Challenge Cup - Final - Result

Huddersfield Giants 12-42 St Helens

Huddersfield Giants 12 (6)
Tries: Aspinwall, Paul
Cons: De Vere 2

St Helens 42 (12)
Tries: Talau, Long, Wilkin 2, Fa'asavalu, Lyon, Cayless
Cons: Lyon 7

My fears for Huddersfield were confirmed. Saints were too strong in the second half and their patient approach was rewarded with an impressive winning scorline (covering the handicap with ease).

Jamie Lyon and Lance Todd Trophy winner, Shaun Long came up with the tries I needed to see my bets home! Cheers lads!


Bets
J Lyon to score anytime @ 1.90 (WINNING BET 1pt staked/ +2pts)

S Long to score anytime @ 2.50 (WINNING BET 1pt staked/ +3pt)

Challenge Cup - Final - St Helens vs Huddersfield Giants

St Helens vs Huddersfield Giants (+16/20pts)

The Challenge Cup final, no finer stage for players to write their name in the history books of this great sport.

Normally tight and nervy affairs, this fixture is renouned for its low scoring and dramatic last minute heros (if you needed reminding; cast your minds back to last years final).

I see today's final going slightly different to the norm, I see points and quite alot of them, mainly from St Helens. The Lancashire club start the match as 1.10 favourites and -16/20pts on the bookmakers handicap lines (hardly worth getting excited about is it?). However I just can't bring myself back Saints to cover such a big handicap on a stage like this. Why not back Huddersfield? Not wise. Yes, they have been boosted by the return of captain Chris Thorman and hooker Brad Drew, however we seen the price Leeds Rhinos paid last years final, when they risked a half fit Keith Senior.

Both finalists have quality in their back line, but Saints' size and strength up front should prove too much for the Giants to handle. I worry for Huddersfield, who have been dragged into the relegation battle after a poor run in the league, a headache they could do without, especially today.

Although I generally dont bet on tryscorer markets, I do like the look of Jamie Lyon to score at anytime with paddypower @ 1.90.

The Aussie try scoring machine wants to leave Super League on a high and there is no bigger stage over in the UK than the Challenge Cup final. He has scored regularly this season (24 tries in 30 apps), I expect him to get a piece of the action this weekend.

Bet365, skybet and vc all price this up at 1.50.

paddypower's price on Shaun Long (2.50) may also tempt punters (sky bet go as low as 1.57).

Small stakes, just for the added interest.

Huddersfield: Reilly; Aspinwall, Wild, De Vere, Donlan; Thorman (capt), Paul; Jackson, Drew, Gannon, Nero, Raleigh, Jones. Replacements: Smith, Crabtree, Snitch, McDonald.

St Helens: Wellens; Gardner, Lyon, Talau, Meli; Pryce, Long; Cayless, Cunningham, P Anderson, Wilkin, Sculthorpe (capt), Hooper. Replacements: Roby, Graham, Gilmour, Fa'asavalu, V Anderson.

Recommendation:
J Lyon to score at anytime @ 1.90 paddypower (1pt)
S Long to score at anytime @ 2.50 paddypower (1pt)

(Scale - 1 to 5pts)

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Good luck!

Super League - Round 25 - Results

Super League - Round 25 - Results








Friday, 18 August 2006
Bradford 48 - 10 Castleford
Wakefield 12 - 14 Leeds (LOSING BET 2pts staked/ 0pts)
Wigan 14 - 10 Huddersfield

Saturday, 19 August 2006
Catalans Dragons 26 - 22 St Helens (LOSING BET 2pts staked/ 0pts)
Warrington 28 - 22 Harlequins RL (WINNING BET 3pts staked/ +1pt)

Sunday, 20 August 2006
Hull 11 - 10 Salford

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Super League - Round 25 - Wigan Warriors vs Huddersfield Giants

Wigan Warriors vs Huddersfield Giants (+18/24pts)

44 years is a long time to wait in Rugby League. So you would have to forgive the Huddersfield Giants for having one eye on next weekend’s Challenge Cup Final, a fixture they last played in the summer 1962.

Unlike the other finalists, St Helens, Huddersfield are looking currently looking over their shoulders at the relegation dog fight, and are in serious danger of becoming prime candidates for the drop. Again, unlike Saints, John Sharpe has been forced into fielding semi-strong squad to face the in-form Wigan Warriors at the JJB.

Wigan, whose shock win away to Leeds Rhinos last weekend eased their relegation fears, will be eager to score big tomorrow night and leap frog the Giants in the table. Bookmakers are asking the home side to make up around 20pts (was 16pts earlier in the week), a fair handicap, but one the Warriors can cover, especially considering their recent form winning 7 out of their last 8 Super League fixtures.

Huddersfield’s semi-strong squad is missing familiar faces such as Paul Reilly and playermaker Chris Thorman. Brad Drew, the Giant’s most influential and ever present player this season, has also been ruled out. Not only will they miss the hooker’s creativity and workrate, but it’s extremely difficult for a team to adjust and adapt when missing a key player for the first time, so late on in the season. Brad Drew and Huddersfield will be the perfect example of this.

Huddersfield’s forward pack is still strong (as is Wigan’s with Paleaaesina’s clearance to play) and could cause problems if they are allowed to pick up momentum. However one has to seriously wonder where will the tries come from for the Giants. They are obviously light in the backline, calling up unknowns such as teenage half-back Tom Hemingway and 20-year-old winger Bolu Fagborun.

Comfortable home victory for me!

Wigan (18-man squad): Ashton, Calderwood, Dobson, Fielden, Fletcher, Godwin, Hansen, Higham, Hock, Logan, McAvoy, O'Carroll, O'Loughlin, Orr, Paleaaesina, Richards, Tickle, Vaealiki.

Huddersfield (18-man squad): Aspinwall, De Vere, Donlan, Paul, Crabtree, Gannon, Nero, Snitch, Wild, Jones, Jackson, Smith, McDonald, Raleigh, Hemingway, Fagborun, Mason, Brown.

Recommendation: Wigan Warriors –18pts @ 1.90 expect (2pts)
Prediction – Wigan win by 26pts

(Scale – 1 to 5pts)

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Super League - Round 24 - Results

Friday, 11 August 2006
Leeds 18 - 20 Wigan (LOSING BET 2pts staked / -2pts)
Salford 35 - 34 Warrington

Saturday, 12 August 2006
Harlequins RL 28 - 26 Bradford

Sunday, 13 August 2006
Castleford 4 - 72 St Helens (WINNING BET 2pts staked /0pts)
Huddersfield 12 - 26 Hull
Wakefield 34 - 14 Catalans Dragons (WINNING BET 2pts staked /+2pts)

Super League - Round 24 - Wakefield Wildcats vs Les Catalan Dragons

Wakefield Wildcats vs Les Catalan Dragons (+8/10pts)


John Kear, along with every Wakefield fan and player alike would have been left with their heads in their hands after Wigan’s shock win over Leeds, on Friday night.

Harlequins’ narrow victory over the Bradford Bulls just added insult to injury for the Wildcats, who are now bookies firm favourites for the drop!

It’s now or never for the Yorkshire club, who find themselves rooted at the foot of the table along with relegation exempt Les Catalans. Nothing else but a victory from tonight's will suffice for the Wildcats, especially considering the remaining fixtures they have left to play (Leeds, Bradford, Saints); not what the doctor ordered when fighting an uphill battle for Super League survival.

Les Catalans first season in Super League has generally gone well, they have competed hard and should improve in seasons to come. However, in recent weeks, they have somewhat gone off the boil, suffering some heavy defeats along the way. Some would say tired bodies and tired minds, especially in such an inexperienced squad.

Bookmakers see this one as close affair, giving the French side an 8 point start, not really a big margin considering what’s at stake for Wakefield, and, well lets face it, what’s not at stake Les Catalans. The handicap also seems a tad generous considering the away form of the French side, who have found their travels to the UK rough and tough, picking up only two wins in the earlier rounds.


As for team news; Monty Betham and Ned Catic are both suspended for Wakefield, after they were sent off last week against Castleford, but Wakefield’s main men are all in the frame to play, big performances are needed from every one of them from now until the end of the season. With players like Rooney, Tadulala, Jefferies, Korkidas and Solomona, you have to ask yourself why are theyfighting relegation………..


The majority of rugby league fans will be cheering the Wildcats on tonight...…..myself included! ;)

Wakefield (20-man squad): Halpenny, Demetriou, Tadulala, Jeffries, Obst , Griffin, March, Korkidas, Solomona, White, Wrench, Rooney, MacGillivray, Elima, Henderson, Applegarth, Saxton, Atkins, Watene, Evans.

Catalans Dragons (20-man squad): Beattie, Berthezene, Bosc, Chan, Fakir, Fellous, Griffi, Guigue, Hindmarsh, Hughes, Jampy, Jones, Mounis, Murphy, Rinaldi, Sadaoui, Teixido, Verges, Wilson.

Recommendation: Wakefield Wildcats –8pts @ 1.90 stan james (2pts)
Prediction – Wakefield win by 14pts
(Scale – 1-5pts)

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Super League - Round 24 - Leeds Rhinos vs Wigan Warriors

Leeds Rhinos vs Wigan Warriors (+8/12pts)


Another infamous week in the Warriors camp after being deducted 2pts for breaching the salary cap during last years campaign, the Lancashire club now find themselves in the midst of the basement battle again, a place they thought they have seen back of, until now.

Wigan's confidence rocked? One would certainly think so!

Tomorrow they cross over the Pennines to face their old Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos, a daunting task to say the least.

After losing 4 games on the bounce some would argue that there has never been a better time to play the Rhinos, who are without their marksman Danny McGuire. However they have not been far off the mark in the last two Super League games, narrowly losing to league leaders Saints and Hull, certainly no disgrace.

Have some bookmakers over reacted to Leeds’ semi plight in recent weeks, by only giving up 8pts against a team fighting for Super League survival?Will be interesting to see how Wigan’s key powerhouse, Stuart Fielden, fares against ex-Bradford teammate Jamie Peacock, no love lost one imagines. Fielden, who has managed to recover from an injury last week, will also be up against fellow GB prop Jamie Thackray, what a clash of the heavyweights that is sure be.

Thackray, along with Kiwi test center Clinton Toopi, will be making his home debut for the Rhinos.

32pts is what the Rhinos score on average at Headingley, they will get close to that total tomorrow (if weather is good) despite McGuire not playing. Wigan may cross the line a couple of times (3 max), but Leeds can more than match Wigan up front in the pack and have the skills of Sinfield, Walker and Burrow in the backs to unlock the Warriors’ defence.

You also have to ask yourself the following; will Wigan have one eye on next weeks 4-pointer at home to the Huddersfield Giants?

Leeds: Donald, Walker, Senior, Burrow, Bailey, Diskin, Peacock, Lauitiiti, Ellis, Sinfield, Millard, Poching, Jones-Buchanan, Gibson, Kirke, Tansey, Thackray, Toopi.

Wigan Warriors: Ashton, Calderwood, Dobson, Fielden, Fletcher, Godwin, Hansen, Higham, Hock, Logan, McAvoy, O'Loughlin, Orr, Paleaaesina, Radlinski, Richards, Tickle, Vaealiki.

Recommendation: Leeds Rhinos –8pts @ 1.90 blue square (2pts)
Prediction – Leeds win by 16pts
(Scale – 1-5pts)
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