Saturday's Super League Magic Weekend predictions and rugby league tips

Free rugby league tips, best bets and analysis for Day One of the Betfred Super League Magic Weekend.

Castleford Tigers v Salford Red Devils

Where to watch

Sky Sports Arena, 3pm Saturday

Best bet

Salford +10
1pt 10-11 general

Match preview

After a year's hiatus, Magic Weekend returns on Saturday at Newcastle United's St James' Park.

Castleford Tigers and Salford Red Devils have the honour of opening the show in the North East as Cas seek to reignite their playoff bid after seeing their four-game winning streak come to an abrupt end at home to Wigan last time out.

Given Wigan's recent struggles that was a missed opportunity for the Tigers but they can at least take some comfort from the fact that top-six rivals Leeds, Hull and Hull KR also lost.

Magic opponents Salford thrashed Cas the last time they met but that was the week before the Tigers took on St Helens in the Challenge Cup final and Daryl Powell opted to rest his entire first team.

Cas had won the pair's three meetings prior to that but the Red Devils were competitive in each of those meetings, losing in extra-time in the cup in May and by seven and ten points in their last two league meetings.

St Helens v Catalans Dragons

Where to watch

Sky Sports Arena, 5.15pm Saturday

Best bet

St Helens -8
2pts Evs Betfred

Match preview

When the fixtures for Magic Weekend were announced, Saturday's final contest between Leeds and Hull was seen as the first day's main event.

However, the middle contest between Super League's top two - champions St Helens and league leaders Catalans Dragons - has now assumed star billing.

The Dragons have been near faultless in the league this season, winning 18 of their 20 matches, and are rightly seen as one of the main threats to the Saints' crown.

But there is still a nagging doubt that they could fall short on the big occasion and their Magic clash with Saints will further test that theory.

A rare blip at home to Castleford aside, Saints have looked in ominous form as the regular season approaches its end and the top six gear up for the playoff battles to come.

After swatting aside fierce rivals Wigan two weeks ago, the Red Vee showed their never-say-die attitude last week to come from behind to win at title rivals Warrington.

Kristian Woolf's men were comfortable winners when the two sides met on Merseyside last month and while Catalans should put up more of a fight than in that 34-12 defeat, an eight-point start may not not be enough to stop the Saints marching in.

Leeds Rhinos v Hull FC

Where to watch

Sky Sports Arena, 7.30pm Saturday

Best bet

Leeds to win by one to 12 points
1pt 2-1 Betfred

Match preview

Saturday's final contest could have huge significance in the race for a top-six berth with fifth-placed Leeds taking on seventh-placed Hull.

Both sides lost last weekend, although Hull's demise at Salford was much more alarming than Leeds's in their Yorkshire derby at Wakefield.

Since returning to action from a month-long Covid absence at Huddersfield in late July, Hull have lost six of their seven outings - one of which was a 22-12 home defeat to Leeds - with their only victory coming by a single point in the Hull derby.

To make matters worse for the Airlie Birds, star playmaker Josh Reynolds has been ruled out for the rest of the season. They looked rudderless without him in their 42-14 hiding at Salford.

Leeds will feel they let a golden opportunity to cement a top-six berth pass them by at Wakefield given they went into the break 12-6 to the good, but there have been more positive signs about the Rhinos than negative in recent months and they are live outsiders to make it to the Grand Final at Old Trafford for the first time since 2017.

Matches between these sides are usually tight - six of the last nine meetings have been decided by ten points or fewer - so backing the Rhinos to triumph by up to two converted scores may be the way to go.

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