A 'Super' 2008 For Rugby League Betting Fans
Whilst the focus this weekend might be on the Six Nations tournament, rugby
league betting fans can look forward to the start of the new Super League season
this Saturday.
Leeds Rhinos begin the defence of their Super League crown one week early as they
entertain big-spending Hull Kingston Rovers at Headingley but new Rhinos coach Brian
McClennan faces a tall order to replicate the success of his predecessor Tony Smith.
Leeds, along with last season’s Grand Final runner’s up St Helens, are
the rugby betting favourites to top the Super League’s regular season table
but unlike the other ten Super League clubs, neither side has been spending in the
winter sales.
Coach Brian McLennan has opted to stick with the same personnel that served the club
so well last season whilst St Helens chief Daniel Anderson has also resisted the
temptation to draft in new faces at the Challenge Cup winners.
The same can’t be said of some of the other clubs in an off-season which has
seen a huge influx of big-name players following a relaxing of salary cap constraints.
Hull KR are one club that has taken advantage of the new rules to bring in some big
names, prompting many rugby league betting fans to tip last year’s relegation
battlers as a dark horse for the play-offs.
Former Rhinos and Bath RU centre Chev Walker has been joined by Clint Newton and
Garret Crossman, NRL Grand Final winners last season with Melbourne Storm, Wests
Tigers duo Daniel Fitzhenry and Ben Galea, New Zealand international centre Jake
Webster and Shaun Briscoe – the latest player to defect from the Robins’ city
rivals Hull FC.
Warrington have also been splashing the cash this year and after failing to live
up to years of promise, the mood at the Halliwell Jones Stadium has been lifted with
the capture of giant centre Matt King from Melbourne, Michael Monaghan from Manly
and Louis Anderson from New Zealand Warriors – who will team up with brother
Vinnie for the Wolves this season.
Wigan are another club who have disappointed many rugby betting fans in recent years
but with a new board and new faces including former Leeds full-back Richie Mathers,
who has signed from Gold Coast, Andy Coley and former Bradford and Gloucester RU
back Karl Pryce, the Warriors will be looking to regain some consistency.
Huddersfield upset the rugby betting form book last season by making the play-offs
for the first time in their history and after capturing Salford’s enthusiastic
pair of Luke Robinson and David Hodgson as well as New Zealand international Paul
Whatuira and Greek international George Gatis, they will have ideals on making the
top six once again.
Bradford Bulls and Hull FC will both be challenging at the top whilst at the other
end of the table, the rugby betting markets have newly promoted Castleford as the
clear favourite for the bottom.
After two relegations in four years, Castleford can at least rest a little easier
in the knowledge that relegation from Super League has been scrapped and that news
will also come as a relief to Harlequins and Wakefield who are also tipped to struggle
along with French side Les Catalans, who despite their best efforts, have been unable
to replace the legendary Stacey Jones.
The action gets underway with the champions the centre of attention on Saturday evening
but with 27 rounds of Super League ahead, including Millennium Magic as well as the
play-offs and then the Rugby League World Cup, 2008 is sure to be a great year for
rugby league betting fans at Blue Square.
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