Super League: Salford host Leeds as Huddersfield face St Helens
Two potentially mouth-watering ties in the top half of the Super League table take centre stage, as leaders Leeds Rhinos head to Salford for what represents a potentially tricky contest, while second-placed St Helens travel to Huddersfield in a bid to close the four point gap on Brian McDermott’s side.
Read on as Coral preview the two matches below!
Salford Red Devils v Leeds Rhinos
Both sides will be high on confidence after emerging from the Easter weekend unscathed and with maximum points. Salford saw themselves rise to third in Super League, following impressive wins over Huddersfield and Wigan, though face stern test with Leeds in town.
The visitors are unsurprisingly odds-on at 3/10 with Coral for the win, and are looking hugely impressive this season. There were concerns that there talented crop of youngsters wouldn’t be ready for the challenge just yet, though they have proved doubters wrong spectacularly.
A very mature and professional performance on Good Friday in the win over Castleford Tigers, was followed by a 48-22 mauling of bottom side Wakefield Wildcats just three days later.
Youngster Ash Handley was on the scoresheet again in the win on Easter Monday, and the fast-improving centre is odds-on at 8/11 to score anytime. Veteran playmaker Rob Burrow, who has been pulling the strings in the Rhinos’ midfield for the past decade, also got on the scoresheet last time out, crossing twice in two minutes, and is well priced at 7/4 in the anytime market.
For the hosts, all eyes will be on Ben Jones-Bishop to see how he fares against his former club, and having played an instrumental part in the win over Wigan, including scoring, is odds-on at 8/11 in the anytime market. Experienced scrum half Michael Dobson, who also crossed last time out will be hoping he can get on the ball as much as possible to dictate the flow of the game, and he is available at 11/4 anytime.
Huddersfield Giants v St Helens
In stark contrast, these are two teams who emerged from the bank holiday weekend with two defeats, and will be sporting heavily bruised egos going into this fixture with Saints odds-on at 8/11 for the win.
St Helens’ effort against Wigan in the Good Friday derby though, was one to be commended, and for the majority of the match only trailed by two points until the home side eventually recorded a winning margin of eight – the same amount the Saints lost to Hull FC by three days later.
Imposing forward Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who crossed in the Wigan defeat is available at 5/2 to breach the in-goal area anytime, having also put four points on the board last time out, while club top-scorer (seven) Jordan Turner, who also crossed, has 11/1 first scorer odds.
For the Giants, top-scorer Aaron Murphy crossed in the narrow 20-16 loss to the Hull FC on Easter Monday, to take his tally to six, and the winger is evens to breach the in-goal area anytime, having also scored in the 18-12 Good Friday defeat to Salford. Full back, Scott Grix, meanwhile is a decent 11/8 anytime chance.
