Betfred Super League: Castleford v Hull betting preview, tips & TV details

Betfred Super League
Sky Sports Arena, 7.45pm Thursday

St Helens and Warrington have looked booked for the top two spots in the Betfred Super League all season, but the race for the other three playoff places has a musical-chairs feel to it with the picture changing week by week.

Castleford and Hull are currently in possession of a seat for the post-season party as they head into their clash at the Jungle but they have both been highly inconsistent.

Cas started the season brightly but have won just four of their last 12 matches, while the erratic nature of the Black & Whites’ performances is underlined by the fact that they are fourth in the table despite a points difference of minus 84.

This is the third meeting between the teams this year. Castleford won 26-18 in the league at the KCom Stadium in February but Hull reversed the form in the Coral Challenge Cup, winning 28-12 a month ago.

Predicting the likely outcome is a tricky task but the layers make the Tigers 8-13 with the visitors 13-8 to take the two points.

Cas are asked to concede a four-point start on the handicap.

A draw in 80 minutes and a contest settled in golden-point extra-time is a 25-1 chance and that merits serious consideration.

Two matches went to overtime last weekend including Castle­ford’s 27-26 win over Hudders­field. That was the second time Cas had finished all-square after regulation time this season.

Hull have won twice in golden-point extra-time in 2019 and with the match likely to be closely contested and low-scoring due to the weather and pitch conditions, a draw could be more likely than the odds suggest.

West Yorkshire has suffered an absolute deluge for most of the week and more rain is forecast.

A tight game would also increase the likelihood of a drop goal and a one-pointer looks overpriced at 3-1.

Hull boast Super League’s leading field goal exponent in Marc Sneyd, who has kicked five already this season.

All told, nine of the Black & Whites’ 19 fixtures have featured a drop goal. There has been one in each of their last four matches.

Castleford’s games have been nowhere near as prolific in that regard but full-back Peter Mata’utia showed his capabilities by booting the winning point against Huddersfield.

Recommendations
Drop goal to be kicked
2pts 3-1 Hills
Draw
0.5pt 25-1 BoyleSports

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