We’re almost there. The First Utility Super League is almost upon us, with the 2013 Grand-Final winners taking on the 2013 League Leaders in the first game of the Super League 2014. It could be one of the best games of the year, even though it’s only round 1, with Huddersfield Giants who will want to kick off their season with a win against the Wigan Warriors, who are weeks away from the World Club Challenge. This game is a week before any other games in the Super League due to Wigan’s departure to Australia for the World Club Challenge against the Sydney Roosters.
Matt Bowen will most-likely be playing his first Super League game and will want to impress the Wigan Warriors and Super League fans. Bowen is very experienced and can handle pressure and this will be vital in such a big, opening game. Bowen scored 130 tries for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL in 270 games. He has also represented Australia and has played for Queensland in the State of Origin. He is definitely one of Wigan’s most vital, skilful players this year and is one of their best signings for 2014. He will be trying to poke his way through any gap that he can find and will do all he can to get Wigan Warriors the first points on the score board.
Man of Steel, Danny Brough will be looking to continue his success from 2013 Super League and the Rugby League World Cup (in which he represented Scotland) into 2014 and will most certainly do all he can to start of the Giants’ 2014 campaign with a win over Wigan. Danny Brough made an outstanding 32 try-assists in the 2013 Super League Season but he could also be Giants’ defensive weak spot as he also missed a total of 61 tackles last season, and so will certainly be a player Wigan will target in both attack and defence.
Both sides have signed a good amount of players for 2014 and these new boys will want to impress. If Jodie Broughton gets picked for the starting 13, he will want to impress at his new club and he will be shouting for the ball every time it comes near him. Wigan have signed a lot of impressive players, with 5 new Forwards being amongst them, Bateman, Pettybourne, Clubb, Hopkins and Jordan James and if any of these get into the starting 17 they will run hard, tackle hard and will put 100% into the game.
It will be battle of the forwards, with opposites Eorl Crabtree and Scott Taylor and Brett Ferres and Liam Farrell having the chances of being on the pitch all at once. Each of these will make huge runs for their club and will want to put everything into each tackle and make sure they are not broken by the opposition through the middle. Hookers McIlorum and Lunt will also be looking for the weak spots in the oppositions’ defence and will be trying hard to win their side good field position with every run they take in and they will also be taking every chance they get to win their side a penalty, as that’s what good Hookers do.
There will be a showcase of talent on show in the Super League Opener and it will be a game that no Rugby League fan will want to miss. I’m going to go with a Wigan win, by 22-16. It’ll be a very close game.
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