Hull FC v Huddersfield Giants – Betting Tips

6th March 2009- 20.00pm

Friday’s Live Super League game sees Huddersfield Giants entertain Hull FC. Both sides have made solid starts to the season and the game should be a cracker!!

Huddersfield under new coach Nathan Brown have won two our of their opening three league games including victories in France at Catalan and also at Odsal against the Bradford Bulls, and ran close St Helens at The Galpharm also. Brown has appointed experienced Australian Brett Hodgson as captain and his experience and class seems to be having a steadying effect on a relatively young giants side.

Kevin Brown and Luke Robinson at Halfbacks have been on fire and maybe Huddersfield won’t miss Todd Carney half as much as was expected when his Visa application failed recently.

Hull FC have won three out of three and coach Richard Agar predicting a bright future at the end of last season doesn’t look at all wrong judging by the start made. They’ve beaten Wigan and Catalans at the KC Stadium and inflicted defeat on Celtic Crusaders in their first home game in Super League. The bad news in midweek is that they may have lost fullback Todd Byrne for the season due to injury but Agar has recruited young tongan Sam Moa to boost the numbers.

The game should be entertaining and I see it being settled in the forwards with the likes of Willie Manu, Ewan Dowes, Jamie Thackeray and Peter Cusack battling the Giants forwards of Paul Jackson, Keith Mason, Michael Korkidas and Danny Kirmond.

I think Hull might just have the edge and the forwards can lay the foundation for the backs to capitalise, I take Hull FC to prevail with the help of a two point handicap start.

Hull FC (+2) to beat Huddersfield Giants
1.1pt Win @ 10/11 (Ladbrokes)

Widnes Viking v Oldham – Rugby League

Widnes Viking v Oldham
13/02/2009- 19.30pm

A busy week of international football has passed by and not much caught our eye in the way of value so a quiet week all in all. If only we’d backed “dirty Leeds’s” Jermain Beckford to have launched a vicious attack on the harmless Millwall goalkeeper.

Super League re-appeared last weekend and The Rhinos got off to a winning start followed by Wakefield shocking Wigan at The JJB Stadium on Sunday, Unfortunately the snow caused all of the Northern Rail Cup games to be postponed but Friday night sees the start of this years competition.

Having missed out on getting a Super League franchise in the close season due to their previously fragile finances the Widnes Vikings have made a statement of intent of intent with their summer recruitment and have cleared the decks of some previous dead wood. Owner Steve O’Connor had maintained a full-time playing squad and has signalled his intentions to make sure the RFL have no cause to deny Widnes access to Super League when the next round of franchises are offered in three years time.

Points Machine Mick Nanyn has upped sticks and headed down to Harlequins to take his chance in Super League and Head coach Steve McCormack has used the St Helens contacts of his assistant John Stankevitch (Former Saints Forward) to bring in former stars of the saints youth side Stephen Bannister and Sam Thompson Who will bring significant force to the Widnes pack, long serving Featherstone fullback Loz Wildmore has joined and his experience of National League One is sure to bring stability to the backline of The Vikings. Long serving hooker Mark Smith has pledged his future to the club and will be looking to showcase his undoubted talent at this level once again, Anthony Thackeray has signed a permanent contract after finishing last season on loan at Widnes and is joined by former Hull FC and Hull KR legend James Webster in what looks to be the best half back pairing in the division by far. The likes of Toa-Kohe-Love, Richard Fletcher and John Duffy will add their experience to the ranks and Steve McCormack has probably assembled the best squad during his time with Widnes and must be excited about this forthcoming season.

It’s all change at Oldham as they look for promotion into National League One and they have appointed former Leigh coach Tony Benson for 2009. He’s a former junior Kiwi’s coach who gets big raps from coaches such as Daniel Anderson and Wayne Bennett. He’s added the experienced Paul Reilly to the ranks following his release by Wakefield and he is paired with former Huddersfield Giants team-mate Marcus St Hillaire. The forwards have been boosted by Jamie I’anson who has signed from Celtic Crusaders (You wouldn’t want to argue too long with him, he’s a giant) and Paul Highton joins after his release from Salford they are sure to be a big force in National League Two this season.

In summary im really confident this Widnes side is the best McCormack has assembled in recent years and whilst they now have three years kicking their heels and playing in National League One and The Northern Rail Cup I think with the squad he has available McCormack could quite easily do the double and I think Skybet’s offer of the Vikings to give Oldham ( A League below Widnes, in National League Two) a 16 point start and still come away victorious is one we should take note of and I take the Vikings to get our weekend off to a good start.

Widnes Vkings -16 to beat Oldham
2.2pts Win @ 10/11 (Skybet)