Wigan v Salford: rugby league tips, match preview and where to watch

Where to watch

Sky Sports Arena, 8pm Friday

Best bets

Wigan -4
3pts 10-11 general
Wigan to win by 21 to 30 points
1pt 15-2 Betway

Match preview

No Betfred Super League club lies geographically closer to Old Trafford than Salford, whose AJ Bell Stadium is just six miles from the Theatre of Dreams, and on the field the Red Devils are now nearer than ever to a first Grand Final appearance.

If Ian Watson’s odds-defying team can win at Wigan, they’ll become only the eighth club to reach the Super League showpiece since its introduction in 1998.

The contrast with the history and stature of their opponents could hardly be greater. The Warriors are bidding to reach Old Trafford for the 11th time and for the sixth occasion in the last seven seasons.

St Helens will face the winners in next Saturday’s title-decider and punters and bookmakers have recent form to guide them.

A fortnight ago, Wigan held off a Salford rally to edge home 18-12 at the DW Stadium and the layers have used that six-point winning margin as the basis for the handicap in this rematch.

The money has been for the underdogs and some bookmakers have cut the start to four points but punters may have been seduced by Salford’s strong finish two weeks ago and by their ruthless 22-0 victory over Castleford last time out.

That made it nine wins in ten games for the Red Devils but Wigan’s recent run is even more impressive.

The only team to have lowered the Cherry & Whites’ colours since May are Saints. That constitutes 13 consecutive wins against other opponents and the Warriors have won ten straight games at the DW Stadium.

Punters shouldn’t be put off by their dismal display at St Helens last time out. That shouldn’t have any effect on their chances of justifying favouritism.

This playoff system has been used four times before and there’s a familiar pattern to the outcome of this fixture as the hosts who lost last time out have recorded resounding wins over their visitors who had won the week before.

One of those occasions was in 2000, when Wigan were whipped 54-16 by Saints and bounced back to batter Bradford 40-12.

Wigan have seen it and done it all before and are likely to have too much nous for the underdogs, who will hope for more moments of magic from Jackson Hastings.

The Salford superstar is joining Wigan next season and aims for a fairytale farewell to his current club at Old Trafford.

Hastings is 7-1 to be named man of the match behind 6-1 favourite George Williams, the Wigan playmaker.

While rugby league romantics will be right behind Hastings and Salford, hard-nosed realists will be backing Wigan and they’re likely to be collecting at the close of play.

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook