Hull FC vs Leigh Leopards Prediction: Hosts set for another home defeat

Having won two out of three in a very positive start to the season, Hull FC come up against unbeaten Leigh Leopards, who can go top with a win of their own. (Kick-off 8pm, Sky Sports Action).

The rebuilding Black and Whites have won both of their games on the road this season but were thumped at home by Wigan, so will need a big improvement against the hungry Leopards. Here are my Hull FC vs Leigh Leopards predictions, taking into account full team news and Betfred's match odds.

Hull FC vs Leigh Leopards Odds

Hull FC are 21/10 to prevail on home turf inside 80 minutes and end the Leopards' unbeaten start.

Leigh are the 2/5 favourites to come away with the victory, so it looks like the best value will be found in covering the visitors in the handicap markets. The Leopards are 6/4, which has an implied probability of 40%, to win with a -10 handicap.

The draw is marketed at 18/1 for Thursday.

Umyla Hanley is the visitors' top tryscorer this term with three to his name already, and he is 6/4 to cross the line anytime.

Rugby League Odds

Team News

Hull boss John Cartwright has ony named a 20-man squad for the visit of the Leopards, but new signing Liam Knight has since been added to complete the 21.

The Black and Whites signed Liam Watts from Castleford this week, and also brought in Knight - whose registration was cleared on Tuesday night to allow him to take his spot.

The injured Ed Chamberlain and Denive Balmforth drop out of the squad and join a list of absentees that includes Zak Hardaker, Ligi Sao, Oliver Holmes and Davy Litten.

Young prop Sam Eseh has rejoined the club on loan from champions Wigan and is named in the squad, while former Leigh captain John Asiata is expected to play against his former club.

Leigh's in-form full-back David Armstrong fell ill last week but he is named in the initial squad, and winger Darnell McIntosh is finally back in the mix too.

The absence of prop Robbie Mulhern is a blow and Frankie Halton is still out too.

Handicap 3-way Alternative 1 Leigh -10 @ 6/4

So far so good for the Leopards with three wins out of three at Wigan, at home to Catalans last week and against Huddersfield in between. 

I doubt many would have predicted two wins out of three for Hull either given they started away at Catalans before playing the champions Wigan, but they were outclassed against the Warriors and both wins have actually come on the road.

I think Leigh will miss Mulhern but I still have them as favourites here and am expecting another home defeat for Hull.

In Armstrong and Hanley the Leopards have two devastating strike players who can make the difference, and I'm going with an away win by a couple of scores that will send Adrian Lam's men top of the table.

Umyla Hanley anytime try scorer @ 6/4

We have gone with new signing Armstrong twice in the last couple of games, and he came up trumps with a try before missing out through illness last week. 

In his absence it was Hanley - a popular pick in this column for an anytime try last season - who stepped up and helped himself to a hat-trick. Hanley mainly operated as a winger or full-back last year but looked strong at centre last weekend. He is a player who tends to go on a purple patch of tries once he is on the board, so I am backing last week's haul to open the floodgates for another profitable night in east Yorkshire.

Offers

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