Super League XXX Magic Weekend – Hull KR vs Salford Red Devils Tips, TV and Betting Preview

The second match of the three at the Super League XXX Magic Weekend on Saturday is a clash between the leaders of the competition in Hull KR and second from bottom Salford Red Devils at St James’ Park in what looks a bit of a mismatch.

The Robins are enjoying a wonderful season and will look to extend their lead at the top for 24 hours at least here while Salford are in the opposite place right now and are battling for their very existence off the pitch as well as on it.

Where to watch

The match will be shown live and in full on the Sky Sports Action channel with the shorter build-up beginning at 5pm ahead of the kick off at 5.15pm.

Hull KR

When you consider that Hull KR were one win away from creating history last season, it would have been very easy for them to struggle to climb the mountain again this time around, at least from the outset of the campaign, so you have to give Willie Peters and the players a huge amount of credit for being the best team in the competition to date and as well as sitting top of the Super League table, they are huge favourites to make the Challenge Cup final next weekend too.

Hull KR have been built on a brilliant defence this season, one which is the second best in the Super League and only two teams have scored more than them too so this is a side who despite losing one or two key players at the back end of last season, have kicked on again and it is very hard right now to see them not being major players when the road to Old Trafford opens up again later in the campaign. A win here will further highlight their title chances.

Salford Red Devils

While it has been a fantastic period for Hull KR, you have to say it has been the polar opposite for the Salford Red Devils. There is a farcical takeover going on at the club and all sorts of shenanigans which has resulted in them fielding reserve and youth teams in Super League matches and the majority of their star names leaving. The only positive in this mess for Salford is that relegation has been scrapped so if and when they come out of the other side of these troubles they will at least have little competitive woes on their shoulders.

All that has led to just one win in nine matches in the Super League so far but the damning statistic is that they have scored just 59 points in those nine games and aren’t even averaging seven points per match in the competition. It goes without saying that you’re not going to win many games with an offensive output that shallow, especially when they have conceded 68 more points than anyone in the competition as well. You fear for Salford here.

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Team News

Hull KR go into this one without their starting wingers Tom Davies and Joe Burgess which means that Jack Broadbent is likely to remain out wide ahead of switching to full-back for the cup next week. Kelepi Tanginoa failed a head injury assessment last week which rules him out of this one.

Salford Red Devils have lost another player in the lead up to this match with Chris Atkin having departed for Castleford Tigers. Ethan Ryan, Chris Hankinson and Matty Foster all return to a light looking squad for this one.

Betting

This one is all about Hull KR for me. I don’t see them not winning but how many by would be the question. It is tough to expect Salford Red Devils to put up a challenge with the exits they are experiencing at the minute but at the same time this is a stage to put a bit of fighting spirit on. I wouldn’t be surprised if KR cover a 38.5 point handicap but with a Challenge Cup semi-final next week you have to think they might ease off the gas which brings a back door cover into play.

With that in mind, I’ll play the try scorer markets rather than the handicaps and Jai Whitbread looks a big price to score here. He has scored twice against Salford in the first meeting between these two sides this season and he also scored against them in the second one last term so there is something about this Red Devils defence that he can pick holes in. That defence is clearly not as watertight as it has been in previous seasons and with Tanganoa out injured Whitbread might get a bigger role here.

Tips

Back J.Whitbread Anytime Tryscorer for a 2/10 stake at 3.50 with Coral