Salford Red Devils vs Leigh Leopards Predictions: Rowley to pilot bounce-back win

Salford Red Devils welcome Leigh Leopards to the Salford Community Stadium on Saturday evening with the two sides looking to serve up another Rivals Round classic, and pick up two vital Betfred Super League points (kick off 17:30 GMT)

The Red Devils won a thriller 22-20 at Leigh Sports Village last year and have started this season the better of the two, despite bowing out of the Challenge Cup last weekend. Leigh edged a tight cup tie with Featherstone Rovers on Saturday and will be hoping to take that winning feeling to M30. Our Salford Red Devils vs Leigh Leopards predictions are a tough call...

Team news

Salford make one change to their squad with big prop Gil Dudson out injured having just arrived at the club on loan from Warrington Wolves. Youngster Kai Morgan returns in his place, while vice-captain Ryan Brierley is named despite hobbling off injured in the crushing cup defeat at Hull KR. If fit, Brierley will make his 300th career appearance against his former club.

Forward Oli Partington returned from injury at Hull KR and keeps his place, while Ethan Ryan and David Nofoaluma will again battle it out for a place on the wing. Props Brad Singleton and Adam Sidlow are still out injured.

Leigh welcomed back Lachlan Lam at the weekend and looked a different side in the 20 minutes that their playmaker was on the pitch. He should start here, while full-back Gareth O’Brien is named despite missing out against Featherstone at the weekend. The Leopards are still without key forwards John Asiata and Tom Amone through injury, while veteran winger Tom Briscoe’s absence has allowed Umyla Hanley to flourish and become a try machine in his absence.

Handicap 3-way Salford Red Devils -2 @ EVS

Leigh’s hopes here seem to rest on whether Lam is fit to play a full 80. I was underwhelmed by the Leopards in our live Betfred Challenge Cup screening on The Sportsman at the weekend, and it was not until Lam came on that things started to happen for Leigh. Even if he starts at Salford, I have my doubts whether he will play the full game.

So while this could be tight - the last two games between these two sides were decided by only two points -  I am going to back Saford to respond from what was an utterly wretched cup defeat for Paul Rowley’s men.

A 40-0 scoreline can be pretty impactful, and such has been the impressive start to the season from the Red Devils it is hard to know where that abject performance came from. Will there be a hangover here? I don’t think so, I’m backing Salford to respond and get back to winning ways.

Nene Macdonald anytime tryscorer @ 6/4

It would be tempting to keep backing Umyla Hanley (EVS) who has not let us down at all so far, and his tryscoring odds have come in drastically as a result – well done if you joined us ahead of the curve on that bet.

But I’m going to back former Leigh man Nene Macdonald to cross against his old employers here for a couple of reasons. He is the kind of player who loves to make a point against a former club, and he is also playing down the side through which Leigh were ripped apart a couple of times at the weekend.

And if Featherstone can have joy down that edge, I’m sure Macdonald and Co. can too.

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