The Rules:

• Each person predicts the results of every Super League match.
• Predicting the correct winner will get you 1 point.
• If the predictor’s scoreline has the same winning margin, then 4 points will be awarded (only if the predicted winning team is correct).
• Correctly predicting the exact score will win you an additional 5 points.
• Two bonus points will be awarded if the first try scorer is predicted correctly, whereas 1 point will be awarded if the selected player scores during the match.

Last Round’s Results:

• St Helens 18 – Hull FC 32 (Nathan – 0, Ian – 1)
• Castleford Tigers 0 – Hull KR 44 (Nathan – 2, Ian – 1)
• Leigh Leopards 22 – York Knights 14 (Nathan – 1, Ian – 1)
• Wakefield Trinity 22 – Leeds Rhinos 24 (Nathan – 1, Ian – 2)
• Huddersfield Giants 42 – Catalans Dragons 20 (Nathan – 1, Ian – 1)
• Wigan Warriors 48 – Toulouse Olympique XIII 18 (Nathan – 2, Ian – 2)
• Bradford Bulls 4 – Warrington Wolves 42 (Nathan – 2, Ian – 2)

Current Score: Nathan 189 – Ian 181

We had a remarkably similar record in the later stages of this round, with us both getting a bonus point for a try scorer for all three of Saturday’s games. In truth, it was a strong round for both of us, with just one game catching us both out, that being Huddersfield vs Catalans, whereas Ian predicted Hull FC to beat Saints, whereas I went with what was, at the time, seen as the sensible option. All this means that Ian has clawed a point closer to my score.

Because of the upcoming fixture congestion (the Hull KR v Warrington Tuesday night game will be covered as an extra game in next week’s round), we have an unprecedented triple header on Thursday night. To kick off, we have Hull KR welcoming the Catalans Dragons to Craven Park. Catalans are on the back of a loss to lowly Huddersfield, and are really struggling to gain any traction. A trip to Craven Park is exactly what they don’t need right now, and I imagine Rovers will slay the Dragons in East Hull

If what I saw at Huddersfield at the weekend is anything to go by, Rovers should have a pretty comfortable ride in this one, unless the Dragons are reduced to 12-men early because they suddenly sprang into life after the red card at the Accu Stadium and started scoring tries for fun, having already lost the match by half-time. It’s fair to say the Robins haven’t been at their very best in recent times, but the likelihood is that they probably won’t need to be this week either anyway.

Probably the pick of the round up next: Leeds vs Leigh. Following the breathless finish to their match against Wakefield last week, it’d be easy to understand if Leeds were spent physically, but I doubt it very much. This team is showing all the makings of having championship pedigree, and I think they will keep rolling on against the Leopards. That’s not to say that Leigh couldn’t spring an upset here, and more or less seal their top six spot, if other results go their way, but I can’t see Leeds easing off here, especially at home.

Leeds may have huffed and puffed before getting over the top of shaky Wakey from a 16-point deficit, but I expect them to be back in imperious form for the visit of the Leopards. The Rhinos showed true champion qualities at the DIY Kitchens Stadium, while Leigh certainly struggled to overcome a determined, but altogether much weaker York outfit, and a similar showing could see them put away pretty efficiently by the table-toppers on their own patch.

Rounding out the trio of Thursday night delights is Warrington vs York. Now, as much as I’ve enjoyed seeing York play at this level, and I think they’ve looked more than worthy of their place at the top table, I don’t see them having enough to challenge the Wire here. The only major opportunity they will have is if Warrington already have one eye on next Tuesday’s crucial clash with Hull KR. If they do, and they take York lightly, they will suffer for it, but I can’t imagine that would be the case.

I have been very impressed with the Knights’ fighting qualities in recent weeks, but I just think the more ruthless Wolves have too much in the tank for them. I expect it to be a bit of a ding-dong at first, before the home side run away with it later in the proceedings. The primrose and blue just have too many options available to them; they were made to scrap for their W at the LNER Community Stadium previously, but at Warrington this feels like it should be a much different proposition given their usually strong home form this year.

Look away now, Ian, as I’m predicting Hull FC to win this week. As much as it pains me to say this (and believe me it does), I was impressed by the fighting spirit of Hull away at St Helens last week. While it is true that the Saints were dire, Hull showed a professionalism that they have sorely lacked all season to put them away so convincingly. After that performance, coming up against Castleford is exactly what they need, quite frankly. A team rocketing towards rock bottom at terminal velocity, in somehow even more disarray than Hull are. If Castleford are anywhere near as bad as they were against Rovers, they’ll be easy pickings, even for a weak Hull FC side.

This could be a quite intriguing game between 2 teams who are only playing for pride now. Since their heroics in beating Leeds it has to be said the Tigers have been in terrible form, conceding no less than 144 in three games since then, with 52 of those shipped against a team with only 12 players on the pitch, on the other hand, the Airlie Birds plunged the depths in throwing away a lead against basement side Huddersfield, but then almost like flipping a coin they showed more grit and determination and a previously misfiring attacking prowess to run in six tries against 7th placed St. Helens, which certainly brought back some of the feel-good factor, while supporters are also now looking forward to a trip to Dublin in April. Put all that together, in a kicking MKM Stadium and you should be expecting a comfortable home victory which would see the Black & Whites jump back above their opponents in the table, and potentially up to 9th depending on events elsewhere, and reduce the talk circulating about a wooden spoon finish, but is it ever that simple, even against a team that you knocked for 50 the last time you played them?

Wakefield were desperately unlucky to be beaten by the league leaders last week, having thrown away a sixteen-point advantage to fall to a 24-22 defeat. They will be keen to exorcise the demons from round twenty-two, and who could be a better opposition right now than St Helens? Remember what I said about Castleford in my last paragraph? It’s pretty much the same at Saints, although, with the Saints’ fans and board expectations being so high, it all somehow seems worse for the Red Vee. I foresee another long night for the Merseyside club in West Yorkshire on Saturday.

Wakey will want to bounce back immediately from the crushing disappointment of their home defeat to the Rhinos, so a Saints team that are chronically low on confidence should really be the almost perfect proposition for them. Trinity will undoubtedly have learnt important lessons against Leeds; I expect them to apply those lessons and, having seen what has happened previously, I am sure they will, once again, respond very well to a defeat and get the job done with plenty of room to spare.

I’m sure I said this last week as well, but it bears repeating: poor Bradford Bulls. Not only do they have to deal with a quite frankly ludicrous injury list, but now they have to welcome the Wigan Warriors to Odsal. Wigan are in frightening form right now, making mincemeat of all standing before them, so they must be salivating at the prospect of coming up against a Bradford side held together with sticky tape and blind hope. I think it’s not a matter of if Wigan win, but simply by how many. Bradford may very well sit bottom of the table by the end of Saturday.

I expect the Challenge Cup holders to put their stamp on this game early, because they will be well warned about the Bulls’ confidence if they can get off to a good start, but I would also expect the home side to really test Wigan; they certainly won’t die wondering, especially on home territory. Wigan will, however, turn the screw particularly in the second half and easily push Bradford beyond their rather shallow limits.

Finally, we have a resurgent Huddersfield side travelling to the South of France to take on Toulouse. Much like the York Knights, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen of Toulouse this season. Whilst they certainly know how to find the try line, they do struggle to defend their own. Now that Huddersfield have some wind at their backs, they’re finding a scoring rhythm that saw them wipe the floor with Catalans. I don’t think things will go quite as badly for Le Dracs’ nearest neighbours, but I do see another Huddersfield win in the offing, which will sound rather loud alarm bells at Bradford, and potentially Hull, if Nath’s curse strikes for them once again.

This will be quite the scrap in the South of France, and I think it could just be one trip too far for a recently resurgent Giants team, but it could easily go either way, depending on the starts for both teams. You would argue that Jim Lenihan’s side’s best chance lies in a good, positive start, but also it could be argued that the Olympique XIII certainly have it in them to score points quickly, especially if their opponents take them lightly. I don’t think this will be a blowout either way; I expect it to be nip and tuck between two desperate teams and given the positions of both, it could simply come down to which side makes fewer mistakes, or which one is best at taking advantage of them.

Nathan’s Picks:

• Hull KR 36 – Catalans Dragons 6. First try scorer: Jez Litten
• Leeds Rhinos 28 – Leigh Leopards 12. First try scorer: Ash Handley
• Warrington Wolves 42 – York Knights 18. First try scorer: Josh Thewlis
• Hull FC 28 – Castleford Tigers 10. First try scorer: Harvey Barron
• Wakefield Trinity 40 – St Helens 10. First try scorer: Tyson Smoothy
• Bradford Bulls 4 – Wigan Warriors 52. First try scorer: Liam Marshall
• Toulouse Olympique XIII 18 – Huddersfield Giants 32. First try scorer: George Flanagan Jr

Ian’s Picks:

• Hull KR 44 – Catalans Dragons 8. First try scorer: Peta Hiku
• Leeds Rhinos 30 – Leigh Leopards 12. First try scorer: Lachlan Miller
• Warrington Wolves 42 – York Knights 10. First try scorer: Matty Ashton
• Hull FC 34 – Castleford Tigers 10. First try scorer: Lewis Martin
• Wakefield Trinity 36 – St Helens 12. First try scorer: Jake Trueman
• Bradford Bulls 10 – Wigan Warriors 46. First try scorer: Bevan French
• Toulouse Olympique XIII 28 – Huddersfield Giants 24. First try scorer: Paul Ullberg

Written by Nathan Major (Site editor & Hull KR fan) and Ian Judson (Site contributor & Hull FC fan)