The next round of Super League begins with an all-Yorkshire battle as the Leeds Rhinos take on the Huddersfield Giants in what is a bigger match than it might have been. Leeds head into the table level with Castleford at the top and will go two points clear with a win here while even this early in the campaign it is clear Huddersfield are fighting for their Super League lives.
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds go into this match off the back of a comfortable win in the cup last week. They had the luxury of resting a number of key players for that one too so they should be nicely refreshed heading into a match they are widely expected to win. They will just need to guard against complacency given how huge a favourite they are.
The Rhinos were in a poor place at the start of the season but they have found their old mojo again and improved their attack tenfold since then and now hopes and expectations are rising to the levels that people are wondering if they can challenge for silverware after a poor campaign on that front last season.
Huddersfield Giants
It has been a pretty bleak 18 months or so for the Huddersfield Giants and it sunk to new depths last week when they were dumped out of the cup by Swinton and it goes without saying they are going to have to put up a dramatic improvement on that effort here. That match showed the importance of Danny Brough to this side.
To be fair to the Giants, while I have criticised them and written them off a lot this season they have put up some spirited performances against the better sides in the Super League so they seem to be having more of an issue in the matches where there is an expectation on them to perform and get something.
Team News
Leeds will take the chance to being back their heavy artillery. That means Jamie Jones-Buchanan, Anthony Mullally, Ashton Golding, Tom Briscoe and Brett Delaney will all return to the 17.
Huddersfield have Danny Brough back after his ban which is a huge boost for them while Ryan Hinchcliffe, Paul Clough, Jermaine McGillvary and Jake Mamo are all expected to be recalled.
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Betting
It is hard to go against the Leeds Rhinos in this one but they are no certainties to cover an 18pt start. I say that because the Huddersfield Giants have been to Wigan and St Helens and picked up highly creditable draws this season and they were only a missed late conversion away from another at Warrington.
Huddersfield don’t have the worst record at Headingley overall and while I think they will probably go down here I think the control and kicking game that Brough’s kicking game gives them can be enough for the Giants to remain within three scores of their opponents here.
Tips
WON – Back Huddersfield Giants (+18) to beat Leeds Rhinos for a 4/10 stake at 2.05 with Betfred
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