After an extra day to allow the teams to recover from the hectic Easter schedule, another round of Super League fixtures gets going on Friday evening with the league leaders St Helens in action. They host last season’s Challenge Cup winners Hull FC at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Saints can go six points clear at the top of the table if they win this match but a medium sized victory for Hull FC will see them move up to third so there is plenty on this one as we approach the halfway stage of the first phase of the campaign.
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St Helens
What an Easter period it was for St Helens. They came through an extremely physical derby against Wigan on Good Friday before powering past Widnes on Easter Monday and if they can pick up the victory here they will rubber stamp their status has massive contenders for the overall title at Old Trafford last in the campaign.
The St Helens attack is getting rave reviews and quite rightly so but what isn’t getting the attention that perhaps it deserves is the solid defence they have been displaying in the early stages of the season. They are averaging less than 12pts per match against them at the minute which is making them very difficult to beat.
Hull FC
It was an eventful Easter for Hull FC. Just like their opponents in this match they made good headway with successive victories. They had to battle like mad with 12 men for more than an hour in the derby with their bitter rivals Hull KR and then outlasted Wakefield on Easter Monday coming out on top by a single point.
It is fair to say that we haven’t seen the best of the Black and Whites this season. Injuries have really hampered their progress but they have been putting a run together in recent times and with players beginning to return they should enjoy a very strong middle to the campaign. They have a good record at St Helens, one they will be keen on extending here.
Team News
St Helens rested Jonny Lomax for the win at Widnes on Monday afternoon but he has been recalled for this match. He may well come in for Theo Fages with Danny Richardson keeping his place after an impressive season thus far.
Hull FC rested a bunch of players for their win over Wakefield on Monday. Jamie Shaul, Carlos Tuimavave and Danny Houghton are all back in and there could be a first appearance in five matches for Sika Manu who has recovered from a calf injury.
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Betting
I think this has the makings of being a really close match. St Helens are looking the business this season but Hull FC are capable of beating anyone on their day and they seem to raise their game when they head to take on the Saints. My gut feel is that eight points is a couple too many for Hull FC to be getting but there isn’t really enough of a margin for me to bet on it.
I do like one bet though and it comes in the form of the anytime tryscorer market where Mark Percival looks overpriced at 5/4 to me. He bagged a brace on Monday and scored in two of the three meetings with Hull FC last season. Only two men have scored more tries than him this season and we saw the Hull KR left centre go over three times albeit after the winger had been sent off but it is an area to exploit and Percival can cross the line to do just that.
Tips
WON – Back M.Percival Anytime Tryscorer for a 3/10 stake at 2.25 with Ladbrokes
Back him here:
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