St Helens conclude their round of fixtures in the regular season of Tetley’s Super League season with a visit to Bradford Bulls on Friday evening.
Saints will be boosted by the return of Sean Long from a three-month ban, and how badly they need him after a mid-season slump has carried them from second to fifth place.
Although Saints sit just four points behind the second-placed Bulls, they come into this game on a run of just three wins, and six defeats, from the past nine games.
With the play-offs scheduled to start soon, and with Saints set for fifth place unless Wigan slip up at home to Warrington in their last match, Saints may take the opportunity to rest some of their front-line players.
Bradford can confirm second place with a victory, and have looked much more the part in their closing fixtures. They have won four of their past five fixtures - losing only to table-toppers Leeds Rhinos - although they just squeezed past Warrington Wolves 28-27 last week after giving up a 22-6 lead.
Advertisement
For all that, they are the form team, certainly compared with Saints, and they look the likely winners.
Victor Chandler offer 5-6 the pair on handicap with Saints given a 16-point start. Take the Bulls to cover the spread.