We’ve had two big rugby league semi-finals this week but perhaps the biggest match of the week comes on Saturday when Wakefield host Bradford in the match dubbed the ‘Million Pound Match’ where the winner secures Super League football next season.
Wakefield have everything to lose here and not a whole lot to gain given that they are already the Super League side. They go into this match knowing this is a game they just can’t afford to lose else it will have huge ramifications for their future.
Bradford have had their time in the Championship where they have been able to stabilise again after financial issues when they were in the top flight and now they are ready to get back to the big time again.
It might not be win or bust for them as another year in the Championship would allow them to strengthen further so they might have a little less pressure on their shoulders here which could really help them.
Wakefield bring Scott Moore and Anthony Walker back into the side from the squad which lost to Sheffield last week. They will undoubtedly boost the team but the suspension of Tim Smith and the absence of Kevin Locke have to have an effect on them as they are two big players.
Bradford rested a number of players last week and they were convincingly beaten by Halifax as a result but we shouldn’t read too much into that and take them on the form they showed against Leigh a couple of weeks ago.
You get the feeling all isn’t great off the field at Wakefield and of all games in a season they don’t want distractions ahead of it would be this one but distractions there have been.
It has been a while since Wakefield have been able to shoulder pressure and play free flowing rugby and if they are to win this match I think they will have to battle it out the hard way.
In fairness I think this will be a really tight game but with the slight extra freedom Bradford can play with and the eight point start they are getting – which is immediately too high when Wakefield need to score twice more than the Bulls to cover it in a match where it is just about winning – I’m going to sit on the side of the visitors.
Back Bradford (+8) to beat Wakefield for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Skybet
Blog RL YTD: +5.69pts
