Castleford Tigers vs Hull FC Prediction: Martin and Hull to keep on improving
Struggling Castleford Tigers have another chance to kick-start their Betfred Super League season when they welcome in-form Hull FC to The Jungle on Thursday night.(kick-off 20:00 GMT).
The rebuilding Black and Whites have lost just once this season and will fancy their chances of another win on the road against a Tigers team comprehensively outplayed by Catalans Dragons last weekend. My Castleford Tigers vs Hull FC predictions follow, along with full team news and Betfred's match odds.
Castleford Tigers vs Hull FC Betting Tips
*Odds correct at time of publishing
Castleford Tigers vs Hull FC Odds
Cas are healthy odds for the home win on Thursday, with 21/10 being offered by Betfred for the Tigers to record a second home win in four attempts this season after the 22-14 success over Salford Red Devils in round four.
FC's improved form this year is reflected in their 2/5 odds for the win in 80 minutes, making them an implied 71.4% chance for the two points. It's 18/1 for the draw in normal time, with both teams having already experienced golden-point extra-time in 2025.
The standard two-way handicap gives Castleford a 6.5-point start, with Danny McGuire's side 5/6 to win under those parameters. Hull are 10/11 to overcome the disadvantage.
Team News
McGuire is only able to name 20 of a 21-man squad this week, which does not bode well for Cas. Jeremiah Simbiken drops out after picking up an injury in the defeat to Catalans last weekend.
George Hill has been linked with a loan move to fellow strugglers Salford so he misses out too, with Josh Hodson returning in his place.
New signing Brad Singleton came through his debut against the Dragons unscathed so is set to continue in the pack, while Joe Westerman returns after being rested last week.
Castleford Tigers vs Hull FC Stats
- Castleford have three straight wins to their name against Hull in Super League, and last won four in a row in 1999 and 2000
- Hull have already surpassed their 2024 points total, with seven points from 10 available.
- They have also conceded 12 or fewer points in three of five games, having achieved that feat only once in 28 league and cup matches last season
Hull FC bid to extend their unbeaten run to five games at The Jungle, but boss John Cartwright has to shuffle the pack for the trip to West Yorkshire.
He is without former Man of Steel Zak Hardaker with a calf injury, while Jed Cartwright is also missing with a hamstring issue.
Will Kirby is called up into the initial 21-man squad, while Davy Litten could make his first appearance of the season. Half-back Cade Cust is named in the squad despite suffering a back injury last week.
Handicap 3-way Alternative 1: Hull FC -10 @ 11/8
Hull have been strong on the road so far in 2025 and they will very much fancy this fixture. Their only loss so far has come against Wigan Warriors at home, and I would expect a confident performance against a Tigers team devoid of any sort of belief right now.
It is crazy to consider that Hull have already surpassed the six points that they were able to put on the board throughout the whole of last season, indeed their stats across the board are unrecognisable this year.
They are scoring more points and conceding far fewer - 94 points in five games so far this year (46 of those were to Wigan) in contrast to the 162 at the start of last season.
Hull are not yet magically fixed, and I would expect there to be bumps in the road as they continue to rebuild. But this should not be one of them against one of the weakest teams in the division. I was surprised at just how bad Castleford were against Catalans last week. Yes, we came up trumps in both tips on the Dragons' handicap win and the 7/4 Sam Tomkins anytime try, but the Tigers were never even in the game.
I struggle to see what changes this week against another team with their tails up. It should be a little closer but I still have an away win by a couple of scores.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Lewis Martin anytime tryscorer @ 8/11
We won't be changing a winning formula after Lewis Martin extended his remarkable tryscoring run with another four-pointer in last weekend's win over Wakefield Trinity, another game in which both of our tips landed.
Last season's top tryscorer is enjoying a real purple patch for the Airlie Birds, with a try in each of his last four Super League games and hat-tricks in both rounds of the Challenge Cup so far.
An explosive finisher in the form of his career, expect more from Martin this week in another Hull win.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
You can read all our latest Rugby League Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights Rugby League content hub.
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