Huddersfield Giants vs Wigan Warriors Predictions: Get on Marshall to bridge Swift gap

Huddersfield Giants look to tame the mighty Wigan Warriors on Saturday without the services of the Betfred Super League’s top tryscorer Adam Swift, while the Warriors arrive in West Yorkshire with a formidable squad buoyed by a thumping win over Catalans Dragons last week (kick-off 15:00 BST, live on Sky Sports Main Event).

The Giants lost out in a thriller last week to Salford Red Devils last week and seek an immediate response against the champions, who will be looking to respond after Warrington Wolves deposed them from top spot in the rankings on Thursday night. Here are my Huddersfield Giants vs Wigan Warriors predictions.

Team News

Swift is the notable omission from the two squads, with the Giants winger having picked up a minor injury last week and will thus be unable to extend his advantage at the top of the tryscorers charts.

Better news for the home side sees the addition to the squad of forward Andre Savelio, who is selected for the first time this season after injury, while Sam Hewitt is also back.

Wigan’s only change sees veteran prop Mike Cooper back in the mix after concussion protocols, and he replaces Ryan Hampshire in the initial squad. Former Leeds Rhinos forward Sam Walters is included for just the second time this season having made a tryscoring return for the reserves and could be in line for a debut.

Handicap 3-way Alternative 1 Wigan Warriors -10 @ 7/5

They may have suffered a narrow home defeat by Salford last week but Huddersfield have actually found some form of late and also only lost out at St Helens the previous week to a late drop-goal.

Prior to that we saw five straight wins for the Giants, who have been clicking well, with the league’s top scorer Swift in the form of his life on the wing.

His absence therefore is a huge blow in this one, and could well prove the difference in a fixture that is often close. Wigan won by two points at Huddersfield last season, the same margin of victory that saw them pip the Giants in the 2023 Betfred Challenge Cup final.

If Jake Connor is in the mood then this will be another very tight contest, but I feel the absence of Swift will blunt the home side’s attack.

I’m sticking with the Warriors to win this, and although I feel it will be close, the most tempting value comes on the 10-point handicap at 7/5 with an implied probability of 41.7%.

Liam Marshall anytime tryscorer @ 4/6

Adam Swift proved a similar banker for us at 4/6 last week and in his absence this looks like his rival’s opportunity to shine.

Liam Marshall is two tries behind Swift in the top tryscorers chart and this looks like his chance to wipe out that deficit. Marshall hasn’t scored in Wigan’s last two games and he never blanks in three straight.

So like Swift last week, a try this week feels a foregone conclusion.

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