Super League Outright tips and predictions from Alex Hilton

The 29th Super League season begins on Thursday with a humdinger of an opening fixture when Hull FC meet bitter rivals Hull Kingston Rovers at the MKM Stadium.

Wigan Warriors are the reigning champions and favourites to lift back-to-back titles.

Alex Hilton’s Super League tips

Wigan Warriors to win the Grand Final @ 4/5
Leigh Leopards top-six finish @ 4/6
Bevan French top regular-season try scorer each-way @ 10/1

Odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and subject to fluctuation.

Setting the scene…

Wigan Warriors landed their first Super League crown for five years in 2023 and the champions will be determined to make sure they don't have to wait as long for their next title in the top flight of European rugby league.

Matt Peet's men edged out Catalans Dragons 10-2 in last October's Grand Final at Old Trafford, and they are 12/1 to make it back-to-back triumphs in 2024.

The Warriors ended St Helens' dominance of the competition - Saints had won the league four years on the bounce - and all the ingredients are there for the DW Stadium outfit to create a dynasty of their own.

St Helens are 5/2 to wrestle the trophy back off their bitter rivals, while last season's beaten Grand Finalists, the Dragons, are 12/1 to land their first Super League title.

Big-spending Warrington Wolves are 9/1 fourth favourites, with Leeds Rhinos outsiders in the market at 80/1.

Wigan Warriors to win the Grand Final @ 4/5

All the ingredients are there for Wigan to dominate Super League, with a top-class coaching team guiding a world-class squad brimming with experience and youthful exuberance.

Recruitment has been strong in the off-season and Wigan go to post next month arguably stronger than the side who won the title at Old Trafford last October.

Peet's men edged to glory with a 10-2 win over Catalans Dragons in the Manchester showpiece but points were much easier to come by in the regular season with the Warriors plundering 722 points in 27 matches.

The Warriors also boasted the best defence in the division and the rest of Super League will have a real job stopping them landing back-to-back titles for the first time in the summer era.

Only four teams have won the Grand Final since the competition was revamped in 1996 and it is hard to see anyone cracking the cartel any time soon.

Alex Hilton's tip

The Warriors look the team to beat on all fronts this year and the 4/5 about them winning another Super League crown looks a great bet.

Superstar backs Bevan French and Jai Field remain, scrum-half Harry Smith is a year wiser and Luke Thompson, Kruise Leeming and Adam Keighran have been added to a mouthwatering pool of talent. 

The Super League trophy looks set to remain at the DW Stadium.

Leigh Leopards top-six finish @ 4/6

Leigh Leopards were the surprise package in 2023 and they can build on their impressive campaign.

The Leopards made the most of their return to the top flight and shocked all to finish fifth at the end of the regular season, but the crowning glory was their stunning Challenge Cup final triumph at Wembley.

The Leopards lifted the famous old trophy with a golden-point victory over Hull Kingston Rovers and a place in the play-offs was also a welcome surprise.

Repeating the feat will be the biggest challenge to face Adrian Lam's men, but they should be able to prolong their season with another appearance in the play-offs.

Alex Hilton's tip

Recruitment has been muted in the off-season but it was a case of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it for Leigh', who exceeded all expectations last season.

The Leopards played with an attacking freedom in 2023 and it didn't let them down, so don't expect much to change this season.

Staying in the top six will be hard but not beyond them, but a run of one defeat in 14 games last season showed they can mix it with the big boys, and they are a force to be reckoned with on home soil.

A play-off place at 4/6 looks well within their grasp.

Bevan French top try scorer @ 10/1 each way

Bevan French topped the 2022 try-scoring charts with 31 tries and the Wigan Warriors superstar back could finish top of the pile in 2024.

French can play anywhere across the back positions and he looks to be back at his peak following several injury issues. He still managed to cross the whitewash 17 times last season and he looks a great bet at double figures to lead the charts once more.

Wigan were the joint-leading point scorers in their title-winning campaign last year and there should be more to come from the champions.

Alex Hilton's tip

French has scored 76 tries in 87 appearances since joining Wigan Warriors in 2019 and the pacey Australian can be expected to increase his phenomenal tally in 2024.

The 28-year-old supplied the most assists in a stellar campaign which also saw him land the Man of Steel award.

Expect French to feature once more when the awards are handed out at the end of the season, and the 10/1 that he finishes as the top try scorer in Super League looks more than generous with each-way terms of ¼ the odds for the first four.

Alex Hilton’s Super League tips

Wigan Warriors to win the Grand Final @ 4/5
Leigh Leopards top-six finish @ 4/6
Bevan French top regular-season try scorer each-way @ 10/1

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.