The latest round of Super League matches continue on Saturday when the Catalans Dragons welcome the Huddersfield Giants to France for a big match for both sides.
Catalans are right in the race for the league leaders shield with many judges thinking this could be the year they go all the way this season while the Giants are looking to put a disastrous start behind them and push for the safety of the top eight.
Catalans Dragons
The Dragons have been excellent this season and while all the hoohah goes on about them not producing French players what they have produced is a daunting looking side who have pace and power throughout the ranks.
Catalans go into the match off the back of a comfortable night against Batley in the Challenge Cup last week and a win here will move them level on points with Warrington at the top and will be a good bounce back from their defeat to Hull FC in their last Super League game.
Huddersfield Giants
It was an awful start to the campaign for the Giants although that was largely injury related. There may have been a hangover from last season but the injuries to Danny Brough, Scott Grix, Craig Huby and Jamie Ellis were all massive and there were other injuries besides them too.
As players have begun to return to action they have started to look more secure. In all competitions they have won three of their last four matches and they put up a more than spirited account of themselves at Wigan in the match they lost in that run so I’m expecting a decent performance from the Giants here.
Team news
Catalans Dragons will have to do without their talismanic forward Dave Taylor and captain Jason Baltieri as they are suspended as part of the fallout from the cup win last week. Todd Carney missed that match but he returns here.
Huddersfield expect to have Jamie Ellis available for the first time in three months. He will slot into the halves alongside Danny Brough which makes this Giants back line look even stronger. Craig Huby remains on the sidelines which isn’t as ideal.
Betting
The Dragons are 10-12pt favourites for this match which I guess is fair enough given their form but I’ve a feeling it could be a few points high. Although the Dragons have been going well they haven’t been as dominant at home this season as they usually are and that will give Huddersfield hope.
I fancy Huddersfield to keep this close but I’m reluctant to take on the Dragons. Their home form does concern me and the absence of Taylor certainly impacts on their power down the middle which is one of the strengths for the French outfit.
Those concerns are enough for me to take Catalans out of the game completely and focus purely on Huddersfield. If there is a weakness about the Catalans it comes in the form of their defence which is further put under pressure by the crazy number of penalties they give away and that could be costly against a playmaker such as Danny Brough.
Huddersfield’s points line in this match is 20.5 which I think is a touch low. They have still scored tries even in their slump this season and are more threatening now they have all their playmakers back so I’m expecting Huddersfield to put points up in perfect conditions here. With the quality of Brough’s kicking game four tries should cover this points line and I think that is well within the Giants’ reach.
Tips
Back Huddersfield Giants Over 20.5pts for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Paddy Power
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