Huddersfield Giants vs Catalans Dragons Predictions: Mourgue to inspire return to form?

Catalans Dragons were the victims of the shock of the Betfred Super League season last week when they succumbed at rock-bottom London Broncos. Steve McNamara’s side usually find form at this time in the year and will expect a huge response when they travel to face his former side Huddersfield Giants on Friday (kick-off 20:00 BST, live on Sky Sports+)

The Giants’ season is meandering to a mediocre conclusion, lying ninth and without a head coach since Ian Watson’s departure. They gave champions Wigan Wariors a scare last week, so is this a game they could spring another surprise in? Here are my Huddersfield Giants vs Catalans Dragons predictions.

Huddersfield Giants vs Catalans Dragons Odds

It is the Dragons who come into this one as the bookies' favourites despite their stunning setback last week. They're 8/13 to get back to winning ways at the John Smith's Stadium, with their hosts priced at 7/5. The draw in 80 minutes is an intriguing option at 18/1.

Team News

Huddersfield make a couple of changes to the side which gave Wigan a real scare last week, leading 8-0 before succumbing 28-14.

Kieran Rush and Harvey Livett come into the squad, with injuries ruling out both Matty English and Adam Clune. Clune didn’t feature last week but English started, and his absence is a blow against a typically huge Catalans pack.

Rugby League Odds

Despite the alarming loss at London – one described by McNamara as “unacceptable” – Catalans name an unchanged squad for the trip to a club that their coach represented with distinction as a player.

Sam Tomkins started at full-back again last week in the second game of his comeback from retirement, which again meant Arthur Mourgue in the halves alongside Theo Fages – himself a former Huddersfield player. The absence of star winger Tom Johnstone on the wing means Fouad Yaha is likely to continue on the left.

Handicap 3-way: Catalans Dragons -4 @ 1/1

I am not going to beat myself up too much about the Catalans' loss in London last week. Sometimes rugby league just produces results that leave you scratching your head.

What that shambolic Dragons display does mean is that Huddersfield head into this contest with a realistic chance of a result. Luckily for Catalans, Leeds Rhinos lost at Salford Red Devils last week so there remains a four-point buffer of daylight between the French side in sixth and the pack chasing the play-offs. And the Rhinos have to play Wigan this week so Catalans should be okay.

Huddersfield have been almost impossible to predict too – a lacklustre home defeat by the Rhinos was followed by that near-miss at Wigan.

So this feels like a tight contest, one I am going to trust the handicap on because the Dragons are just too good not to respond to that rubbish they offered up at the Broncos.

With the handicap at -4 I quite like that too.

Arthur Mourgue anytime tryscorer @ 7/4

Livewire Mourgue was our tip last week and he came up dry, as did most of his team-mates in a truly awful performance at London.

Luckily that means far more generous odds this week - 7/4 at an implied probability of 36/4%, and I’m a pretty loyal tipster with the players and teams that I trust. So go on Arthur, have another go.

You can read all our latest Rugby League Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights Rugby League content hub.