th July 15:30 GMT

Wakefield have generally been in woeful form but interspersed have been sporadic victories and you never quite know if they are going to produce a performance. They are capable of victory and this is the sort of fixture where I am generally keen to lay the visiting outsider conceding a big start as it often produces dividends.

They probably meet St.Helens at a good time. They were far from impressive against Harlequins and before that lost at home to Catalan as their injury problems run deep. They will still miss Keiron Cunningham and Kyle Eastmond though Leon Pryce returned last week to inspire the victory. They too will have their focus on the looming Challenge Cup semi final and this is a fixture that they will just want to get out of the way.

On paper Saints will be too strong and have to be handicapped as such but every handicap produces a price and I will not be too bothered if I lay them on the exchanges as I feel I may get a run for my money laying Saints at a short price. I had Saints by 10pts.
 
The Man