Leigh Leopards vs Catalans Dragons Prediction: Armstrong for a try in tense Leopards triumph

A difficult start to the Betfred Super League season for Catalans Dragons takes Steve McNamara's side straight into the Leopards' Den at Leigh Sports Village to face the Leigh Leopards on Friday off the back of two straight defeats (kick-off 20:00 GMT, live on Sky Sports Action).

Leigh are two wins from two and look in no mood to ease any early-season pressure on the out of sorts French side, and with that in mind I'm edging towards the home team in my Leigh Leopards vs Catalans Dragons predictions. They follow below alongside full team news and match odds. 

Leigh Leopards vs Catalans Dragons Odds

The bookies are following the recent form for this one, with title-sponsors Betfred making a Leigh win available at 4/9 for the win in 80 minutes at an implied 69.2% shot.

That just about tallies with their return of 17 wins in 27 home games since returning to the Super League in 2023, but the handicap fields may make for better value. There, the Leopards are 10/11 to win against a 6.5-point start, with Catalans 5/6 to make the most of that edge.

For the straight win in 80 minutes, the Dragons are 19/10, while it's 18/1 for them to take the Leopards to extra-time.

Team News

Catalans boss Steve McNamara makes a couple of changes after last weekend's defeat at Warrington Wolves. Romain Navarette is back in the squad, as is Reimis Smith. Prop Chris Satae and Clement Martin are the two men to drop out, while Sam Tomkins remains absent through injury.

Leigh are going to be without forward Frankie Halton for some time as he goes for scans on a groin injury that forced him off last weekend against Huddersfield Giants. Andy Badrock or Luis Brogan are the options to come in.

Boss Adrian Lam is already without last season's top tryscorer Josh Charnley, who limped out of the 1-0 win against the Wigan Warriors on the opening night of the season. Winger Darnell McIntosh is still out with a knee injury

Handicap 3-way Leigh Leopards -8 @ 6/5

Catalans have been slightly better than their opening two results suggest, and it won't be too long before the Dragons pick up their first win. They were 6-6 at the break away to Warrington last week and only ended up losing by six points to the 2024 Challenge Cup finalists.

Leigh, meanwhile, needed two late tries to see off Huddersfield last week, having earned an epic golden-point win at Wigan in the season opener. So those two wins from two could very easily have been two defeats. The first few rounds of Super League tend to be very unpredictable.

That said, I'm sticking with the home side to edge a pretty physical contest here. The Leopards won both fixtures last season, 10-2 in France and 30-2 at home, but the Dragons had travelled well prior to that, winning on their three previous trips to Leigh Sports Village.

This is a game that Catalans can win, but these cold heavy nights tend to favour the home sides and I feel a vocal crowd can get their side through.

David Armstrong anytime tryscorer @ 1/1

Leigh full-back David Armstrong has been one of the stand-out players of the first two rounds in my eyes.  The new signing from Australia has sparkled in the Leopards' backline and justified our backing last week with a try in the comeback win against the Giants.

So why change a winning formula when the 23-year-old looks in the mood? He'll get more chances this week, and I would be surprised if he doesn't cross yet again.

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