It has been a wretched couple of weeks for Saints. First there was the shattering defeat to Warrington at Wembley in the Challenge Cup Final, swiftly followed by the furore surrounding Eamonn McManus’ programme notes ahead of last week’s 4-0 home win over Castleford Tigers. McManus was critical of the decision to appoint Robert Hicks as the cup final referee despite having not raised any concerns about it prior to the game. It all smelled a bit sour. If there was any good will towards Saints from fans of other clubs for the style of rugby that has seen Saints top the Super League table two years in a row it has all been evaporated at a stroke. A siege mentality now prevails with most non-Saints fans now desperate to see us fall so that they can unveil their repertoire of hugely amusing bottle and choke gags.
On top of all that, and something that has not received the attention that it perhaps should have until now, Saints confirmed today (September 5) that Matty Lees will miss the rest of the season due to the perforated bowel he suffered during the win at Leeds on August 16. Saints’ Open Sewer account was worryingly vague about a timeline for Lees’ return to action. His health is the main thing right now. All we can do is wish him a speedy recovery and hope that we see him wearing the red vee, or whatever God-awful variation of the design we see next, as soon as possible.
Against the backdrop of all this drama coach Justin Holbrook has to try to remain focused on making his final weeks at the club a success. He will be joining Gold Coast Titans at the end of the season and so these next few weeks represent his final opportunity to snare one of the so-called ‘big’ trophies. Many feel that he needs to do that to secure any kind of legacy despite the back-to-back League Leaders Shields. In many ways the last two regular season games are a lap of honour for the second of those successes, but the pressure is about to get ramped up once the playoffs begin.
Holbrook has made two changes to his 19-man squad this week. Lachlan Coote and Dominique Peyroux missed out last week but both return to the fold for the visit of Simon Woolford’s men. Jack Welsby and Joseph Paulo are the unfortunate souls to miss out, although the make-up of the 17 could be markedly different from that which took on the Tigers a week ago. Kevin Naiqama did not feature while Theo Fages also made way to give Danny Richardson another opportunity at scrum half. Matty Costello retains his place in the 19 but will do well to see off the challenge of Naiqama for a starting berth this week while Richardson again failed to convince that he should be the man to partner Jonny Lomax in the halves when the serious business begins again. Coote had a head injury which kept him out of action following his uncharacteristically bad performance at Wembley but is surely an absolute must at fullback if he is to rediscover his form in time for the playoffs. Coote and Tommy Makinson are among the eight Saints named in Wayne Bennett’s 29-man Great Britain squad ahead of the autumn test matches and the latter will likely line-up in his usual right-wing berth opposite the less fortunate Regan Grace. The Welshman has been sensational for Saints this season but Bennett has nevertheless seen fit to select Ash Handley of Leeds Rhinos instead. Mark Percival will again be responsible for supplying the ammunition to Grace.
Without Lees Saints will probably go in with all of Kyle Amor, Jack Ashworth and
Holbrook might not be the only coach involved in this game who isn’t around in 2020. Giants boss Simon Woolford has spoken this week about the pressure he is under to avoid relegation, accepting that failure to do so would likely mean the end of not only his tenure but could lead to job losses right through the club. His side earned a surprising but absolutely massive win last week when they saw off schizophrenic Hull FC, and now find themselves two points better off than bottom club London Broncos. Yet with the Broncos having very winnable fixtures against Hull KR and Wakefield in the regular season run-in the Giants need to scrap for every point they can get if they are to avoid slipping into the Championship.
Woolford’s squad has been under-performing all year and does not look, on paper at least, capable of getting on top of a Saints side that is still formidable despite their recent troubles. They have young stars like Darnell McIntosh, the Senior brothers and Matty English all capable of great things but with their youth comes inconsistency. A week before beating Hull FC they were pounded 24-0 at home by a Castleford side which could not find a way to score a single point against this Saints defence.
English is currently out injured while of the Senior brothers only Louis makes the 19 which has two changes from the one which got that vital win over Hull FC. Matt Frawley is out injured along with Aaron Murphy, so Tom Holmes and Adam Walne return to the fold. Experienced England star Jermaine McGillvary will be a key for the Huddersfield side as will former Saints Lee Gaskell and Paul Clough, back rowers Alex Mellor and Michael Lawrence and hooker Kruise Leeming. Their experience is vital if they are to help coax a performance out of the developing stars. You feel that the Giants are not far away from becoming as competitive in Super League as Wakefield and Salford have been in recent seasons but they need to avoid that drop to the second tier in the here and now in order to see that potential realised. As much as Woolford sees his future elsewhere if the Giants go down, several of those young assets may also be sacrificed if the Giants end up having to cut their cloth.
What may yet save the Giants is the inability of those below them, namely Hull KR and London as we go into Round 28, to earn the points they need. That still seems the most likely route to survival for the Giants who for all their youthful exuberance and ability to spring a surprise on any given day do not appear to be good enough to go to St Helens and beat a champion side still striving to silence the remaining doubters. For that reason I expect Saints to be a little more dominant than they were against the Tigers and to come out of this one with a win margin somewhere in the region of 20 points.
Squads;
St Helens;
1. Jonny Lomax, 2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Kevin Naiqama, 4. Mark Percival, 5. Regan Grace, 6. Theo Fages, 7. Danny Richardson, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. James Roby, 10. Luke Thompson, 11. Zeb Taia, 13. LMS, 15. Morgan Knowles, 16. Kyle Amor, 17. Dom Peyroux, 20. Jack Ashworth, 22. James Bentley, 23. Lachlan Coote, 24. Matty Costello.
Huddersfield Giants;
1. Darnell McIntosh 2. Jermaine McGillvary 6. Lee Gaskell 8. Paul Clough 9. Kruise Leeming 10. Suaia Matagi 12. Alex Mellor 13. Michael Lawrence 14. Adam O'Brien 17. Ukuma Ta'ai 20. Jake Wardle 24. 26. Sebastine Ikahihifo 27. Adam Walne 29. Sam Hewitt 30. Jon Luke Kirby 31. Louis Senior 36. Oliver Wilson 38. Chester Butler
Referee: Marcus Griffiths
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