The latest round of Super League fixtures kick off with two sides who have made fast starts to the season battling it out at the AJ Bell Stadium where the Salford Red Devils take on St Helens in a tasty encounter.
Salford have won three of their four matches so far this term while Saints have a 100% record after their three outings thus far so whoever wins this match will go top of the pile ahead of the remaining matches this weekend.
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Salford Red Devils
Considering they were perceived as potential relegation candidates it has been a wonderful start to the season for the Salford Red Devils, with three wins from their opening four matches, and because of that, there is an element that allows them to free roll a touch when the big teams come to town. I don’t think at this stage the Red Devils will be eyeing up the top five but a couple more wins soon and they might do.
If the Red Devils are going to push on and ensure they don’t end up struggling to survive then they are likely to have to tighten up their defence. They have shipped 68pts in their last two matches, but on the flip side of that, they have shown that they have a number of points in them when they go forward, which often sides at the bottom don’t have.
St Helens
After leading the way for much of last season only to fall at the semi-final stage, St Helens certainly won’t be lacking in motivation for this campaign, and given the way it ended last term they have to be given immense credit for the way they have kicked things off this term. When you think that they have lost their best player in the close season too, even more credit should come their way.
Saints have won their opening three matches which includes a good win against Wigan to begin the campaign, and a hard fought come from behind victory against the Leeds Rhinos last week. St Helens have shown their battling qualities already and now that the weather is beginning to improve we are likely to see their free flowing brand of rugby come to the fore in the near future too.
Team News
Salford Red Devils will bring former St Helens forward Mark Flanagan into their squad for this match. Lee Mossop is the man to drop out for him. Jackson Hastings will look to continue to pull the strings for the home side.
Danny Richardson’s return to the St Helens squad is a short lived one as he has been omitted while the injured Kevin Naiqama also misses out here too. Jack Ashworth and Matty Costello are the men coming in for them.
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Betting
I guess we find out just how good this Salford Red Devils side is here. If they are to be taken seriously then they will be competitive at the very least but the concern is that the only leading light they have faced so far this term, Leeds Rhinos, tore them apart and that is enough of a worry to make me take them on here.
It might not have been straightforward and free flowing for St Helens this season but they have shown they can fight, which they will have to do here, but when they have done battle in the arm wrestle, their exciting playmakers can get on the ball and put enough pressure on the Salford side to enable them to crack. I’ll take the Saints to win and to cover eight points in the process.
Tips
WON – Back St Helens (-8) to beat Salford Red Devils for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with William Hill
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