Leigh Leopards vs Wigan Warriors Predictions: Champs to overcome battling Leopards

Betfred Super League champions Wigan Warriors head to local rivals Leigh Leopards on Thursday night smarting from their Good Friday defeat at bitter adversaries St Helens and looking to hit straight back with a big performance (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

An injury-ravaged Leigh also lost at Salford last weekend and now languish in ninth in the early table, so there could well be fireworks at the Leigh Sports Village despite an obvious favouritism for the visitors when considering our Leigh Leopards vs Wigan Warriors predictions.

Team news

Leigh had a star-studded squad sat in tracksuits behind the bench in their defeat at Salford Red Devils on Saturday, with Oliver Holmes and Ricky Leutele joining the likes of Edwin Ipape, Tom Amone, John Asiata and Tom Briscoe in the stands.

Lachlan Lam did return to the starting line-up for the first time since his injury layoff, albeit with heavy strapping, and full-back Gareth O’Brien also returned. Adrian Lam’s squad has been severely stretched in the early part of 2024, although that has facilitated the emergence of exciting winger Umyla Hanley, who ran in another hat-trick just seven days after his Betfred Challenge Cup triple against Featherstone Rovers.

Wigan have problems of their own with prop forward Liam Byrne being hit with a four-match ban at Tuesday night's disciplinary for a grade E head contact charge in that Saints derby. In-form prop Tyler Dupree also misses out this week, after he picked up a one-match suspension.

This game comes a little too soon for forwards Ethan Havard and Mike Cooper, who are nearing their returns from injury, new signing from Leeds Sam Walters is still a few weeks away from his competitive Warriors debut and young prop Sam Eseh remains sidelined too.

Handicap 2-way Wigan Warriors -14.5 @ 13/8

These games can be fierce and tight but Wigan have won the last six contests between these borough rivals and I can’t see any other outcome here. The Warriors may have lost to Saints on Good Friday but they rarely lose two in a row and that was actually their first competitive loss since last July, so we are unlikely to see another one this week.

Leigh rallied pretty well at Salford, but in truth they were second best throughout and but for the razor-sharp finishing of Hanley they would have been out of the hunt much sooner.

I do expect the Leopards to front up here, but I also think they will find themselves heading to a fourth successive home Super League defeat. Even if it stays tight, Wigan have a habit of scoring points very quickly once they hit the front, and I’m liking the 13/8 about a 15-point win.

Wigan Warriors to win both halves @ 7/5

These are tough bets to come off but if we are to have a side winning both halves then this seems to me to be the team and the game to go for. Wigan won’t give Leigh an inch, even in the Leopards' den, and I see Matty Peet’s defending champions hitting the front at the break and adding to that advantage thereafter.

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