Wigan Warriors vs Bradford Bulls Prediction: Keighran the pick in a big Wigan win

Wigan Warriors look to reach the last eight of the Betfred Challenge Cup as they put their 100% 2026 record on the line against Bradford Bulls at the Brick Community Stadium on Friday night (20:00 GMT).

The Warriors' cup run comes alongside a faultless four wins from four in the Betfred Super League, and not many would be banking on the Bulls to stop Matt Peet's men from reaching another quarter-final. My Wigan Warriors vs Bradford Bulls predictions, the latest team news and Betfred's match odds follow below. 

Team News

Wigan may be in ominous form but they are in a dreadful run of misfortune in the full-back position. Last week's big news was a setback for star number one Jai Field after he was hospitalised with appendicitis. That will keep him out for the next four to six weeks following surgery. No problem - the team's other superstar Bevan French would just step up in Field's absence.

But French has now been sidelined himself for a significant period, leaving head coach Peet without his two most devastating strike players. French sustained a hamstring injury in last weekend's 36-16 win over Toulouse (we had Wigan to win by 22 don't forget!) and is expected to be out for about four months, such is its severity.

So Wigan will now shuffle their pack. Peet is at least able to restrict the enforced changes to just one, with French replaced in the 21-man squad by youngster Dayon Sambou, who is yet to feature in the Cherry and White. Also out is England centre Jake Wardle, who won't play for a couple of months with a knee injury.

The full-back position is up for grabs. Youngster Noah Hodkinson was drafted into the squad last week and would appear the most obvious option on Friday given what has since happened to French.

The other option is to move in-form winger Zach Eckersley there, which would mean playing either Sambou or another youngster, Nathan Lowe, on the wing. Lowe had a stint at Oldham last year in the Championship. My call would be to leave Eckersley where he is - he scored two tries last week in France - and bring Hodkinson in at full-back.

The Bulls, meanwhile, make three changes to the squad narrowly beaten at St Helens last weekend.

Boss Kurt Haggerty is without some key men, namely the suspended Loghan Lewis and Elliot Peposhi, while winger Waqa Blake is out with a shoulder injury.

The men to come in are Jamie Gill, Cameron Bate and Alfie Leake.

Wigan Warriors vs Bradford Bulls Odds

Wigan are huge favourites at 1/9 for the win inside 80 minutes. Bradford are 6/1, with the draw in normal time 20/1.

The Warriors give up 21.5 points on the handicap, with Bradford 10/11 and the home side 5/6 in that setting.

Handicap 2-way Wigan -21.5 @ 5/6

Wigan are showing no mercy at the moment and have come through every obstacle in their way as they bid to win back the trophies they relinquished to Hull KR in 2025.

Not many teams have laid a glove on the Warriors yet, and even with injuries depriving the cup kings of three of their star men, there is too much quality in the squad for this to be a realistic banana skin.

The Warriors' wins in 2026 have come in the Betfred Super League against Castleford, Hull FC, Leigh and Toulouse, and in the cup against Rochdale - an 83-0 scoreline indicating the level of opposition in that one.

The Bulls, meanwhile, have had a decent return to the big time, winning two of their first four  - against French sides Toulouse and Catalans - along with a cup win in London.

And the way Bradford set about St Helens last week was interesting too. The Bulls led 10-4 at half-time at Saints before losing out 26-22, highlighting the spirit in Haggerty's side.

So I expect the Bulls to turn up, see this as a free hit and have a real go. But I ultimately think they will be outclassed, and have Wigan to cover the handicap and stay on course for a record 22nd Challenge Cup triumph.

Adam Keighran Anytime Tryscorer @ 5/4

Wigan are going to need some players to really step up over the next couple of months in the absence of star men French and Field.

There is no shortage of quality in this Wigan side of course, but taking those two names out of any team would take a huge edge off the attacking threat. The pair have scored 13 tries between them in the last month, a burden which obviously needs picking up if Wigan are to maintain their upward momentum in their absence.

Youngster Eckersley - 1/2 with Betfred for an anytime try this week - has been in fine form himself, with 10 tries in his five games so far in 2026. You would fully expect Eckersley to score again this week, either from the wing or at full-back.

For a little more value though, I would be looking at goal-kicking centre Adam Keighran. The Australian's main battle this season has been to stay out of the sin bin, having found himself there in successive games at the start of the year. But there is no doubting his threat when he is out there, and after helping himself to two tries in the first 16 minutes last week, I fancy Keighran to be on the scoreboard again in the cup at 5/4.

For the Bulls, I would look at flying winger Ethan Ryan. The former Salford man has scored four tries in his last two games and is a tasty 7/4 chance to find another try at Wigan this week.

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