We are just three weeks away from the new Super League season when Warrington head to the Headingley Carnegie Stadium to face defending Champions Leeds (1/2 favourites with BetVictor) for the traditional Friday evening curtain-raiser.
The Rhinos surely can’t follow last season’s level of success after Brian McDermott’s side completed the treble, enabling the trio of Jamie Peacock, Kylie Leuluai and Kevin Sinfield to move on after stellar careers with the club.
The Rhinos have been quick to re-build and produced a major coup with the signing of Brett Ferres last week. Ferres was instrumental to the Huddersfield Giants last term but was suspended due to rumblings about the forward’s private life and transfer-listed thereafter. BetVictor make him a 66/1 chance to be named Super League’s Man of Steel next season and an even more tempting 2/1 to cross the whitewash when the Giants make the short journey across West Yorkshire in early March.
Man of Steel prices from BetVictor
Sam Tomkins 7/1
Todd Carney 10/1
James Roby 12/1
John Bateman 12/1
Zak Hardaker 14/1
Luke Walsh 16/1
George Williams 20/1
Ferres looks over-priced at 66s but is unlikely to realistically get a look in with backs tending to catch the eyes and boasting a more appealing profile when it comes to the previous winners. There have only been three multiple winners, Ellery Hanley, Paul Sculthorpe and Andy Farrell, which dents the chances for the likes of Zak Hardaker, Daryl Clarke, Danny Brough and the returning Sam Tomkins.
Tomkins heads the market as the 7/1 favourite and is expected to be somewhere near back to his stint with the New Zealand Warriors. The Wigan full-back will miss the start of the campaign and could be playing catch-up to plenty of his teammates, and with Wigan fancied for honours this term, 5/2 for the League Leaders Shield and 3/1 with BetVictor to win the 2016 Grand Final, his team-mates offer punters greater appeal at the prices.
The pair of Sean O’Loughlin and Liam Farrell look over-priced at 33/1 but it is George Williams who really catches the eye at 18/1. The local lad has always been held in high regard by the club and after successfully coming through the academy was named Super League Young Player of the Year and looks an outstanding long-term talent for the cherry and whites.
Southern Hemisphere players tend to have a poor record, 3 winners in the last 16 years, and whilst Luke Walsh offers punters value at 16/1 based on heading last year’s market as the 7/1 favourite it remains to be seen whether or not he has fully recovered from that horrendous injury. Instead, it could be worth having a saver on Saints’ team-mate James Roby, who is 12/1 with BetVictor (Top Price) to fair best of his peers.
BetVictor Recommendations;
James Roby to be named Man of Steel at 12/1 with BetVictor
George Williams to be named Man of Steel at 18/1 with BetVictor
For all the latest odds head to BetVictor.com
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