Justin Holbrook’s side are the only team with a 100% record in Super League so far this term after their 26-0 victory over London Broncos was coupled with Castleford’s 24-10 defeat at Warrington. It means a two-point lead at the top of the table for Saints and an early chance to establish themselves as the team to beat this term.
To do that Holbrook has selected all but one of the 19 who were originally named for the win over the Broncos. The only change to the squad sees Aaron Smith replace James Bentley. Smith was drafted in from outside the 19 last week to start the match against Danny Ward’s side in place of the slightly niggled James Roby. Roby is expected to return this week but it will be interesting to see whether Smith’s promising performance has been good enough to earn him a place in the match day 17.
The back line seems fairly well established now. Scotland international and GB Lions tour candidate Lachlan Coote has been imperious at fullback so far since joining from North Queensland Cowboys, while Kevin Naiqama made an impressive return to the side against the Broncos having missed the win over Salford and all but two minutes of the victory over Leeds a week previously. Naiqama is joined in the centres by Mark Percival while Tommy Makinson will start at right wing opposite Regan Grace. The Welshman has this week penned a new deal with Saints until the end of the 2021 season and is the side’s leading try-scorer this season so far with four. He and Percival often operate as if they have just met, but between them they possess all the physical skills needed to create havoc in opposition defences.
Theo Fages has taken his opportunity at halfback particularly well, earning another man of the match gong in the win over the London side. Danny Richardson seems further away from a recall than ever as Fages’ halfback partnership with Jonny Lomax improves week by week. Expect those two to be at the centre of everything Saints create.
If Smith gets the nod to start on the bench then one of Saints many prop forwards will miss out. Unless there are any slight niggles this week the players to miss out won’t be either Alex Walmsley or Luke Thompson, so one of Kyle Amor, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Matty Lees or Jack Ashworth could find themselves in the stands or preparing to be part of Leigh Centurions' match day squad with Luke Douglas. Alternatively, Holbrook could go with four props on the bench against a physical Giants pack. That would be harsh on Smith who showed enough to convince me that it could be time to draft him in more regularly to help reduce Roby’s workload.
The back row is unlikely to change. Dominique Peyroux and Zeb Taia get through a lot of work between them and are a potent threat in wide areas, while Morgan Knowles is preferred at loose forward to Joseph Paulo. Knowles was questioned on these pages last week for his lack of offensive output but there can be no doubting his value to the side defensively. And since the side’s recent success has been built on conceding just four points in their last 200 minutes of rugby there is no reason to suggest that Holbrook would want to do without the Welsh international. Paulo will see action as his fellow forwards tire and perhaps when his greater ball skills could come to the fore late in the game.
The Giants earned only their first win of the season when they beat Wigan 14-6 last weekend, and as things stand Simon Woolford’s side sit bottom of the Super League table on points difference. The Danny Brough era is over in Huddersfield with the Scottish international now turning out for Wakefield, so Matt Frawley and former Saint Lee Gaskell are in charge of playmaking duties. Their backline includes exciting prospect Darnell McIntosh but is mostly reliant on more experienced campaigners like England international Jermaine McGillvary, ex-Saint Jordan Turner and former Newcastle Knights flyer Akuila Uate.
The Giants pack has experience in the form of Oliver Roberts, Joe Wardle and Ukuma Ta’ai while Woolford has added to his options with Suaia Matagi and given more minutes to youngsters like Matty English. Alex Mellor is another key for Huddersfield, as is Sebastine Ikahihifo and the veteran Michael Lawrence. Yet is looks a workmanlike forward group rather than an explosive one of the kind you would need to trouble Saints in-form defence.
The Giants were victorious when the teams last met in August. A McIntosh double and a Mellor try secured a 16-12 win over Saints who could only reply through Thompson and some truck driver from Darwin. Saints last visit to Huddersfield had an altogether happier ending for Holbrook and his men as they got up 26-12 last February. Jon Wilkin, Roby, Taia and Percival all crossed for Saints that night while Brough and Roberts were the try-scorers for Huddersfield.
With Brough no longer around it is hard to see how the Giants can trouble what has been a ferocious and miserly Saints defence in recent weeks. Holbrook’s side concede an average of only just over 11 points across their first five outings and we haven’t seen anything in Huddersfield so far this term to suggest that they have the firepower to significantly alter that record. McGillvary is the x-factor for the Giants. On top form he can rip apart any defence but with few really frightening weapons around him he is more likely to face a tough day at the office against the early pace-setters. Saints by 24.
Squads;
Huddersfield Giants;
1. Darnell McIntosh, 2. Jermaine McGillvary, 4. Jordan Turner, 5. Akuila Uate, 6. Lee Gaskell, 7. Matt Frawley, 9. Kruise Leeming, 10. Suaia Matagi, 12. Alex Mellor, 13. Michael Lawrence, 15. Oliver Roberts, 17. Ukuma Ta’ai, 19. Matty English, 20. Jake Wardle, 25. Colton Roche, 26. Sebastine Ikahihifo, 29. Sam Hewitt, 32. Innes Senior, 35. Joe Wardle.
St Helens;
1. Jonny Lomax, 2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Kevin Naiqama, 4. Mark Percival, 5. Regan Grace, 6. Theo Fages, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. James Roby, 10. Luke Thompson, 11. Zeb Taia, 12. Joseph Paulo, 13. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 15. Morgan Knowles, 16. Kyle Amor, 17. Dom Peyroux, 19. Matty Lees, 20. Jack Ashworth, 21. Aaron Smith, 23. Lachlan Coote.
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
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