Wigan v Huddersfield: Giants can put opening loss behind them
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Huddersfield Giants coach Paul Anderson claimed his side were handed out “a reality check” when they were dispatched 19-0 by Hull FC in their Super League opener.
The perennial under achievers will need to wake up fast if they are to get anything when three-time champs Wigan are their next opponents.
Those fancying the visitors to right last week’s wrongs can get 5/2 on a surprise victory, while it is 1/3 the Warriors go one better than their opening draw, with a stalemate a 16/1 shot.
The match betting will attract plenty of interest, but we are focussing on three other bets to bring home the bacon on Friday night.
Prior to the season starting, a top four finish was seen as the bare minimum for the Giants, with coach Anderson claiming their “ability outweighed their 2014 effort”.
More is expected this time round, and with six wins from their last eight visits to the DW Stadium, are capable of running the hosts close.
They may have been taken apart 57-4 on their last trip west, but with key contributor to their misery that time, Matty Smith, missing here through suspension, a better showing is definitely possible.
The Giants’ centre has been a dominant force the last two seasons, touching down 17 times in 27 Super League appearances last term, after getting on the board on 15 occasions in 25 matches in 2013.
With a try, on average, every 1.5 games last season, and every 1.6 the campaign before, the law of averages suggest he is nicely priced to strike after drawing a blank in their opener last week.
The likes of Josh Charnley and Matty Bowen are the obvious focal points for the Wigan attack, but not necessarily to get them on the way.
Interestingly, a whopping 15 different players scored the Warriors’ opening try in their 31 Super League matches last season, with the aforementioned Matty Smith topping the charts with four.
But with three Wigan openers to his name last season, it could be wise to take a punt on Sean O’Loughlin.
The loose forward touched down eight times in the 2014 season, but with three of them coming as his side’s first, he could be a big price in this market.
All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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