O’Loughlin confident Wigan can beat Huddersfield

The Super League play-offs begin in earnest with Wigan set to host Huddersfield. Odds-on at 2/7, the Warriors are overwhelming favourites to progress; however, the Giants, who are 11/4, have won on seven of their last 10 visits to the DW Stadium, including the 24-8 victory in early February.

Wigan lost just once more at home, as they went on to record a second-placed Super League finish with a flourish at the end, that included back-to-back wins against Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves.

Warriors captain Sean O’Loughlin, who was recently named in Super League’s team of the season is wary of the threat posed by the West Yorkshire outfit.

O’Loughlin, who is 11/4 with Coral to score anytime said:”They’ve been a bogey team for us over the last couple of years. They play well against us and we know we’ll have to play as well as we did in the last couple of games if we want to get a win.

“The last two games have both been like play-off games, where both sides wanted the result. They were both tough, physical games which are what the play-offs are going to be like.”

Huddersfield’s England forward Brett Ferres is determined that the team make up for last season’s disappointing performance in the play-offs.

“We were disappointed what we dished up last year but it’s a new squad, it’s a new season and we’ve been able to put a lot of things right that we maybe did wrong last year,” Ferres said.

“We’re looking forward to it. It’s play-off time and everyone gets excited at this time of year. This is what we’ve played all year for and it’s the time to shine.

“It’s nice to have a bit of form and we’ve certainly some confidence from last week. It was a must-win game and we came through the first test,” continued Ferres, who is 16/1 to cross the whitewash first.

“We’re battle hardened and I think we’re ready for play-off football. I think it’s the norm now at Huddersfield, we’re expected to be in the play-offs. I think we’ve crept under the radar this year but we’ve knocked off some decent teams.