Wigan Warriors vs Huddersfield Giants Prediction: Visitors to keep it respectable

Wobbling Wigan have lost two of their last three games on the road, but the Betfred Super League champions are back on home soil on Friday night (20:00, live on Sky Sports +) facing a Huddersfield side buoyed by a big win at Castleford that cost head coach Danny McGuire his job.

Rugby league guru George Riley shares his Wigan Warriors vs Huddersfield Giants predictions, complete with the latest odds and team news.

Wigan Warriors vs Huddersfield Giants Odds

The champions are long odds-on at 1/16 to win this one, while Huddersfield are 8/1 to spring an upset. The draw is available at 25/1.

Topping the tryscorer markets are Warriors duo Jai Field, who's 7/1 to open the scoring and 8/13 to cross anytime, and Liam Marshall, who's trading at 7/1 and 4/6 respectively.

Team News

Wigan boss Matt Peet makes one change to his squad for the game at The Brick Community Stadium.

Outside back Jacob Douglas comes in to replace Jack Farrimond. Douglas had dropped out of last week's squad to accommodate the return of winger Abbas Miski who keeps his place.

Harvie Hill is free to play after suspension but not included. Bevan French remains the big-name absentee.

Huddersfield boss Luke Robinson names just a 20-man squad.

Sam Hewitt comes in to replace Oliver Wilson who has suffered a setback with the same injury that has dogged him of late.

Huddersfield this week allowed Aidan McGowan to join Championship Batley on a two-week loan.

Huddersfield +20 @ 1/1

Wigan have not been playing well yet remain massive favourites to win this one on their return home. The Warriors have played their last six games away from home, which is pretty usual at the end of the football season for those sides who share their ground with a football team.

And even though the champions have won four and lost two of those games, in truth they could have lost four of them. Big wins came at Catalans and Salford at the end of May, but the wins last month at both Castleford and Huddersfield came from barely-deserved late tries, and the two defeats at Wakefield and Leigh highlighted a team that is not quite right at the moment.

Injuries - not least the absence of Bevan French - haven't helped, but it has been baffling to watch a dominant side looking a little timid. So is this the game where we see the old Wigan again? Their fans will hope and expect so, and it would take a brave man to call a Giants win.

Wigan should have more than enough but given Huddersfield should have beaten the champions a few weeks ago I feel a 20-point handicap could end up being generous. That can disappear very quickly of course if and when Wigan hit their groove, but I'm tempted to take Huddersfield with the start.

Jai Field - Anytime Tryscorer @ 8/13

Short odds to score in a home fixture that they are expected to win, but I still have to back Wigan's main man.

Jai Field has thrived all season and is at the very top of his game.

If he can create some chaos here then Wigan fans will start seeing the kind of rugby league to which they have become accustomed.

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