Castleford Tigers vs Leigh Leopards Prediction: Mapapalangi the in-form pick in Leopards win

Castleford Tigers welcome the Leigh Leopards to the Jungle on Friday night with the visitors having found a bit of form to mount a play-off push after a slow start to their Betfred Super League campaign (Kick-off 8pm, Sky Sports +).

The Tigers have won two on the spin themselves and with both sides nice and fresh after the Challenge Cup final break, this could be a cracker. Below are my Castleford Tigers vs Leigh Leopards preidctions, Betfred's match odds and the latest team news.

Castleford Tigers vs Leigh Leopards Odds

It's Leigh who are backed by the bookies to win this one, with Betfred slating them at 2/5. Cas are 23/10 to upset the odds, while the draw in 80 minutes is 14/1.

Team News

Castleford head coach Ryan Carr has new signing Jack Brown on board after his arrival this week from world champions Hull KR. And Brown is set for his debut having been named in the 21-man squad to take on the Leopards.

Jenson Windley is also included, but Semi Valemei is suspended. He and fellow winger Mikaele Ravalawa drop out.

Leigh haven’t managed to field their strongest side on many occasions yet this season.

Dream Team centre Umyla Hanley has been one of the most unfortunate with injuries, and he is out again this week after his latest return lasted just three matches. He was a Man of the Match tryscorer in a thumping 42-6 win over Hull FC last time out, but is a notable omission this week.

England prop Owen Trout is also out, but reinforcements in the pack come in the shape of returning forwards Robbie Mulhern and Aaron Pene.

Handicap 3-Way: Leigh -10 @ 21/20

I have felt for a few weeks that Leigh are a side coming into form as they get bodies back on the pitch, although the latest absence of Hanley is unfortunate.

I have the Leopards to make the top six for the end-of-season play-offs and I have them to continue their progress with a win in this one.

Leigh have won four of their last five and the loss was to champs Hull KR. It is a run that has propelled them up to seventh.

Cas, on the other hand, snapped out of their most recent run of bad results to find a bit of form, with back-to-back wins in May over St Helens and York. They sit just two points further back than Leigh.

This could genuinely go either way but I just fancy Leigh, even without their main centres.

I’m siding nervously with the Leopards here while hoping Cas don’t make me eat my words.

Rugby League Odds

Krystian Mapaplangi Anytime Tryscorer @ 6/4

Veteran Leigh winger Josh Charnley needs just two tries to draw level with Leeds great Ryan Hall as the top tryscorer in Super League history.

The problem Charnley has got, of course, is that Hall is still playing and still scoring!

Charnley justified our backing with a trademark hat-trick against Hull FC last time out, and heads the market at just 4/6 to score again this week.

That feels a very good shout but there is plenty of value too elsewhere.

Livewire full-back David Armstrong was a regular returner for us last year in his debut season in Leopards colours. He is still regaining full fitness after a long-term injury but scored last time out and has become an option again at 1/1.

Castleford’s two top men are Jason Qareqare (6/5) and Krystian Mapapalangi (6/4).

Qareqare has four tries in his last two games including a hat-trick in the win over St Helens, while Mapapalangi has been very kind to followers of this column with five touchdowns in the three games prior to that.