Centurions the handicap punt

BETFRED SUPER LEAGUE

TODAY’S Sky TV offering of Catalans Dragons against Leeds Rhinos has fallen foul of Covid protocols, so we are left with Leigh Centurions hosting Hull FC in a Betfred Super League 3pm clash which won’t be televised.

The Centurions can be excused for wishing that it was their fixture which had succumbed to the virus. It has been a miserable return to the top flight for Leigh, who have lost all ten matches and are conceding points at a rate of just over 35 per game.

Fifth-placed Hull have had much the better of it with five wins from their nine games, while their three defeats came at the hands of the current top three in the standings. A 14-14 draw with Warrington was the outcome in round three.

The Black & Whites have been pretty efficient against teams below them in the table and, at 1-5 for victory, they are expected to see off the Centurions with little fuss.

However, it may not be as easy as those odds suggest. The Centurions love a tussle with the big boys on home soil and

will relish taking on another of those sides with lofty ambitions this season.

Leigh have been handicap winners in three of four matches against the top three with Wigan running out twopoint winners on the opening night, St Helens winning just 22-12 in round five and top-ofthe-table Catalans being run even closer last week in a 36-30 victory for the French outfit.

Brett Hodgson’s side are down to the bare bones in Lancashire courtesy of a lengthy injury list. Hull have named just 18 men in his squad so Leigh, who are 4-1 to record their first victory of the season, should be competitive.

Hull are talented and shouldn’t be written off, so backing the Centurions with a 16-point handicap start at the Leigh Sports Village is advised.