Castleford Tigers vs Hull KR Prediction: Burgess to inspire Robins to big win

The Hull KR bandwagon rolls into The Jungle on Thursday as the Betfred Super League leaders travel to a Castleford Tigers side showing signs of resurrecting their season (kick-off 20:00 BST, live on Sky Sports Action).

The Challenge Cup winners walloped Catalans Dragons last week but come up against a hungry Tigers outfit fresh from their surprise away win at Hull FC. Below you will find my Castleford Tigers vs Hull KR predictions, the latest team news and Betfred's match odds.

Castleford Tigers vs Hull KR Odds

Rovers are big favourites again this week, with their position as league leaders and Challenge Cup winners helping to make them a restrictive 2/13 to record a 10-game winning run.

Cas have troubled them over recent times, and they are a 9/2 shot to get over the line this time in 80 minutes. The draw, which came in when these sides last met in round one, is a 22/1 chance at an implied probability of 4.3%.

KR give up a 14.5-point start on the standard two-way handicap, with Cas 5/6 and the visitors 10/11 in that scenario.

Team News

Castleford boss Danny McGuire makes one change to his squad, with Tex Hoy out injured and Judah Rimbu having been released.

Forward Muizz Mustapha drops out and is replaced by Hugo Salabio, and Tom Amone is set to play for the Tigers against the club with whom he has already signed for next season. Only in rugby league.

Fletcher Rooney is still out, with Zac Cini likely to stay at full-back.

Rugby League Odds

Willie Peters also makes just one change, bringing back Joe Burgess after he missed the Catalans win with a slight knock. He returns in place of youngster Harvey Horne, who makes way.

Sam Luckley wasn't involved last week but was named in the squad - I would expect him to return too. Still sidelined are veterans Micky McIlorum and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, as well as long-term absentees Rhyse Martin, Oliver Gildart and Lee Kershaw.

Handicap 3-way

Alternative 1:  Hull KR -18 @ 11/8

Challenge Cup winners traditionally turn up the following week and produce a rusty performance on their return to Super League action after the boozy celebrations and all that goes with winning at Wembley.

The fact that the Robins were able to perform as they did in the cup final, celebrate big all weekend, and still show up and score 12 tries against Catalans Dragons last Friday night tells you everything you need to know about the title credentials of this current crop of KR players.

Moreover, it says a lot about head coach Willie Peters who you can already picture strolling out at Old Trafford under the lights in October.

This Rovers team is ruthless and I love watching them play. They won't slip up at Castleford despite the Tigers' upturn in form.

Danny McGuire's men produced a shock win at Hull FC, a game in which Lewis Martin showed us the money again with his obligatory anytime try, but our match selection misfired in what was an unexpected away win.

Cas have now won three of their last six and have shown signs of a much more robust outfit with Chris Chester now alongside McGuire in the stands.

Can they find another big effort here to upset the league leaders? I don't think so. Can they keep it close? Possibly.

Round one needed a Mikey Lewis golden-point winner to separate the sides, and the game at the Jungle last year incredibly also finished in a one-point Rovers win at 13-12. In between those thrillers though we have had a 36-6 Rovers win.

Rovers have won their last five games against Cas and will make it six here. The way they are playing right now I'm more inclined to stretch the handicap the other way and back the favourites for another hefty win at 11/8 and an implied 42.1% chance.

The handicap is at 18, which I think the Dragons have half a chance of beating. I'd certainly be taking most other teams to get within 18 of Rovers this week.

But I can't say that with any degree of confidence given some of the half-hearted dross the Dragons have served up since McNamara's departure, so I am going to sit right on the handicap this week and play it cautiously.

Hull KR -7.5 & Joe Burgess to score a try @ 7/5

Regulars to this column will be checking this bit and expecting to see me backing Jack Broadbent to score a try anytime at 1/1.

Broadbent obliged for us last week to land his 10/11 anytime try in the big win over shambolic Catalans Dragons, in which the Robins also beat the handicap to see our 20/21 selection come up trumps too.

I do fancy Broadbent to score a try again this week back on familiar territory at the Jungle against his former club. But I'm just pushing the boat out for a little extra value.

I feel no danger in Rovers winning this game by a few scores, and am combining a two-try handicap with a likely try for flying winger Joe Burgess in a 7/5 selection.

Find more Rugby League Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights