London Broncos vs Wigan Warriors Predictions: Title defense continues for Warriors

On Saturday afternoon, the champions, Wigan Warriors, will face the winless London Broncos, aiming to maintain their perfect start to the new Betfred Super League season at the Cherry Red Records Stadium.

The London Broncos are undeniably experiencing a challenging season, far from the aspirations they may have envisioned considering their recent performances. Their struggles continued last weekend against Hull FC, marking their third consecutive loss in the Betfred Super League with a 28-24 defeat. Despite this, they face the formidable Wigan Warriors, the reigning league champions, who are currently in excellent form. Playing at home, the London Broncos are expected to showcase their best, exhibit resilience, and elevate their performance.

In a bid to strengthen their squad, London has secured the services of Reiss Butterworth, the Hull KR hooker, through a short-term loan deal. The 25-year-old, who earned the Player of the Year title in Betfred League One last year as Dewsbury Rams secured promotion, is set to join their squad for the next two weeks. This addition may provide a boost to the Broncos as they aim to face the challenges presented by Wigan Warriors.

The Wigan Warriors maintained their winning streak last weekend against Huddersfield with a 30-16 victory, this time on their home turf. This marked their third win of the season, having previously defeated Hull FC in week one and securing a triumph over the Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge Final. With four victories across all competitions, a win in the upcoming match could potentially bring them level on points with the current leaders, St Helens.

For the upcoming encounter, Wigan Warriors will see a couple of changes, with Junior Nsemba and Jacob Douglas stepping in to replace the experienced duo of Liam Marshall and Liam Byrne. Byrne, who missed the previous week due to a hip injury, might be replaced by the returning teenager Nsemba, who underwent surgery in the off-season. Additionally, academy product Zach Eckersley is included in the squad. Byrne is anticipated to be back in contention for the following week's match against Salford Red Devils.

In straightforward terms, the likelihood of the London Broncos securing a victory in this game is quite slim, despite their close encounter with a notable performance at Hull FC last week. The Wigan Warriors possess a significant advantage in terms of size, strength, experience, and overall skill. Therefore, the focus appears to be on how competitive the Broncos can remain in the match. Mike Eccles' team is known for their spirited play, acknowledging the formidable challenges they'll face in winning games this season. However, the close match against Hull FC last week likely provided a considerable boost, especially as they prepare to face Wigan in front of their home crowd.

Eccles may draw inspiration from the Warriors' last visit to London, resulting in a memorable 18-16 victory for the Broncos five seasons ago. Yet, ominously for London and the other teams, the current Wigan squad appears even more formidable in defending their title than when they initially secured it last October. I anticipate a determined performance from London, but Wigan is expected to secure a comfortable win, likely by a margin ranging from 26 to 30 points.