Catalans Dragons vs Warrington Wolves Predictions: Burgess’ boys for the win?

The game of Betfred Super League round 12 comes in Perpignan on Saturday, where Betfred Challenge Cup finalists Warrington Wolves have spent the whole week preparing to take on Catalans Dragons, with the two sides heading into the weekend's action with a share of a four-way tie for the Super League lead. Kick-off is at 17:30 BST, 18:30 local, with live overage on Sky Sports Action.

Warrington lost this fixture 16-10 in the opening round of the season but have improved with every week that has passed under Sam Burgess, and this has all the ingredients to be a cracker.

Team News

Catalans go into this game having had a fortnight off following their Challenge Cup exit, and welcome back some key players for this blockbuster.

Hooker Michael McIlorum is out, but returning to the fold are skipper Ben Garcia and props Paul Seguier and Jordan Dezaria.

Warrington make two changes to the squad that won heavily against Huddersfield Giants to reach Wembley last week, with Connor Wrench still not considered after his ankle injury despite returning to the squad last week, and Jordy Crowther also dropping out.

Into the squad this week come Adam Holroyd and Joe Bullock, who will compete for Crowther’s spot in the team, with the latter left out for family reasons and to give a niggle extra time to heal.

Handicap 2-Way - Warrington Wolves -1.5 @ 6/4

Incredibly this is the third meeting of the season already between these two sides within just 12 rounds, and the Dragons have won both so far – 16-10 at home and 32-24 at Warrington.

Catalans boss Steve McNamara is something of a mentor to the Wolves’ new head coach Sam Burgess, with Burgess exploding on to the scene as a raw teenage prop at Bradford when McNamara was learning his trade as head coach of the Bulls for the first time. There is a lot of respect there – the pair combined again when McNamara was in charge of England for the 2013 World Cup, but Burgess will be in no mood to keep losing out. That may be behind his thinking to have the squad in France all week for this fixture, and I expect a really fierce contest in baking hot conditions at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.

I’m happy to admit to being surprised by the speed of Warrington’s growth under Burgess, and I am going to back them for a win here. Everything points to it being a close contest won or lost down the middle, but the thought of this Warrington side losing three in a row to the Catalans would be something I struggle with, even with the game being played at a venue where the Dragons tend to dominate opponents.

St Helens, Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos have all lost here this year  - as have Warrington of course - but I’m going to stick my neck out for a narrow Wolves win.

George Williams anytime tryscorer @ 11/4

England captain George Williams is, in my opinion, the best half-back in the competition and his form this season more than justifies that.

Warrington’s tries tend to come out wide from Matty Ashton or Josh Thewlis, or on the break from full-back Matt Dufty, with Williams often the chief creator.

But he still has a good eye for a try, and at 11/4 and an implied probability of 26.7%, I’d be tempted to back him here.

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