What looked like a formality a month ago has been a long time coming with defeats at home to Huddersfield and Wigan in the Super 8s delaying the party. It’s still a tiny possibility comparable say to the reversal of Brexit or the emergence of a decent English opening batsman, but losses in their final three Super 8s games coupled with three Wigan wins could see Saints overhauled by the Warriors in a scenario barely worth thinking about. Yet a Hull FC side which has conceded over 100 points over its last two games and have twice been on the end of 70+ point thrashings in recent weeks will surely not be good enough to halt Saints any further. Will they?
Well, maybe it isn't that straightforward. Saints are still without several of their first team stars. All of Ben Barba, James Roby, Dominique Peyroux, Alex Walmsley, Ryan Morgan and Adam Swift missed the trip across the channel and of those only Barba is named in the 19-man squad for this week. The rest are ruled out, and while the question of whether Barba will step on to the field remains anybody’s guess there is possibly a doubt over Zeb Taia who picked up an injury in France also. Presumably that happened at some point other than that not so fierce clash with Greg Bird which sent the Dragons man flailing to the turf in the manner of a child in the sweets aisle at Tesco. If Barba does play the hope must be that he does so in a fashion closer to his early season form than his recent displays. Those appearances have drawn accusations of apathy and lack of effort from some quarters despite Holbrook’s insistence that the Australian star is carrying an injury.
Perhaps the doubt over Taia is the main reason that James Bentley has been brought into the 19. The former Bradford Bulls man has yet to make a competitive debut for Saints but could slot right in to the second row should Taia not make it. In addition Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook is out injured which will likely mean that Jon Wilkin or Morgan Knowles will be required in the loose forward position. It’s a strange world when you feel like the former London Bronco man will be missed but he has been one of Saints more consistent performers in 2018 and certainly has been a rare shining light during the recent slump even in his hair-raising cameo at centre against Wigan. Knowles started at hooker in France and did a fine job there before his late heroics but is not a natural ball-playing nine. Theo Fages could be the man for the job should Barba play and allow Jonny Lomax to move back into the halves from fullback. Or will it be Aaron Smith who enjoyed a quality debut in Perpignan even after being clubbed around the head by Sam Moa early on? There’s no doubt that Roby leaves a big hole in the Saints team but it is not as if coach Justin Holbrook lacks options. One of Fages or Lomax will partner Danny Richardson in the halves although another young halfback in Jack Welsby has earned his first call-up to the first team squad.
With Swift and Morgan out the three-quarter-line should consist of Tommy Makinson and Regan Grace on the wings outside of centres Mark Percival and Matty Costello. Up front Luke Thompson and Luke Douglas are the tried and tested alongside Kyle Amor, while youthful enthusiasm and no little dynamism comes from Jack Ashworth and Matty Lees. The latter was extremely unlucky to have a try ruled out for a double movement last week and has not looked out of place among Saints prop forward corps even if as a group they have taken some punishment of late.
Hull’s recent dismal form has been attributed by many to their lengthy injury list. That’s only partly true though, a theory backed up by the stern words of owner Adam Pearson who last week threatened most of his first team with the terrifying prospect of a trip to Doncaster should they not improve their effort levels. Lee Radford’s side are boosted this week by the return of England star and professional wind-up merchant Jake Connor. He may be handed a halfback spot alongside under-fire Jordan Abdul in the continued absence of Marc Sneyd and Albert Kelly. Connor may also be used in the backs but a three-quarter line of Bureta Faraimo, Carlos Tuimavave, Dean Hadley and Fetuli Talanoa looks good enough to produce a marked improvement in the black and whites performances even if Josh Griffin is absent. It really is all about their attitude. On the subject of absent Joshes they are still without Josh Bowden in the pack but in Scott Taylor, Danny Houghton and Sika Manu they have plenty of quality to trouble what might be a more youthful looking Saints group. Mark Minichiello, Mickey Paea and Joe Westerman are all side-lined however so there may be opportunities for Jordan Lane, Cameron Scott, Masi Matongo and Lewis Bienek.
Omissions on either side make this a more interesting clash than it otherwise might have been. Yet it is difficult to see Hull rising from their current slumber enough to challenge a Saints team that has not quite got its mojo back but is certainly showing signs that they can revert to being the dominant force they were before their Challenge Cup semi-final loss to Catalans in early August. The win at Catalans with so many regular stars missing is not an achievement that should be understated. In addition Hull’s chances of making the top four are long gone given that they have not won a Super League match since the end of June. It is questionable how much desire they will have should the going get tough early on. They are playing for pride only and don’t seem to have had too much of that in recent weeks. On that basis I’m going for a fairly comfortable Saints win, the margin of which might very well be dictated by whether or not Barba makes an appearance and if he does, which Ben Barba we see perform.
Squads;
St Helens;
1. Jonny Lomax, 2. Tommy Makinson, 4. Mark Percival, 6. Theo Fages, 10. Kyle Amor, 11. Zeb Taia, 12. Jon Wilkin, 14. Luke Douglas, 15. Morgan Knowles, 16. Luke Thompson, 18. Danny Richardson, 19. Regan Grace, 20. Matty Lees, 21. Jack Ashworth, 23. Ben Barba, 24. James Bentley, 25. Aaron Smith, 30. Matty Costello, 31. Jack Welsby.
Hull FC;
1. Jamie Shaul, 2. Bureta Faraimo, 3. Carlos Tuimavave, 5. Fetuli Talanoa, 8. Scott Taylor, 9. Danny Houghton, 11. Dean Hadley, 14. Jake Connor, 16. Jordan Abdul, 17. Danny Washbrook, 20. Brad Fash, 21. Sika Manu, 22. Jez Litten, 26. Jordan Lane, 28. Hakim Miloudi, 29. Masimbaashe Matongo, 30. Cameron Scott, 35. Liam Harris, 36. Lewis Bienek.
Referee: Chris Kendall
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