Castleford Tigers v Saints Preview

Saints push towards the League Leaders Shield continues when they travel to the Mend-A-Hose Jungle to face Castleford Tigers on Thursday night (May 24, kick-off 7.45pm).

Justin Holbrook's side remain top of the BetFred Super League table with just two defeats from their opening 15 matches. Their latest success came at Newcastle in last week's Magic Weekend when Saints overcame a dogged first half effort from Widnes Vikings to run out 38-18 winners. Yet Saints are still under pressure from Wigan who have also lost just twice in the league and boosted their challenge with a 38-10 schooling of Warrington at St James Park.

If it doesn't seem all that long since Saints travelled to Castleford that's because it isn't. A fortnight ago the Tigers hosted Saints in a Challenge Cup last 16 tie which the visitors won 36-18 to the absolute disgust of a traumatised BBC commentary team. This quick return to the home of Daryl Powell's side offers the Tigers a chance for revenge and remains one of the trickier hurdles that Saints will have to jump between now and the start of the Super 8s in August.

Holbrook has made just the one chance to the 19-man squad which travelled to the north east. Kyle Amor returns from a one-game suspension fussily handed down to him for a dangerous tackle on Oliver Holmes in that cup win at Castleford. That means no place for Matty Lees with Amor likely to join Luke Thompson, Luke Douglas and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook in the front row for Saints with Theo Fages likely to again get the nod ahead of Matty Smith to back up the incomparable James Roby.

The back row features in-form Dominique Peyroux alongside Zeb Tai and Jon Wilkin with Morgan Knowles starting on the bench.

Ben Barba has again been the subject of gossip and whispers this week. The capture of Kevin Naiqama on a three-year deal from Wests Tigers from 2019 has had many fans resigning themselves to 2018 being Barba's first and last full season in a Saints jersey. Yet the brilliant Aussie remains for now and will start at full-back. Barba tore the Tigers apart with a hat-trick in the cup meeting and it will be interesting to see if Powell has come up with any solutions since then to the problems that Barba poses.
Tommy Makinson left the Widnes win early with what looked like a hand injury but is fit enough to be named. If he starts it will be opposite Regan Grace on the other wing with Mark Percival and Ryan Morgan in the centres. Adam Swift stands by for an opportunity should there be any doubts about Makinson. In the halves Jonny Lomax should continue alongside the excellent Danny Richardson whose ears may have been pricked this week by news that England Knights will take on Papua New Guinea in two test matches this summer. With Marc Sneyd and Castleford's own Luke Gale injured Richardson may even hope to break into the senior England squad, but a run-out against the RL-mad Papua New Guineans will nonetheless further Richardson's education in the game.

Gale is the biggest name missing from the Tigers squad who come in on the back of a statement 38-10 massacre of Leeds Rhinos at Magic. It was a win which left Castleford fifth in the table, on the same number of points as Hull FC in fourth but with two potentially crucial games in hand over both FC and Warrington in third. There'll be no repeat of the Tigers League Leaders Shield triumph of 2017 but if they can get into the top four they will be a dangerous opponent for anyone.

With Gale out it is timely for Castleford that Ben Roberts returns, while Jake Trueman should be allowed to continue his development in the halves. That would allow Paul McShane to concentrate on being one of the better hookers in the competition and give Powell's side greater balance. Along with Gale Jake Webster and Joe Wardle miss out along with Greg Eden, with Michael Shenton possibly reverting to centre from fullback and Greg Minikin and Jy Hitchcox also featuring.

Up front McShane, Junior Moors and Liam Watts are an impressive front row along with the skilled Grant Millington. Mike McMeeken is an England second row and with the impact of Jesse Sene-Lefao and the reliability of Adam Milner the Tigers have a strong pack without even mentioning Holmes or last week's standout Alex Foster.

This is Saints first league visit to Castleford since Gale broke their hearts with that golden point drop-goal in last year's Super League semi-final. The stakes are high too, and though they have the cup win and a 46-6 pasting of the Tigers on the opening day of the season under their belts you get the feeling the agony of that September night at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle will be a useful motivational tool for Saints for a while yet.

This could be a tough assignment for Holbrook's men given the way the Tigers dismissed Leeds and the fact that the red vee haven't really clicked into top gear in recent weeks. Yet perhaps they're due, so I'll go for a narrow Saints win in the region of 6-8 points.

Squads;

Castleford Tigers;

1. Ben Roberts 2. Greg Minikin 4. Michael Shenton 6. Jamie Ellis 8. Junior Moors 9. Paul McShane 10. Grant Millington 11. Oliver Holmes 12. Mike McMeeken 13. Adam Milner 14. Nathan Massey 15. Jesse Sene-Lefao 17. Alex Foster 18. Matt Cook 21. Jake Trueman 22. James Green 24. Jy Hitchcox 28. Kieran Gill 32. Liam Watts

St Helens;

1. Jonny Lomax 2. Tommy Makinson 3. Ryan Morgan 4. Mark Percival 5. Adam Swift 6. Theo Fages 7. Matty Smith 9. James Roby 10. Kyle Amor 11. Zeb Taia 12. Jon Wilkin 13. Louie McCarthy Scarsbrook 14. Luke Douglas 15. Morgan Knowles 16. Luke Thompson 17. Dominique Peyroux 18. Danny Richardson 19. Regan Grace 23. Ben Barba.

Referee: Chris Kendall