Friday's Betfred Super League match betting preview, tips & TV details

Wakefield v Leeds
Sky Sports Arena, 7.45pm Friday

When Wakefield hammered Leeds at Headingley in the Rhinos' first home game of 2019 on March 1, it was the first real sign that the eight-times Grand Final winners could be in for a season of struggle and Trinity can add to the big boys' relegation fears by beating them again at Belle Vue.

The Rhinos' season has lurched from one crisis to another. With caretaker coach Richard Agar still temporarily at the helm, Leeds are two places and two points above the drop zone.

The Coral Challenge Cup loss to Championship club Bradford was another desperate low point.

Earlier this week, the club took the extraordinary step of negotiating the exit of captain Kallum Watkins to free up salary-cap space for new signings at the end of the season if not sooner.

Two of the Rhinos' big off-season signings, Tui Lolohea and Konrad Hurrell, have been sidelined in recent weeks but both are now fit, as is Brett Ferres.

Even so, the visitors, who have lost three of their last four games, don’t appeal at 7-4.

They have already lost once at Belle Vue this year and Easter Monday’s 26-24 scoreline flattered Leeds with two late tries narrowing the margin.

Wakey winger Lee Kershaw marked his debut by scoring the first try that day and is 11-1 to get the scoreboard moving again.

That victory was one of eight Betfred Super League wins for Trinity this year and six of those have come by 12 points or fewer.

They haven’t won by more than a dozen points since the triumph at Headingley three months ago, so backing the hosts to get home narrowly at 2-1 makes some appeal.

Ace forward David Fifita hopes to return from injury while string-puller Danny Brough looked ring-rusty on his return from a broken hand for last weekend’s cup loss at St Helens but the scrum-half should strip fitter. He can steer his side to the two points.

Elsewhere, Castleford and Hull could be vulnerable 4-9 favourites at home to Huddersfield and Salford respectively.

Cas have won only once in six attempts and Hull’s inconsistency is evidenced by their last two results - a 55-2 Magic Weekend defeat by Huddersfield followed by a 51-8 cup win over Catalans.

Salford look worth backing with a ten-point start for their trip to the KCom Stadium and bearing in mind that they have already won five times on their travels and lost only to a last-gasp try at St Helens, they can also be chanced to win the match at 9-4.

Recommendations
Wakefield to win by one to 12 points
2pts 11-5 Betfair
Salford +10
2pts 5-6 Betfred
Salford
1pt 9-4 Betfred, Coral, Ladbrokes

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport