Since the NRL reverts into the “State of Origin Super Hype Mode” over the next few months, and there’s no Adebayo Akinfenwa, Accrington Stanley and all the greats names of English Football for a few months as well, what better way to combine the interest of rugby league and UK sport by jumping on board the UK Super League.
We can be guilty of not taking enough interest in the Super League as we should, and there’s no excuse with the tremendous coverage offered by our friends in League at Nothing But League. Despite the thrashings by Australian teams in the pre season match ups, the Super League is not that far off the NRL, and their games tend to be more entertaining than most of the regular season NRL games. A welcome change after the dour State of Origin game on offer last night.
So who’s doing what? Well here’s a ladder for those who haven’t checked one in a while or at all this year.
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
| Hull FC | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 441 | 347 | 24 |
| Warrington | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 485 | 298 | 22 |
| Catalans | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 456 | 331 | 22 |
| Wigan | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 337 | 337 | 22 |
| St Helens | 16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 392 | 397 | 18 |
| Wakefield | 16 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 353 | 426 | 16 |
| Castleford | 16 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 409 | 448 | 15 |
| Widnes | 16 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 362 | 339 | 14 |
| Salford | 16 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 422 | 397 | 10 * |
| Hull KR | 16 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 330 | 431 | 9 |
| Hudd’sfld | 16 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 367 | 399 | 8 |
| Leeds | 16 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 268 | 472 | 6 |
- Deducted 6 points
Since there’s no UK Football to stay up for, it’s time to reject that weekend sleep for the UK Super League – starting this weekend.
So like our Kick to Come, we’ll have a brief run through the games and the teams, and highlight some of the names you know or remember from back in the day from the NRL or Queensland Cup, which could also translate to Where are they now?. We also provide our best selections money can buy, and odds courtesy of William Hill rugby league betting.
WAKEFIELD WILDCATS v HULL KR
Kick off 4:30am FRIDAY (Aust)
TV – FOX SPORTS 1 (Replay 3:30pm)
One thing learned early in the UK Super League following was that Hull and Hull KR aren’t the same team. Ear bashing taken on board. Hull KR would probably want to be in the shoes of their cross town rivals who are on top of the ladder whilst the Kingston Rovers sit 10th and just three points from last. They need to avoid finishing below eighth or they join The Qualifiers – when the Super League splits into 8 teams and 4 teams, and the four teams are joined by four of the second tier Championship sides and the worst four are relegated to the Championship after a fresh set of seven games with points reset. Best avoided at all costs. Wakefield are sitting pretty in 6th to join the Super 8’s from which a winner is decided.
ODDS – Wakefield $1.55 Hull KR $2.40 – Line Hull KR +4.5 start $1.87
TIP – Hull KR to win
NAMES YOU MAY KNOW
Wakefield – Jacob Miller, Anthony Tupou
Hull KR – Terry Campese, Mitchell Allgood, Dane Tilse
ST HELENS v WARRINGTON WOLVES
Kick Off 4:30am SATURDAY (Aust)
TV – FOX SPORTS 1 (Replay 10:22pm)
As we caught up with the ladder it was a little surprise that St Helens weren’t right up the top, as our memory always has them in contention. Sixth isn’t too bad and they are just six points from the top. But ahead of them is Warrington who not only have scored the most points this season with an average of 30 a game, but are the only team to have conceded less than 300 points after 16 games. Second place is the lowest you would expect a team with those stats, and possibly former Rabbitoh and Eel Chris Sandow could power them to the top this weekend. He’s done well after underwhelming in his late season cameo last season.
ODDS – St Helens $2.55 Warrington $1.50 – Line St Helens+45.5 start $1.87
TIP – Warrington to win
NAMES YOU MAY KNOW
St Helens – James Roby, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
Warrington – Kurt Gidley, Chris Sandow
HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS v CASTLEFORD TIGERS
Kick Off 4:30am SATURDAY (Aust)
Another big club down in the range of relegation, and they take on a Castleford side just in the top 8. These are the type of games where we are really stretched and our ignorance on season 2016 is starting to show. But surely a giant can beat a Tiger.
ODDS – Huddersfield $1.57 Castleford $2.35 – Line Castleford +4.0 start $1.87
TIP – Huddersfield to win
NAMES YOU MAY KNOW
Huddersfield – Danny Brough, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Sam Rapira
Castleford – Joel Monaghan, Jake Webster
LEEDS RHINOS v CATALANS DRAGONS
Kick Off 4:30am SATURDAY (Aust)
Former greats of this competition Leeds are a shadow of their former self. Not only are the last but have been thrashed in their last three, and come up against the French based Catalans side who are in the bunch of three teams on 22 points. They may end up joining fierce local rivals Bradford in the second tier or current form. For all their misery, it’s still better going than the football side Leeds United. Catalans are playing well and have the most NRL representatives in their side, so are the pick of the teams to watch for a lazy fan who just wants highlights and/or see how the ex-NRL stars are going. It would still be a great achievement for a French side to win the English Super League, and a redemption for some of the NRL misfits who have turned to the suth of France for a new start. Or a new, new, new, new start in the case of Todd Carney.
ODDS – Leeds $3.40 Catalans $1.30- Line Leeds +9.5 start $1.87
TIP – Catalans to win
NAMES YOU MAY KNOW
Leeds – Keith Galloway, Beau Falloon, Adam Cutherbertson
Catalans – Todd Carney, David “Big Dave” “Coal Train” “The Enigma” Taylor, Glen Stewart.
SALFORD RED DEVILS v WIGAN WARRIORS
Kick Off 4:30am SATURDAY (Aust)
Salford are an interesting story, and most of it because of their owner Marwan Koukash. He is ambitious and hopeful of turning Salford into a big, big club. But he also tried to buy into an Australian NRL club and also has plans of entering a British side in the NRL. Good luck to him. The Red Devils play Wigan, one of the most well known Super Lague clubs, all the way back to the 1980’s where we can recall the speed merchant Martin Offiah burning up the rugby league field in red and white.
ODDS – Salford $3.00 Wigan $1.38 – Line Salford +7.5 start $1.87
TIP – Salford +7.5 start
NAMES YOU MAY KNOW
Salford – Robert Lui, Justin carney, Ben Murdoch-Masila
Wigan – Sam Tomkins, Ben Flower
HULL FC v WIDNES VIKINGS
Kick Off 4:30am SATURDAY (Aust)
Having followed Hull FC around on a working holiday in 2009, we feel like this is as close to our team as we can get. Convenient timing too as they sit atop of the Super League. Never been a better time to jump on a bandwagon. But in our defence we have been to the KC Stadium to watch the Airlie Birds play, and a win of Super League would make it a great year for the town as the football side Hull City were promoted back to the EPL. Widnes need to keep winning to ensure they stay in the same of the draw as this week’s opponents.
ODDS – Hull $1.14 Widnes $5.50 – Line Widnes +15.5 start
TIP – Hull to win
NAMES YOU MAY KNOW
Hull – Fetuli Talanoa, Mark Minichello
Widnes – Patrick Ah Van, Chris Houston
