Super League XIV Round Seven Previews

March 26, 2009 at 8:13 pm | In Rugby League, Sport, Super League | Leave a Comment
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The tragic news last week about the death of Wakefield player, Leon Walker, closed off another weekend of thrilling games.  Highlights from last week have to be Castleford and Huddersfield’s victories whilst Saints and Leeds served up  a great physical contest in the game of the round.

Wakefield v St Helens
Fifth against second would usually be a serious contender for game of the round.  Throw last week’s tragedy into the mix and we have a bona fide clash sure to be full of intensity, passion and emotion.  With a tough game last week, Saints were not looking forward to this one in the first place and now there’s an expectation by all that Wakefield will rise to the challenge on Friday night.  For every error, penalty, big hit and great play there’s bound to be rallying shouts using the tragedy as a unifying motivation factor to fire up Wakefield players.  In last week’s previews I predicted that Wakefield would win at least one out of their next two games which puts more pressure on them for this game.  Saints are now in a run of tricky games that has already seen them face Leeds and will follow this round’s games with Leeds (A), Wigan (A), Hull (H) and Castleford (A).  It’s an excellent team that can back up all those games with a win.  Wakefield we haven’t seen much of yet and any consideration to them winning this game has to weight heavily on what strength they can draw on from last week and Saints’ battlefield mentality i.e. injuries from last week married to the cup game at Leeds next week.  Very tough call and I think I’m going to have to go with the emotion and extra week off to get players back into the squad for Wakefield over a slightly depleted Saints line-up.  Should be another belter for SKY whatever the result.  Wakefield by 1.

Leeds v Catalans
Now here’s an easy write-up.  Alongside the two newly-promoted sides Catalans are looking like one of the competition’s lame ducks.  They’ve recruited well and are in roughly the same position as last year.  Unfortunately, since the surprise win at Warrington, which now looks like a result of circumstance, Catalans have been poor, more so than last year.  We might be taking something away from the Bulls but given the Bulls have been looking like bottom half of the table chow I think we’re right to start questioning the French side’s potential for this year.  Heading over to face the champions after they themselves have come up short doesn’t bode well for Walters’ Wallies.  At St Helens, Leeds were undone by a strong defensive display which gave them few opportunities to apply their pressure game.  Here I don’t think anyone foresees such tension.  Leeds by 20.

Wigan v Huddersfield
Now here are two teams slowly building up their confidence.  Despite only registering their first win at home last week, Huddersfield currently sit fourth in the table with a 100% away record that includes victories in France, Castleford and Bradford.  None of them are easy places to go to and Wigan will hold no more fear than Odsal did.  Two points behind the Giants are Wigan who’ve made the most of mediocre opposition in recent weeks to move themselves away from the foot of the table.  Inspiring them during that time has been the introduction of some talented academy products who, let’s be honest, would not have gotten the chance under Noble if there was no salary cap in operation.  Noble’s predilection for overseas talent over home grown has been evident for several years and whilst several fans of the previously famous club bemoan the restrictions of a salary cap there is no doubt that the opportunities have arisen as a direct result of restrictions placed on player recruitment be they the cap or quotas.  Perhaps now the next saviours of Wigan rugby league will be given the chance to show us what they can do.  They’re up against two former nominations in the half backs and this is a game that could easily have been the game of the round.  The Giants are probably a bit stronger defensively than Wigan and they have a more progressive approach to playing the game.  Where I think Wigan are strong, is with their home support and Huddersfield’s propensity to not match their ideas with application.  If Huddersfield play like I’ve seen them play they should have too much here, it’s just that I can see the youthful energy, enthusiasm and drive lifting the home side to snatch a closely fought epic.  Wigan by 1.

Harlequins RL v Hull
Oh how Harlequins RL lead us on a merry dance with their promise of progression.  Two weeks ago praise was being lavished on McDermott’s men for dismantling a mutinous Warrington side.  A week later and the Giants were clicking like I’ve been expecting them to and now we’re back with the up-and-down Harlequins RL we perpetually romance with.  I won’t read too much into last week’s encounter at the Galph.  Huddersfield have been trying to bring some inventiveness and excitement into their game this year and it was simply a matter of time and confidence before they presented themselves as a force.  Turning the ball over as frequently is a road to ruin away from home, although there were signs against Wigan (a match I am over-referencing I know) that this is a team not venue problem.  We’re getting familiar with Hull’s control game and it was interesting to see Castleford’s more adventurous approach to handling the ball reaped some reward last week at the KC.  I didn’t expect that.  I expected that a good, solid ball retention game is enough to see off anybody in the bottom half of the table when you’re at home.  Maybe I’ve underrated the progress some of the Australian helmed clubs have made.  Here, so much must rest on the home side’s ability to control the ball that is something my thoughts can’t escape.  Even then I can’t predict which Harlequins RL team is going to turn up so it’s pot luck.  Hull can play as well as they like but seeing as a good part of their gameplan is geared towards capitalising on opposition mistakes it has to be there for Harlequins RL to lose.  Harlequins RL by 4.

Hull KR v Salford
Improvement week-by-week is what both of these teams expect.  Warrington’s caffeine injection of a new coach, lifted them to heights Justinho couldn’t have planned for and he’ll probably be relieved to finally see his side with what the less diplomatic of us would describe as an anticipated walkover.  Salford were undone by a Wigan side that decided to run at that their defence, for which they had no answer.  This week will be the same, except maybe not as high scoring.  Hull KR by 18.

Warrington v Celtic
Marvellous result last week for Tony Smith’s men, overturning a Rovers side which might be pushing for a top four spot by the end of the year.  It was inevitable the influence of a new coach would provide them with a first win, which is something Celtic are still looking for.  Like writing about matches involving Salford there isn’t really much you can say about Celtic other than I hope they win a game soon.  Not having a game last week may have done them some good if they were playing at home this week.  Travelling to what will probably be a rejuvenated Wolves side promises nothing other than further evidence that this sport cannot sustain fourteen teams in its top tier.  Warrington by 18.

******GAME OF THE ROUND******

Castleford v Bradford
Some might say this is an unusual choice for the game of the round and with the games going on at Wakefield, Harlequins RL and Wigan they have a good point.  For me this is the pick of the round because this is a game that reflects the changing power structure in Super League.  Some people, quite rightly, will point to the continued dominance of Leeds and Saints to state a case for no increase in competitiveness in this competition.  Where do Wigan and Bradford fall into that at the moment?  Over the past two to three years we’ve seen a gradual decline in the fortunes of Bradford and this game feels like it could be a changing of the guards moment.  In the past, when Castleford have beaten the Bulls, it’s taken a huge effort from them to get into a position to win.  On the balance of results so far this year, Sunday presents the Tigers with the chance to cement their progress and condemn the Bulls to just one win in six with Leeds to come in two weeks time.  The way in which these teams have gone about their business this season suggests that a top class Castleford performance should be enough to win with something to spare.  However, the Bulls’ snatching victory last week makes this all the more interesting.  This is it for the Tigers.  Are Orville’s men up to the task?  Scrape home against the Bulls and it will be pleasing for Castleford fans and I think they will.  They will need something more convincing to confirm to us that there really is a power shift going on in Yorkshire football .  Tigers by 6.

Last week’s predictions;

Hull by 6  (lost by 1)
Wigan by 12 (won by 16)
Catlans by 4 (lost by 6)
Leeds by 6 (lost by 8 )
Huddersfield by 4 (won by 40)
Warrington by 4 (won by 12)

A 3-3 week shifts things to 23-17.

Super League XIV Round Six Previews

March 20, 2009 at 12:40 pm | In Rugby League, Sport, Super League | Leave a Comment
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Well, well, well.  Has Tony Smith got his work cut out or what?  Last week’s capitulation at The Stoop must rank as one of the poorest Warrington results in the modern era.  Rumours of significant internal conflict about an alleged drinking culture make this a bigger job than first thought.  Fortunately he has enough good players on his books to counter Lee Briers’ match contribution.  Harlequins RL fans were over-the-moon, placing this performance up there amongst their very best.  Who can argue with them?

We were also treated to one of the best games of the season at The Jungle and I hope everybody is able to recognise that and not pretend that it wasn’t anything other than great entertainment and examples of great skill.  We can’t hide away from whatever our shortcomings are on the international stage.  We can’t hide either from the fact that there were some plays made during the game that wouldn’t have been made by teams of similar stature before Super League began.  Castleford’s last try was as glorious as we’ve come to expect from them and some incredible defensive play by the Gaints told me this competition isn’t the dead duck some people would try and have you believe.  Trent Barrett may not have been Wally Lewis but he was still a reason to turn up and watch the game.  Huddersfield beating Castleford might not have been Wigan toppling Brisbane but it was still one of many reasons to turn up and watch this greatest of games.

Hull v Castleford
There are several hot jams in round six and Castleford’s trip to the KC is amongst the top three.  Anyone who says they had singled this out as being one of the games of the round prior to the start of the season would only be doing so as a fan of either team.  Neutrals will be keenly monitoring this game because there’s a very realistic possibility of Hull going to an awakening 6-0.  I don’t think Castleford have come up yet against a set of big boys like Hull and it promises to be a real test for Matterson’s, mmmmm, men.  More sensitive sections of the fishbanging fraternity might decry my relatively lukewarm response to this great start to the this season and perhaps I should make myself a bit clearer here.  Going 5-0 is brilliant no matter which team you are.  It is only a great start though.  It is not a great middle or end.  Jeepers Creepers has a great start before it falls to pieces.  The Stone Roses ‘Breaking Into Heaven’ has one of the greatest starts ever and fails to build on it.  Hull will be unbeaten by the time of the derby and if Rovers can kick on as they have been doing we could be looking at the first real Hull derby of the professional era.  Hull by 6.

Salford v Wigan
This is probably the least attractive game of the round because we expect it to be a stress free experience for Wigan.  Celtic still have a bit of mystery about them at the moment whereas Salford appear to have folded into the Salford we all know and adore so humanely.  If Super League was welfare to work there might be an argument of stopping Salford’s television payments because the competition has a right to expect a bit more than turning up to get flogged and although Salford showed some progress last week at Saints or so several fans have commented, it wasn’t the beginning of a mini-revival or an indicator of them approaching a corner.  It was more “We’d better do some work before the boss spots us.”  Hopefully the small improvement of last week was more than just a response to Alker’s reinstatement as captain.  If it isn’t, Brian Noble’s men shouldn’t have too much difficulty in putting this to bed early. Wigan by 12.

Catalans v Bradford
Saturday night’s game might just see some of the biggest runs and hits this competition can offer.  It also might be the two teams most likely to under-perform in Super League XIV now Tony Smith is working with Warrington.  League positions are a concern for both sides and I’d be surprised if at least one of these two isn’t still sat in the bottom four come Easter.  After this game the Bulls travel to Castleford and then tackle Leeds at home in the airport derby, two tough games.  For Catalans it’s consecutive away trips to Leeds and Harlequins RL.  How much extra pressure does that give this game?   Well let’s pray it’s not so much pressure that it prevents both teams from playing the freestyling football that we’ve all gotten used to seeing from them.   Catalans by 4.

Celtic v Wakefield
Flying high, with a Saints side looking to back up after a tough game against Leeds next week, Wakefield have a nicely timed fixture which presents them with a chance to catch up or overtake one of the favoured two.  John Kear will like that.  Celtic are still searching for the first win and an off-colour showing by the visitors might let the Crusaders into this one.  You know what Wakefield are like.  They can surprise you with wins and losses.  With Celtic this week and Saints next week they have two windows of opportunity.  Of those two games they will win at least one and I expect this time next week they’ll be looking to shift further up the table.  Wakefield by 8.

Huddersfield v Harlequins RL
Last year my tipping success rate for Harlequins RL was a paltry  46% as they shot out of the rocks before falling out of contention before we’d even managed to get into the back strait.  In contrast last year, I had a 70% success rate in predicting Huddersfield results.  So who gets the nod here?  I’ve favoured the Giants since the start and their willingness to play the game like it should be played was matched by Castleford both in attack and defence.  Some of the plays that were made in that game were as good as you will get in this competition.  I’ve always been a defender of the playing standards in this competition and last week’s Saturday night tussle served to demonstrate that my defence is completely justified.  To get performances like that by teams of such stature is unlike anything pre-Super League.  We’d be lucky to see the contenders compete as well as the Tigers and Giants did nevermind the whole league.  Huddersfield have pushed themselves back into the top 8 and level on points with Harlequins RL, who appear to have overcome their jitters from the Wigan game,  laying down some kind of psychological marker when destroying Warrington.  We must have caught McDermott’s men at their worst when they fumbled their way to defeat at home because people are talking about these guys as having a serious pop at the top eight now.  Me?  Let’s just see how it goes.  This time last year Harlequins RL were being talked about in a similar vein until squad depth and predictability in their game plan conspired to deflate their chances.  If Huddersfield play well and Harlequins RL come out as victors I’ll be impressed.  If Harlequins RL come out on top after the Giants have coughed up the ball more times than a Francis Meli highlights video then I’ll have more belief that the murmurings are genuine and not the product of a fanbase and media over-enthusing about a team we’d all like to see fulfil its promise.  Giants by 4.

Warrington v Hull KR
It doesn’t get easier for Tony’s nose does it?  First up Leeds, followed by Harlequins RL away and now a home visit from a team that’s learned how to embarrass Warrington on more than one occasion in recent years.  Humiliation at The Stoop descended into chaos as the right to moan and whinge turned into a torrent of vitriolic abuse aimed at Matt King.  If there’s a sure fire way to get somebody to do something and do it well for you its shout and abuse them, particularly if they would have no shortage of job offers if they left.  It’s a wonder that more groups of fans don’t boo their own teams instead of getting behind them.  The Warrington home support needs to be compliant and supportive of their side, now more than ever because with Matt King in the side there’s still hope.  If King decides he wants to Car Wash anywhere else it’ll be like losing your best card in Top Trumps for Tony Smith so the fans must give them positive vocal support.  Rovers, have no such problems.  Tucked in behind the pace setters they must be confident of sneaking the two points here because of that past record against Wire.  It might not have been the fluent win they were all hoping for last week.  It didn’t need to be.  Apply themselves like they have done up to this point and it should be two points for Rovers if I could only get past my anticipation that Warrington are going to wake up at some point over the next couple of weeks.  Warrington by 4.

******GAME OF THE ROUND******

St Helens v Leeds
Another top tussle for the champions and a welcome challenge for both sides so they can measure this year’s progress.  We’ve known from recent years how little you can rely on regular season games as a predictor of post season success and this will be no different.  Three of Saints’ four wins have come against the two newly-promoted sides and Warrington.  Hardly a case for Saints when you consider Leeds won at Rovers before Saints came up short at home.  Leeds have found the better form and have a slight favourites tag which would have been a score had this been over in West Yorkshire.  I am really looking forward to seeing how physical this game is in defence.  Saints and Leeds have set a standard without the ball that other teams must match if they hope to win Super League.  You might win the Cup with a good defensive performance at Wembley but you won’t even get to the Grand Final without a good defence.  Let’s hope the competition’s best can show us all how it’s done.  Leeds by 6.

Last week’s predictions;

Saints by 30  (won by 36)
Castleford by 2 (lost by 2)
Warrington by 4 (lost by 52!)
Bradford by 2 (lost by 12)
Hull KR by 18 (won by 30)
Wakefield by 8 (won by 20)
Leeds by 10 (won by 24)

Another 4-3 week shifts things to 20-14.

Super League XIV Round Five Previews

March 12, 2009 at 7:28 pm | In Rugby League, Sport, Super League | Leave a Comment
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Exciting games last week even if the outcomes were more predictable than previous weeks.  Hull had little trouble in maintaining their unbeaten record thanks to Huddersfield’s willingness to drop the ball.  The Crusaders and Saints conspired to produce the lowest scoring Super League result since Super League II and Castleford racked up another two points with a great display in France.  Hull KR’s win against Wakefield meant their efforts in the opening rounds haven’t been wasted whilst Wigan annihilated Bradford in a Bulls shocker.  Finally, Tony Smith’s return to Super League saw an improvement for Warrington that wasn’t quite enough as their energy levels held them back.

St Helens v Salford
Comfortably the most one-sided match-up of the round as the maladroit Mancs head over to Saints for what should be a ritual flogging.  Saints may not be firing on all cylinders with the ball in hand so this should be a perfect opportunity for them to try out some moves in anticipation of next week’s thundering clash with Leeds.  Saints by 30.

Castleford v Huddersfield
Last week was painful for Giants fans.  From where I was sat this is a team that’s looking to promote the ball and cause opponents problems by recycling the ball with speed.  Unfortunately their skill levels aren’t quite up to their approach which resulted in an ugly effort in front of the watching millions across the world.  I hope they stick with it because the alternative is five drives control football to get into the playoffs which we all know can only take you so far.  Castleford meanwhile have quietly assassinated their way through the ranks, knocking off some high-profile teams on the way, none less so than Catalans in a thriller last week.  Isn’t it brilliant to see a team persisting with a long-term approach to success reaping those rewards.  The Tigers always looked like they could score and, in fairness to Matterson, that aspect of their game hasn’t been blamed for their failure to progress.  Defensively they are holding their own even if I still need convincing of their solidity.  If the Giants gift possession away as easily this week they’ll place undue pressure on their coach.  They’re not quite their yet so keep with it Giants even if you lose here. Castleford by 2.

Harlequins RL v Warrington
It’s not lonely for Warrington at the bottom with Celtic keeping them company and it doesn’t matter anyway because Tony Smith has arrived so everything is about to change.  A trip down to London village can be dangerous although not for Warrington, who ripped apart McDermott’s men and sent false hopes through the supporting ranks last year.  Less knowledgeable fans of sport prefer not to dole out too much praise to the coach, often singling players out in moments of success and yet here we are looking at a Warrington side that would have been flogged mercilessly last week if Tony Smith hadn’t been appointed in time to inspire the players.  The turn around isn’t going to happen overnight but there will be an increase in belief, an increase in commitment and a reason to want to play for Warrington and not hop back on the next flight to Melbourne.  Harlequins RL fans, I know this is all about Warrington and I’m not ignoring last week’s result at The Willows.  It’s just that a coaching appointment as exciting as Smith’s needs hyping and talking about so to bring this discussion back down to the basics, Warrington won’t have gelled yet but they’ll be up for it.  Harlequins RL will face sterner defence this week and will need to hold onto the ball if they are to take the points from this game.  I’m dwelling too much on the failure to bring Wigan to task two weeks ago and with better quality strike players in Warrington’s line-up it should end up with a similar outcome.  Warrington by 4.

Bradford v Hull
Steve McNamara is feeling the heat.  Last week’s pitiful performance against Wigan was one of the worst showings that I’ve seen from the Bulls in Super League.  Usually you can apportion a lot of the credit to the winning side and without wanting to take anything away from Wigan, the visitors were appalling.  It’s one thing having injuries and we know how big a part they can play.  It’s another thing just not being able to tackle and issues like that lie firmly in the coaches sphere of influence i.e. basic coaching.  Whilst Bradford flounder on the rocks of uninspired leadership, Hull continued their ever-increasingly impressive start with a much-deserved victory over a disappointing Huddersfield side.  It was relatively dull yet effective stuff as Agar’s men exploited the Gaints’ ghastly ball retention.  Some Hull fans want to wax lyrical about how they’re heading back to the lofty Peter Sharp era of 2006 and their frustration at not getting much recognition yet is becoming obvious.  You can’t take anything from them.  They’ve beaten whoever has been put in front of them and with Castleford (H) and Harlequins RL (A) to follow this game there is every chance they could still be unbeaten come the first round of the cup.  Agar is starting to mould his team into a workmanlike outfit that can maintain consistent and committed displays.  That should be more than enough for Steve McNamara to have a brain fart about, however I can’t honestly see the Bulls flopping again like they have done before no matter how rubbish they appear to be.  Bradford by 2.

Hull KR v Celtic
If Jace had been playing last week we might have been looking at the first contest between defeaters of St Helens.  Van Dijk is set to return this weekend which probably won’t be enough for Celtic to push Rovers although this is the kind of match where teams that aren’t prepared properly to challenge for silverware come up short e.g. Warrington.  This is one of your bread and butter games and Justinho won’t let his side forget that.  Hull KR by 18.

Wakefield v Catalans
Wakefield’s run to the top of the table came to a predictable halt at Hull KR last week so a home fixture against the tenth placed and struggling Catalans Dragons presents another opening to climb up the table.  Catalans weren’t expected to be as strong this year despite some great signings and I’m hopeful that this is just the standard problems that appear when a new coach takes over.  It shows the progress of this competition when you talk about Wakefield expecting to win against a side that did so well in the previous season.  It’s also a reflection of the way that John Kear has built a competitive team out of scraps.  We’ll get to see just how competitive this Wakefield side is when they travel to Wales next week before welcoming Saints for SKY’s Friday night game, until then it’s a case of going with the form book.  Wakefield by 8.

******GAME OF THE ROUND******

Leeds v Wigan
With all this talk by Saints fans about the quality of their defence this year, Leeds have quietly gone about their business, continuing on from last year with a physical game that has yielded less points than anyone else.  It’s that which makes me uncertain that this is really the pick of this week’s games.  Wigan’s two victories against Harlequins RL and Bradford, in front of the TV cameras, are not evidence of having turned a corner.  They were evidence of their opponents’ shortcomings.  Wigan look to be heading for a hiding and building this game up to be one of those where form isn’t as big a factor as history is probably just getting you excited for no reason.  If I take a flippant attitude towards this game there’s a chance that it will defy form and turn out to be one of those great Wigan against-the-odds outings that we’ve seen over the past decade.  Brian Noble, as well all know, only bothers to coach his side for when they play Leeds so there’s a chance Leeds’ defence will be breached.  It’s a chance anyway and the home team do have a tendency to offer more handling errors to Wigan than they do against other teams.  Maybe, just maybe it’ll be another one of those powerhouse clashes.  Leeds by 10.

Last week’s predictions;

Harlequins RL by 4  (won by 30)
Catalans by 6 (lost by 2)
Saints by 12 (won by 4)
Wigan by 8 (won by 34)
Hull KR by 6 (won by 13)
Leeds by 6 (won by 6)
Huddersfield by 6 (lost by 4)

Only a few points away from a rare perfect week to 16-11.

Super League XIV Round Four Previews

March 5, 2009 at 9:41 pm | In Rugby League, Sport, Super League | Leave a Comment
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Sadly, James Lowes Doomwatch lasted less than a week.  The bookies and their 1/3 odds on him going first were outsmarted with a great, visionary appointment by the Wolfs.  If Smith can get his side tackling they can throw another team into the playoff mix this year.  Also last week, Wigan and Harlequins RL served up the kind of game last seen in Workington, Manly mounted Leeds, Castleford went above .500 and the league rocked to the sound of Hull KR’s magnificent millions bringing the Eddington End down at Saints.  Maybe not a week to forget but plenty for us to consider.

Salford v Harlequins RL
This might be evenly matched.  It probably isn’t.  Let’s face it, Harlequins RL gifted Wigan the game last week by managing to flunk chance after chance and turn the ball over with their lacklustre attack.  Did I say lacklustre?  Yeah, you’re right, I’m probably being too kind.  Defensively, Harlequins RL did well last week , getting the better of the Wigan pack only for them to show us a very limited offensive armoury.  Salford’s defence will be a lot less threatening than Wigan’s and even at home I can’t see that being any tougher than fronting up last week.  I’m not repeating myself about needing to find form but when you have Castleford mullering you so early in the season you have a right to be a bit concerned.  Anti-depressant salespersons, I’ve just spotted a growing domestic market for you to exploit.  Harlequins RL by 4.

Catalans v Castleford
Here’s an interesting game.  Have Castleford improved or have their opponents just not woken up?  We’ll see this week.  Catalans one win from three is what you think it would have been with their win at Warrington compensating for the home loss to Huddersfield.  I’ve yet to see Cas so can’t comment on how effective their defence is.  It will need to be strong for the physical challenge of going to France.  It might be a good time for the Tigers to play Catalans.  Their recent wins must have given them a positive attitude that they’ve not had since the Stuart Raper days.  Again, this is one of those background matches that will ask intriguing questions about both sides and their direction for the early part of the year.  Catalans by 6.

Celtic v St Helens
A fixture that’s guaranteed to have the locals flocking through the turnstiles you would think.  Hull are a big name in league circles and those in Wales still familiar with the 80s can probably member Hull and Wigan being successful teams, however twenty years later and one of rugby’s biggest names comes into town.  A great opportunity for those brought up on the legendary open and free-flowing Welsh union game to see a natural progression of those attack minded teams.  Losing at home to Hull KR came as a surprise to most except Justinho who remarked on the achievement that it was.  Saints’ ball control was a contributor to defeat, placing the defence under undue pressure although it took the magic of Michael Dobson’s kicking game to twice cross the whitewash.  This is the first of the big guns to come down to Wales and victory over Saints would give the new franchise a perfect launch into what is beginning to look like it will be a long and challenging season.  It’s inevitable Celtic will go one step further to win this one.  Will it be enough?  I don’t think it will.  Saints by 12.

Wigan v Bradford
Over to the JJBoooooooo for Saturday night’s Cholmondley-Warner fable of faded glories.  Long, long, ago in a competition not that far removed from this, Wigan v Bradford was a biggie.  This was one of SKY’s premier games and over the past two to three seasons it’s lost its magic.  You could never really predict this game as both used to be capable of going against form and winning away from home.  I seem to remember Wigan doing this relatively often in the Andy Farrell days.  Now I look to see where the game is being played and it favours Wigan at home.  Sam Tomkins did the one thing that has been missing at half back last week, he made a break.  It wasn’t the most dazzling appearance.  It was good enough to have Noble bring him on earlier this week.  The Bulls are not at the races currently and without some confidence, the coach has his work cut out.  Harlequins RL were bad last week, Wigan were just as poor though.  Harlequins RL found it relatively easy to go upfield and with the Bulls dour gameplan there might be some success there.  I can’t see it.  Wigan travel to Leeds next week and it should be with a second win under their belt.  Wigan by 8.

Hull KR v Wakefield
In another week and if it had been at Wakefield this would have been the game of the round.  John Kear’s men have survived their depleted ranks and exploited a good schedule to rise to second in the table.  We all remember how well Kear’s team did in the first half of Super League XII so nobody will be getting carried away.  It’s a good start though and as good as their fans could have expected.  Three points from two away games at Bradford and Saints plus a home game against the champions has left Rovers with three points which only the very best would be disappointed with.  The closeness of all three games offer hope for Rovers and with Wakefield being prone to losing on the road I have to go with Rovers who need to win this game to capitalise on their surprising opening.  Hull KR by 6.

Warrington v Leeds
Well this was going to be the après-ski parade for Leeds, cruising to a comfortable win and now it’s got to be a full house with enthusiastic Warrington hoodlums booming out across the turf, backing their slumping team.  Perfect timing.  What difference can it make?  The normal rule is a new coach signals a win in the first game.  What difference will it make?  We’re all hopeful that the inclusion of another good coach in the Super League ranks can push the Wolves on and give us more competition at the top of the table.  What about this Sunday?  It should be a good one you’d think.  Wire players saved from the de-motivating thought of  coaching gamble destroying their careers must be liberated into giving a little bit more.  Even allowing for the upside down, volatile nature of Warrington teams I can’t see them being strong enough to overturn a Leeds team that is beginning to look every bit as good as last year’s and the year before.  Warrington will need to be on fire for eighty minutes to compete and it’s the second half of that comment the highlights the weakness.  Eighty minutes.  Can they do it?  Well maybe Leeds partied too hard last week knowing that it was Lowes on his own.  Leeds by 6.

******GAME OF THE ROUND******

Huddersfield v Hull
Finally, a chance for us to get a good look at the competition’s second unbeaten team.  A perfect start for Agar will be put to the test here at Huddersfield.  I’ve repeatedly built up the Giants to be a team that could be capable of breaking into the top four so the game of the round gives us a chance to make our own minds up.  A win for Hull will have me taking note of them for this, not that defeat will have me writing them off.  I expect Huddersfield to continue their impressive play with a good backing from the home support.  Beating Catalans, Celtic and Wigan doesn’t say too much about your side so it is the first test of Hull’s playoff credentials.  Huddersfield bettered a dismal Bulls last week so that bad game might be out of their system.  This may well be the first time this game has been the plum one of the round.  Who would have predicted that?  Huddersfield by 6.

Last week’s predictions;

Leeds by 2 (lost by 8 )
Bradford by 2 (lost by 4)
Hull by 8 (won by 16)
Saints by 8 (lost by 1)
Wakefield by 6 (won by 26)
Castleford by 10 (won by 36)
Wigan by 4 (won by 8 )

Creeping up slowly to 11-9.

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