SUPER LEAGUE PLAY OFFS - ROAD TO THE GRAND FINAL

It's time for the men to be separated from the boys, the pretenders to be cast aside and for the team with the most skill, heart and desire to prove their worth. What I will be doing is previewing the two matches (3rd vs 6th and 4th vs 5th) that we have this weekend and trying to determine the grand final winner.
 
WIGAN WARRIORS V BRADFORD BULLS
12th September 20:00 GMT, Live on Sky Sports

This is the time of year that Bradford would traditionally come to life somewhat and perhaps they could attempt to use this as an omen and to their advantage, but given that Brian Noble was previously the mastermind of that for the Bulls, his Wigan side are unlikely to be phased.
Neither of these two teams have really got going this season and they owe their league finishes to the collapses of both Warrington and Wakefield but not really through their own quality. In patches either side has shown flashes of brilliance but it has in the main, been few and far between.
It will probably not feel like a home match for this Wigan side when they play at Widnes and this is reflected somewhat in the pricing for the contest where the match is seen minorly in Wigan's favour.
Dave Whelan showed precisely why he is such a maligned figure by refusing the club permission to play at the JJB. This must have seemed like a real kick in the teeth to the club and is no reward for finishing fourth.
If we go back to matters on the pitch, I cannot find a massive amount to separate these two teams. Both can adapt their style of play to conditions and both are capable of beating the best on their day.
I like the Bulls for this match. With inspirational skipper Paul Deacon passed fit, a nice selection headache with the fact that Paul Sykes has been a terrific fill in at full back but Michael Platt possibly returning and the possible inclusion of Glen Morrison I could see a very strong side put up by the Bulls for the match. The tag of underdogs may sit nicely with them but trust me they will not feel like underdogs when they get out onto the park.
If they can keep the enterprising Trent Barrett under locks, the Bulls could have some real joy on Friday night.
The memories of last years sickening defeat to Wigan where they led 30-6 with twenty five minutes left, only to be gubbed 30-31 will be a huge motivator for revenge.
 
RECOMMENDATION - 2 Points on Bradford @ 2.38 (Bluesq / Extrabet )
 
CATALAN DRAGONS V WARRINGTON WOLVES
13th September 18:30 GMT, Live on Sky Sports

This game will be very little to do with how the Catalans play I must fear but everything to do with how Warrington play. On their day, Warrington have proved to us all how devastatingly good that they can be. They were brilliant against Leeds and followed up with a gallant last gasp defeat away at Saints, and then ever since they fell into a tailspin. Defeats to Hull KR, Castleford and Huddersfield have left them finishing in sixth position which sounds dreadful in principle but could just be a blessing.
Having clearly proved so often that as underdogs, they can be an extremely dangerous team how fitting is it that they are given one of the so-called hardest draws by having to play away in the South of France. What a drag it must be for the supporters, I mean all that fine wining and dining must be such a drudgery!! But the great thing about this draw is that not only do they take on the underdog status again but they also are up against in team that is also in dreadful form and has never been to the stage of a season in Super League yet. Nous could be the edging factor here.
Cast your mind back to 2006 when Warrington travelled to Headingley Carnegie for the 3rd vs 6th play off, everybody assumed that the Wolves were merely there to just make up the numbers and would roll over. What we saw then was what Super League is all about, the Wolves rolled their sleeves up and produced one of the great battling displays of recent years to topple the Rhinos on their own turf. Memories are are a wonderful thing and it is this kind of performance that they need to reproduce.
Lee Briersn and Ben Harrison are expected to make themselves available for selection despite having injuries and it is this kind of spirit that they need. Briers in particular has a presence about him in the Warrington team, he makes them tick.
Skipper Adrian Morley is also likely to be playing after fears over a stomach muscle problem are nowhere near as bad as potentially thought and it is the tenacity of Morley that will provide some added bite to the forward line of 'Wire'.
Catalans have lost a lot of the momentum that they built up over the first half of the season. Last week they seemed extremely weak defensively against a poor Harlequins side. I have little faith in them, not that I have massive faith in Warrington but lets face it, Warrington are not the ludicrously priced 1.22 side here.
 
RECOMMENDATIONS - 2 Points on Warrington @ 4.33 (Totesport)
 
GRAND FINAL WINNER

For me, this is a very simple recommendation. St Helens have showed us all over the season that they can outpace teams, outscore teams, out defend teams and out battle teams. They can win when they are on fire or even a lot of time on bad days at the office. They are they every man team.
An indifferent start once again had people freely throwing their hard earned on Leeds but this team now how how to bounce back. Missing out on the grand final seemed so harsh and unjust on them but they were simply outplayed on the day of the final by a hungrier Rhinos team. Don't count on this happening again.
Having got the regular season title and therefore secured home advantage for the grand final securing match next week, I fully expect Saints to take the match and secure a place at Old Trafford. Even if they were to be beaten, I would still expect them to win the remainder of the play offs and make it.
2006 all over again is coming the way of the Saints for me.
I would get in now and back at 1.8 because that will surely drop if they defeat Leeds as expected and wouldn't drift very much even if they were to lose.
Have a tiny nibble on both Bradford and Warrington too in case we have a shock.
Who is going to be 'Man of Steel' this year? Well maybe you could go on our forum to discuss this, who your pick for Grand Final winner is or anything else sports related.
 
RECOMMENDATIONS - 4.5 Points Stake on St Helens to win the Super League Outright @ 1.8 (Totesport / Skybet)
0.25 Points on Bradford @ 29 (Sportingbet / William Hill)
0.25 Points on Warrington @ 42 (Betfair )