The race for Super League spots next season is really hotting up now and we’re going to get a bigger clue as to who is in the driving seat for the first three remaining places over the course of the weekend as the qualifiers continue.
One of the qualifying matches is live on Sky Sports on Saturday when the Wakefield Trinity Wildcats head to the Leigh Sports Village to take on a Leigh Centurions side who were rampant in the Championship in the first phase of the season but who’ve been found wanting up at this level so far.
Leigh went into the qualifiers with high hopes of finishing in the spaces that gained Super League access but they have been soundly beaten by Hull KR and Salford in their first two matches and are now getting desperate for a win.
The Centurions are very good at home. They’ve only lost once here in 31 matches so that will give them some confidence but having conceded 36 and 46pts in their two qualifying matches so far they won’t need telling which area they need to improve in. Greg Worthington and Sam Hopkins return for this match.
Wakefield were probably expected to struggle to retain their Super League status and when they lost at Salford in the opening week of the qualifiers nobody changed their mind but they managed to pick up a win against Bradford when they most needed to last week and another win here would make them strong runners to remain among the sports’ elite next season.
If the Wildcats are to win this match then they will have to do it without Scott Moore and Richard Owen who are both ruled out with injury. On the flip side the likes of Chris Riley and Ali Lauitiiti have been recalled as has Pina Godinet.
There is pressure on both these sides to win this match so we should be in for an absolute cracker. I fancy Wakefield to come through even though they’ve not had the best of seasons. Leigh’s defence has been wide open in these qualifiers and Wakefield have the men to capitalise on that.
There’s no need to get heavily involved in the match itself though because there is a far better bet to be had here and that is on over 42.5pts. Quite why this line is so low I’ve no idea. It might be because Wakefield have struggled this season but these two have been involved in four matches in the qualifiers so far and all four have had over 60pts in them.
That isn’t the only form guide we have to go on though. The two sides met at Wakefield in the Challenge Cup earlier in the year and there were 66pts in that. Leigh have shown in their two matches that they can open up defences but their own defence can be vulnerable with the attacking style they play. Wakefield are the same so I definitely expect to see more than 42.5pts in this one.
Back Over 42.5pts for a 6/10 stake at 1.91 with Bet365
