The first semi-final in the Super League was a damp squib so all eyes will be on Leeds and St Helens on Friday to see if they can deliver a last four clash worthy of the occasion.
Wigan will await the winners of the Headingley clash at Old Trafford next Saturday in the big game to decide who will be the champion side of the year.
The Rhinos are still chasing the treble of silverware on the season after their last gasp salvage of the league leaders’ shield at Huddersfield last weekend. They will hope that win has restored their season after a poor spell since winning at Wembley prior to that win last week.
St Helens went into last week needing a miracle to take the shield and ended up being well beaten by a Warrington side who were excellent on the night. It remains to be seen whether Saints were leaving something in the tank for this match or if they were just genuinely beaten.
Injuries aren’t helping Leeds at the minute and they lost Stevie Ward last week. He was quite instrumental for them until he picked up his injury so he might be a big loss here. Jimmy Keinhorst is another who is out of this game with injury.
St Helens have their Man of Steel contender Alex Walmsley back for this match and that should boost their pack accordingly. He is the only change to their squad which means Travis Burns remains on the sidelines for Kieron Cunningham’s men.
The first semi disappointed massively but this one shouldn’t. These two sides know all about playing big semi-finals. This will actually be the second one they have played this season having also competed in the Challenge Cup semi.
Leeds won on that occasion. That was one of three victories that Leeds have over Saints this season but it was the Saints who won their most recent meeting. That was the week after the Challenge Cup final though so maybe they got Leeds at the right time then.
It could be that Saints are getting Leeds at a good time here. We saw on Thursday that Huddersfield were really flat after that tiring tussle with Leeds last week and it could well be that Leeds are tired here.
St Helens played on the Thursday last week so they’ve had the extra 24hrs to rest up and prepare for this match and I think they will be physically the stronger side but Leeds might well feel they are playing with destiny on their side after the dramatic events last week which kept alive their dreams of the treble and sending Kevin Sinfield and Jamie Peacock off in style.
The first one was a blowout semi-final but I see no way this one can be. Whoever wins this will do it hard and tough and I don’t see there being more than a score in it unless Leeds are jaded from last week. With that in mind I’ll take St Helens with the eight point start.
Back St Helens (+8) to beat Leeds for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Stan James
Blog RL YTD: +2.49pts
