St Helens vs Salford Red Devils Predictions: Saints can step up on Friday

It was another win at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Friday as the Leigh Leopards came to town. It wasn’t a classic, but the Saints remain at the summit of the Betfred Super League. However, and I totally agree with him, Paul Wellens was far from impressed with Saints' performance. For me it looked like a team that knew they were always going to win, and didn’t need to be clinical and disciplined with the ball to achieve that.

Wello commented after the game that the team never got going, and were far too scrappy. Attention now turns to Friday night, March 8th, 20.00, and the visit of the resurgent Salford Red Devils.

Saints certainly owed the Leopards one after that major disappointment in the Betfred Challenge Cup semi-final last season.

Saints full-back Jack Welsby continued with his try a game run as he opened the scoring following great work by both James Bell and the impressive Matt Whitley.

It took 30 minutes for the first points to be posted and it stayed that way into the break, before some poor Saints defence allowed Zak Hardacre to level the scores on 50 minutes. The third and final try of the game by Tommy Makinson secured the 12-4 win for the home side.

There was very little to talk about in the game quality-wise, but there was again a few talking points in regards to tackling. As in 2023 the Leopards captain John Asiata continues to produce this dreadful tackle technique, that as Iggy Paasi unfortunately found out can seriously damage careers. How he’s not done significant damage to himself I’ll never know because it’s an awful style.

As per new guidelines on this kind of tackle, Asiata found himself in the sinbin within 40 seconds of kick-off for a knee chop on Saints back rower Sione Matautia. Thankfully he wasn’t injured, however ironically it was Asiata who hobbled of the field with a leg injury in the 15th minute.

According to title sponsors Betfred, Saints No1 Welsby is 9/1 clear favourite to win the coveted Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel Award with Warrington’s England captain George Williams out to 12/1 - and based on the opening three rounds who could disagree? Jack’s presence in the Betfred Super League, rather than accepting a tempting offer Down Under certainly does enlighten our competition.

Next up for the Saints are Paul Rowley’s Salford Red Devils, who certainly won’t be a pushover. The Red Devils are in sixth place having won two from three of their opening games, most recently beating the in-form Hull KR.

I’m sure Paul Wellens will have had a lot to say in training this week, and I think we’ll see a much-improved St Helens display on Friday night.

Finally, and unsurprisingly it’s great to see the demand for the upcoming Easter battle between arch rivals Saints and Wigan. The game has already been announced as a complete sell-out, as the two favourites for Betfred Super League glory go into battle.

Current champions Wigan are 6/4 favourites with Betfred to be 2024 champions with the Saints at 9/4.

Warrington, Catalans and Leeds are all at 9/1 with Betfred, with this week's opponents Salford the big movers having been cut to 66/1 after their better than expected start to the season.

Super League tips from Betfred Insights.