The opening match of the Super League season pits two teams who will have their eyes on going all the way to Old Trafford together as campaign number 25 kicks off under the lights at the DW Stadium on Thursday night.
Wigan Warriors host Warrington Wolves to get the season underway with both sides having the chance to lay down an early marker for the nine months or so that lies ahead of them. This should be a competitive curtain raiser to the season.
Wigan Warriors
The Wigan Warriors will be out to make up for a disappointing campaign last term, which took an age to get up and running and then ended in the playoffs but without a trip to Old Trafford. Their primary aim each season is to be lifting silverware and the fact they were unable to in the previous campaign will surely add motivation to their ranks to make sure they get it right this time around, especially with their rivals seemingly dominant at present.
There has been a decent turnover of personnel in the playing department at the DW Stadium heading into this campaign, so they will be hoping those coming in gel quickly, but when one of them is the reigning Man of Steel, the quality is almost already assured. You get the feeling this is a big night for the Warriors, who have the chance to lay down their credentials against a side they struggled against in the main last term.
Warrington Wolves
It was a campaign to forget ultimately for the Warrington Wolves in the Super League last season. They did at least have the joy of the Challenge Cup victory to draw back on but it is this crown which they desire the most, and in truth never looked like winning it. They have made some marquee signings in the close season and have laid out the kind of money that makes success a must or someone will pay the price, no pun intended.
There is a growing suspicion that in the big matches, the Wolves go missing. They kind of put that right to an extent in the Challenge Cup final but doubts will still remain until they take this title down. With that in mind, the addition of England half-back Gareth Widdop is a standout one, even if he does miss this match with injury. On paper Warrington have what it takes to win this thing. Whether they have it between the ears will be revealed.
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Team News
Wigan Warriors are expected to hand Jackson Hastings, Jake Bibby and George Burgess their debuts in this match but there is no longer any George Williams to pull the strings. Dom Manfredi and Oliver Gildart are both injured.
Warrington Wolves will be without their main signing of the close season in Gareth Widdop, as he rolled an ankle in training. Former Wigan man Anthony Gelling is set for his debut as well as Matty Ashton.
Betting
Wigan Warriors feel a little short to me in this match. I had them as favourites but not by this much. Admittedly the Warrington Wolves would have been a better proposition with Gareth Widdop in their ranks but they still have Blake Austin to pull the strings and a forward pack that should get them down the pitch where the likes of Daryl Clark and the back line can do their thing over the course of the night.
I expect Wigan to run better than the Wolves this season but I’m not convinced they will hit the ground running here. There will be a lot of pressure on Jackson Hastings to show up and be counted here, but as we saw in the international series at the back end of last year, out of his comfort zone he isn’t necessarily the same player. This should be fiery and competitive so Warrington feel overpriced to me.
Tips
Back Warrington Wolves to beat Wigan Warriors for a 3/10 stake at 3.20 with Betway
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