London Broncos vs Warrington Wolves Predictions: Back Bateman on Sunday

Rock bottom London Broncos have a shot at back-to-back wins for the first time this season after a shock victory over Catalans Dragons last week, and at the Cherry Red Records Stadium on Sunday (15:00, Sky Sports+) welcome a Warrington Wolves side wounded by a home humbling against Hull KR.

The Wolves were well off-colour against the rampant Robins last week and will want a big response to keep pace with Rovers and champions Wigan – the only two teams above them in the table. You would expect this to be a big away win – but then again we said the same thing seven days ago when the Dragons came to the capital. Read below for my London Broncos vs Warrington Wolves predictions.

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Team News

London boss Mike Eccles makes two key changes to the squad as prop Lewis Bienek returns, and Papua New Guinea forward Emmanuel Waine is also included.

The two to make way are Jensen Monk and Jack Hughes.

The Wolves are without Josh Thewlis and new signing Luke Yates, with Ben Currie and Lachlan Fitzgibbon also dropping out of the squad beaten at home by Hull KR last Friday night.

Prop James Harrison was suspended last week so comes straight back into the squad and is expected to play. Toby King and Joe Philbin have been making good progress after injury and are both included in the initial squad.

Boss Sam Burgess also names a couple of youngsters for the trip to London. Centre Zac Bardsley-Rowe is named after impressing in recent weeks at Widnes, while Cai Taylor-Way is included along with another youngster Tom Whitehead.

London Broncos vs Warrington Wolves Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main London Broncos vs Warrington Wolves page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

The hosts are 10/1 to triumph on Sunday, the visitors are 1/28, and the draw is 28/1.

Handicap 3-way: Warrington Wolves -24 @ 1/1

This has been an ugly fixture for London this year, having already been walloped by the Wolves twice. A 42-0 defeat at Warrington in the Betfred Challenge Cup came just a week after a 58-4 thumping at home, so there is no real reason to think London can win this game.

Broncos fans will be buoyed by last week’s completely unexpected home win over Catalans Dragons – quite what is going on at last season’s Grand Finalists this season I have no idea.

But Warrington are a different beast, a squad willing to die for head coach Burgess, and with a point to prove after being outclassed at home by Rovers last week.

The one thing that makes this a little trickier to predict is that Burgess will rest some key players and give a few youngsters a chance. I don’t expect that to be a big enough factor to prevent an away win, but it may well affect the handicap.

I’m thinking Warrington win this by 20-30 points – which would be a closer game than either fixture between the two sides so far this season. Given that peculiar Catalans result last week I am therefore going to sit right on the handicap.

John Bateman Anytime Tryscorer @ 7/4

The try scorer market will be muddied this week by not knowing exactly what team Warrington are going to put out, but there is little value in any of the Wolves’ outside backs.

England international John Bateman made his Warrington debut last week as he joins on loan from the NRL for the rest of the year.

He didn’t get much opportunity with the ball in hand last week as Warrington were made to pay defensively, but there will be opportunities for the back-row forwards in this game.

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