Newton's law

As steady as Wayne Godwin is, if Terry Newton can add his craft to the pack's graft, then it's the Bulls by a whisker.

Stevo
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WIGAN v BRADFORD
Live on Sky Sports
5.30pm, Saturday, Sky Sports 1

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Teams

• Bradford Bulls
• Wigan Warriors

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• Wigan v Bradford: Teams

We haven't seen Wigan Warriors live on our screens yet this season and what better way to assess their start than against the Bradford Bulls.

From what I have seen it has been a mixed start for Brian Noble's side. Of course they messed it up against Hull last week but before that they had gone quite well with two wins from two.

What losing to Hull will do to their confidence remains to be seen, but it looks like they will have the huge boost of having Stuart Fielden back.

We know he has had a tough time over the last couple of years and Bradford fans don't need me to tell them just how effective Stuart can be.

He was, I think, the finest forward in the world at his peak, and although he is going to struggle to get back to that level, his sheer hard work and ability to get over the advantage line will always make a difference to any side.

The Wigan pack will be better for having him back and they are going to need him because I can see this being a real battle of the big boys.

Noble is smart enough to know you can only mould something out of the clay you've got and he is not going to create that bullying Bradford side that brought him so much success, but this Wigan pack are big enough and strong enough to have a major say as well.

The partnership between Trent Barrett and Thomas Leuluai at half-back is looking solid enough and they, as well as Micky Higham will have noted one big flaw in the Bulls' game last week - their sluggishness at the play-the-ball.

Slackness

At times they barely got their first marker in place never mind the two and St Helens made them pay. You cannot afford to do that against anyone in Super League and Higham has the speed of thought and the willingness to make those darting runs and expose any slackness from Bradford.

Barrett loves nothing more than taking the ball off the dummy-half and sneaking down the blindside, so those Bulls had better be switched on.

I am sure Steve McNamara will have been working on that, but there are also one or two other questions for the Bradford coach to answer.

For a start, why on earth are we seeing Shontayne Hape out on the wing? This guy is a centre! And a class act when he plays there. And I am sure those Bulls fans will be wondering why they went out and got Ben Jeffries in, yet don't pick him?

Iestyn Harris seems to have lost that explosiveness he once possessed and as good a kicker as Paul Deacon is, without that thrust and turn of speed at half-back, a side is always going to struggle going forward. Maybe McNamara wants to keep Jeffries as a not-so-secret weapon on the bench, I don't know, but I am sure I am not alone in being baffled by it all!

Plusses

But there are still some big, big plusses for Bradford this season, even after last week's home defeat by St Helens. And when I tell you they are both up front, it might give you a nice little insight into what sort of game we are in for at the JJB.

I singled out Joe Vagana last week and he simply carried on his fine form. What is so impressive about Big Joe is not just how often he gets over the gain line but the way he attracts two, three, sometimes four tacklers and opens up those channels for the supporting runners.

The other man, or should I say boy, Wigan will be wary of is Sam Burgess. This kid's sheer effort is up there with Fielden and Jamie Peacock, but what I like about him is the defending side just don't know what he's going to do next.

With Fielden and Peacock you knew they were going to be heads-down, all arms and elbows, but they would be coming straight at you, a great weight propelled at a great rate.

Burgess can hand off, he can spin out of tackles and he can offload, which means as a tackler you don't know whether to go in higher than normal. Start doing that and you're off balance and before you know it, on your backside, and Burgess is away.

Wigan's pack seems to have gelled quite well this season and Fielden Gareth Hock and Iafeta Paleaaesina will have a big job keeping him under wraps. Noble will know he needs his forwards at full pelt to get one over his old mates.

Stevo says

Away win - There is one condition to this: Terry Newton being passed fit. If that arm injury he picked up against St Helens last week has healed and he is OK to steer and shunt Bradford around the park, then I can see them sneaking an away win. Wigan, Noble and Fielden will be desperate for the points and it does look like it's going to be one almighty head-on collision up front. But as steady as Wayne Godwin is, if Newton can add his craft to the pack's graft, then it's the Bulls by a whisker.

Stevo's star man

George Carmont - I haven't mentioned him so far, but he's a player I have heard very, very good reports about and I can't wait to see how he's adjusted to Super League. I've seen enough of him with Samoa and Newcastle Knights to know he is a class act at centre and a pretty solid performer - and that is enough these days. Bradford will know they have to keep tabs on Trent Barrett, but I'm looking forward to seeing how Carmont goes.

Bradford to win is 11/10 with Sky Bet. For a full list of match odds click here