Betfred Super League: St Helens v Warrington tips, odds, betting preview & TV

TV: Sky Sports Arena, 7.45pm Friday

Friday April 12 has been ringed in red on the rugby league calendar for weeks as the date when St Helens and Warrington go head-to-head in a Betfred Super League blockbuster.

Saints and the Wolves have dominated since the season kicked off and they are level on points at the Super League summit with eight wins apiece from nine games.

They are the 13-8 joint-favourites to taste Grand Final glory in October.

Both teams' solitary loss came against Catalans, and St Helens' defeat at the Stade Gilbert Brutus last week means Warrington head for the Totally Wicked Stadium top of the table on points difference.

Steve Price's side are 13-8 to make it six Super League wins on the spin. The Wolves attack has been on fire in the last few weeks racking up 25 tries and 145 points against London, Hull and Wakefield.

But this is a much tougher test against the competition's meanest defence who have conceded just 122 points all year.

Warrington have shipped only 19 points more and given the importance of the fixture, this has all the makings of an intense, low-scoring contest similar to last October's playoff meeting which the Wolves won 18-13.

Saints are 8-13 to set the record straight and are asked to concede four points on the handicap. Those prices imply that the layers are making Justin Holbrook's men narrow favourites due to ground advantage. That's a fair assessment.

The outcome could be decided by goal-kicking and Stefan Ratchford's 79 per cent success rate for the visitors makes him more reliable than the hosts' Lachlan Coote (64 per cent).

It's possible Saints could turn to the boot of Danny Richardson, who will deputise at scrum-half for the injured Theo Fages.

Richardson kicked three drop goals in last year's playoff and the 3-1 against a one-pointer being converted makes some appeal.

In a match of this significance, every point is crucial and either team may take the opportunity to kick penalty goals to keep the scoreboard moving. Betfred offer 3-1 that the first points come via that method.

Wigan continue their stuttering defence of their title as 13-8 underdogs at Wakefield and it's worth focusing on the tryscorer markets.

Trinity have conceded regularly down their left flank in the absence of injured duo Bill Tupou and Tom Johnstone, which makes Warriors stand-in right-winger Tom Davies a decent bet to touch down at 6-4.

The visitors' pack is ravaged by injury and Wakey's forwards will be licking their lips, particularly in-form David Fifita who has scored in four of his eight games this season including four tries in his last three outings.

The 100-30 that he adds to his try tally looks a huge price.

Recommendations
Drop goal to be kicked
2pts 3-1 Hills
St Helens penalty first scoring play
1pt 7-1 Betfred
Warrington penalty first scoring play
1pt 7-1 Betfred
T Davies to score a try
2pts 6-4 Betfair
D Fifita to score a try
2pts 100-30 Betfair

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