Super League: Wane’s Wigan welcome Huddersfield as Super 8s start

Wigan Warriors are odds-on at 4/11 with Coral to dispose of Huddersfield Giants in round one of the inaugural Super 8s format.

In what is likely to evolve into an exciting end-of-season climax for the Super League, the next few weeks sees the top eight teams fight it out for a spot in the Grand Final.

As the DW Stadium prepares to welcome West Yorkshire outfit Huddersfield, the Cherry and Whites will be confident knowing that they have beaten the Giants twice already during the regular season.

Three players, Josh Charnley, Liam Farrell and Joel Tomkins, all crossed for braces over both of those fixtures and they are odds-on at 8/11, 11/8 and 13/8 respectively to breach the whitewash anytime again.

Meanwhile, coach Shaun Wane faces a tough decision. While Super League’s top try-scorer, Joe Burgess scored against the Giants, Wigan have three fully fit wingers available, so deciding who start with presents somewhat of a conundrum.

Burgess, who is 6/1 to scamper over first again, will no doubt be a starter, so that leaves either in-form Charnley or the club’s second highest scorer, Dominic Manfredi (back from injury), fighting it out for a place on the other flank. The 21-year-old, who is 7/1 to get the first try, has been a revelation this season.

For visitors Huddersfield, they will be wanting to exact revenge for two defeats and know they came close back in February in Lancashire, when they only lost by a margin of eight points.

Both Jamie Ellis and Aaron Murphy scored on that occasion, so the duo are 11/4 and 6/5 to do so again in the anytime market. Centre Jermaine McGillvary, who is the Giants’ top scorer with 14, has odds of 10/1 to get the first try.

On-loan prop Jack Hughes, meanwhile, is looking to give his parent club a shock as he prepares to face them. “It will be a good test for us and a win over there would give us great confidence – I really fancy our chances,” said the lifelong Wigan fan.

“We have got to make sure that we are in the top four come the end of the next seven games,” continued Hughes, who is 3/1 in the anytime market.

“It doesn’t matter how we get there or whether we finish first, second, third or fourth, you just have to be in the top four to get a shot at being at Old Trafford for the Grand Final.”

Coral’s top tip: Back brilliant Burgess for the first try at a super 6/1.