Huddersfield Giants vs York Knights Prediction: Hosts can prevail in maiden Super League meeting

Huddersfield produced a stunning upset to hand Wigan their first defeat of the Betfred Super League season last week and the Giants will fancy another scalp when new boys York head to the Accu Stadium on Easter Saturday. (Kick-off 15:00)

York suffered defeat at home to Wakefield last week but have started their Super League journey relatively well and are above the Giants in the table heading into Easter. Read on for my Huddersfield Giants vs York Knights predictions.

Huddersfield Giants vs York Knights Odds

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After sacking head coach Luke Robinson last week there is not a rugby league fan on the planet who expected Huddersfield to go to Wigan and win. So credit the players and interim boss Liam Finn for a herculean effort that saw six different players score a try in a 34-16 away triumph.

Robinson was never able to field a consistent team before his departure, but Finn has the same matchday 17 available again plus is boosted by the return of winger Adam Swift.

The Knights only name a 19-man squad and have doubts over key men Ben Jones-Bishop and Danny Richardson. Worst still is the absence of full-back Toa Mata'afa who will be out for a month with a shoulder injury.

Sam Wood is out with a hand injury but Will Roberts is included and in line for a Super League debut.

Handicap 3-way Huddersfield Giants -10 @ 21/20

We expected York to push Wakefield close last week and took the Knights with a 10-point start, and that looked spot on until a late burst from Trinity who ran in 10 points in the final five minutes to win by 12 at 26-14. That will have been a lesson to York who have impressed on their step up to Super League, that they have to play for 80 minutes every single week to have a chance of success.

And that is exactly what Huddersfield did in stunning the league leaders away from home, winning both halves and out-scoring the out-of-sorts Warriors by six tries to three.

I would give a full-strength York more than a fair crack this week, but am concerned by their injuries and injury doubts. Huddersfield on the other hand are getting bodies back, and with nothing to lose as they continue without a head coach this feels like a good chance for the Giants to win again.

The return of the likes of Niall Evalds and Adam Clune made a big impact last week with both players scoring tries, and I feel that if they can bottle that energy from Wigan they will win this game - despite the form prior to last weekend very much favouring York.

So there is a risk of recency bias in this prediction - as if this game had taken place last week I would absolutely have been backing a York win. But given what I saw from both sides seven days ago I am siding with Huddersfield.

This is of course the first Super League meeting between the two, and the first meeting at all since 2007, where Hudderfield ran riot in a 74-4 Challenge Cup win.

Connor Wrench anytime tryscorer @ 6/4

We looked at York to concede out wide last week and Oliver Pratt obliged with two tries in our anytime tryscorer selection.

I feel that Huddersfield can exploit the Knights in similar areas this week, and any of last week's try threats are decent selections. Niall Evalds returned to the side with a try and is 10/11 to find another this week.

Jacob Gagai has two in his last two and is 1/1, while I'm tempted by former Warrington man Connor Wrench at 6/4.

For York I would be looking at Jones-Bishop - he is a fitness doubt but if he starts then 6/4 is good value for the former Grand Final winner.

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