Wakefield are in the driving seat for a play-off spot as they host St. Helens on Thursday night in the first crunch match of the week in the Super 8s.
Trinity could go third with a win, and a take a big step towards the play-offs while Saints are looking to end their three-game losing streak to keep their fading hopes alive.
As things stand Wakefield sit in fourth place – three points clear of their opponents – and one point clear of Wigan who are sandwiched in between (and they visit Hull on Friday night who are a point ahead of Wakefield).
Saints can at least go into this fixture in the knowledge they are the only side to have left Belle Vue with a comfortable win.
They are 8/13 favourites to make things tighter for the last of the play-off places – but there have been several occasions this season when Wakefield have been priced a little long – last week they were odds-against against Salford whose last win was back in June.
They have made one change to their 19-man squad from last week’s defeat to Wigan – with Danny Richardson replacing Kyle Amor, while Wakefield are unchanged following their dismantling of Salford last week.
Trinity’s form has been mixed in the Super 8s – having won two and lost two – but their performance level has been of a pretty good standard, with their comprehensive victory over Leeds a stand-out so far.
Wakefield might be struggling for consistency at the moment, but many would suggest they should be favourites at home against a Saints side on a losing streak. We would recommend taking the four-point start on the handicap at Evens (with Saints the same price to cover), though backing the home side at 13/8 to win in 80 minutes shouldn’t be out of the question.
Saints may have been losing games of late, they haven’t been by huge margins. Wakefield by 1-5 points is 6/1, while Saints to win by the same margin is slightly shorter at 5s.
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