Wigan Warriors vs Leeds Rhinos Prediction: Back the handicap/try double

A heavyweight contest to conclude the regular season sees champions Wigan Warriors host a Leeds Rhinos side who are now secure in the top four despite last week's shock home defeat by Catalans Dragons.

That home slip-up meant the Rhinos could have fallen out of the top four, but a St Helens defeat at Leigh rescued the Rhinos, who now already have one eye on next week. Below are my Wigan Warriors vs Leeds Rhinos predictions, supported by the latest team news and match odds for Friday's game (20:00 BST, Sky Sports+).

Team News

Warriors head coach Matt Peet names a pretty strong squad to finish the season on a high note, heading into the playoffs.

Adam Keighran returns to the 21-man squad having been rested against Leigh last week, with all Peet's top 1-17 included. Jacob Douglas is the man to miss out.

The same cannot be said for Leeds, who have decided to field a weakened side this week in what is something of an eyebrow-raiser.

Leeds could still finish third if Leigh lose to Huddersfield, but the likelihood is that the positions will remain as they are, and as such, boss Brad Arthur is taking no chances with his star players ahead of the playoffs.

Playmaker Jake Connor is still out, having not played since leaving the field against Huddersfield a fortnight ago with a rib injury. You would imagine he will play in the playoffs, but it is a problem Arthur could have done without.

So Jack Sinfield will continue alongside Brodie Croft, who was way off his game against Catalans. Star full-back Lachie Miller and veteran winger Ryan Hall are surprise absentees, along with hooker Andy Ackers - with injury cited as the reason for all three missing out. Ash Handley is still out with a groin injury.

The men to come in are Joe Shorrocks, Presley Cassell and Tom Nicholson-Watton.

Wigan Warriors vs Leeds Rhinos Odds

Wigan are 1/8, Leeds are 11/2, and the draw is 22/1.

Handicap 3-way Wigan -16 @ 20/21

This could well have been a shootout for second place in the table, but it feels like things are pretty much wrapped up now, which is a shame. Ten days or so ago, I would have had a full-strength Leeds to come to Wigan and win, but that is highly unlikely to happen given the difference in focus this week.

What I mean by that is that Wigan are all out to finish with upward momentum, winning well, finishing second, and heading into the playoffs with form and intent.

After their slip-up last week and the loss of Connor through injury, this has become a game that the Rhinos will just want to come through unscathed, with the big focus being on a home playoff tie that has already been secured.

My instinct is backed up by the outright match odds, which have Wigan at 1/8 and Leeds at 11/2. You would not be seeing these odds if this were a Grand Final winner-takes-all contest.

As such, I expect Wigan to win by a couple of scores, even though Arthur will have the Rhinos fired up to ensure there's no repeat of their inexplicable capitulation against the Dragons last week.

Wigan are playing like champions, as they always do at this point in the year. Leeds remain dangerous opponents that nobody will want to face in the playoffs, but this feels like a week that the Rhinos will not go full pelt.

#PickYourPunt - Wigan -10.5 & Jai Field to score a try @ 6/4

I have to look at the Warriors again in the anytime scorer market, and any of their main attacking weapons look good bets to cross.

Jai Field and Liam Marshall are the two talismen for tries, and both are available this week at 4/6.

We are offering Super League Double Delight for this fixture, whereby if your player scores the first try of the match, then we will double your first tryscorer price if they go on to score again.

Field and Marshall are both 6/1 to score the first try of the match - and you would feel that either would be a good shout to score twice - which would see those odds become 12/1!

I'm going to play relatively safely, though, and double up with a handicap/try double and back Field to score a try in a Wigan win by over 10.5.

Offers

Super League Double Delight - if your player scores the first try of the match, then goes on to score another, we'll DOUBLE your first tryscorer price!

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