The first of two games in the space of three days awaits Saints as they host Leeds Rhinos at on Friday night (October 23, kick-off 7.45pm).
This will be the 15th league game for Kristian Woolf’s side, a significant figure in 2020’s Covid-ravaged programme. Fifteen is the minimum number of games that a club needs to complete in order to be eligible for the playoffs. A win in this one would be Saints’ 12th, giving them a win percentage of 80%. At that point they could theoretically put the cue on the rack. There aren’t four sides capable of bettering that win percentage particularly now that we have reached the at which clubs are opting not only to swerve playing their fixtures but also to dodge going to the trouble of rearranging them. So like a spoiled diva who has just discovered that her dressing room window is 10cm too narrow we might ask....what’s our motivation?
Well, it’s Leeds. And not just Leeds, but a Leeds side that has just come off the back of winning a 14th Challenge Cup. Their dramatic 17-16 victory over Salford Red Devils had the rugby league journalists salivating. They claimed that previously unpopular coach Richard Agar had now proved himself and that a return to the heights reached by the Rhinos 2015 vintage was inevitable. Which is an interesting point of view given that Leeds still sit outside Super League’s top four with a real fear of missing out on the semi-finals.
Woolf has made just the one change to his 21-man squad. James Graham is now free from his Covid quarantine and replaces youngster Jake Wingfield. That could see Woolf name a similar side to the one that brushed aside Wakefield Trinity last time out, with Graham coming in at either loose forward or prop. Depending on which way Woolf goes on that the starting spots held by Matty Lees and Zeb Taia look most vulnerable. James Bentley should nail down one second row place while Alex Walmsley and James Roby will complete the front row. Morgan Knowles should start also, either at second row or loose forward.
It is in the backs where Woolf has been discussing his selection dilemmas this week. He has spoken about how well both Jack Welsby and Josh Simm have done in relief of the injured Mark Percival at left centre. With Percival still out Woolf must choose between the youngsters again. Neither will let him down, though Woolf did also suggest that Welsby will be more likely to move around over the coming weeks due to his versatility.
The rest of the three-quarter line looks set with Tommy Makinson outside Kevin Naiqama on the right and Regan Grace in the left wing. Naiqama is free to play having escaped any punishment for his ill-advised decision to run over Wakefield’s Alex Walker last week. That group will operate in front of the incomparable Lachlan Coote at fullback.
That victory over Chris Chester’s side did give us a glimpse of Lewis Dodd in one of the halfback role. After originally coming on at hooker Dodd moved to stand-off when Jonny Lomax took a knock late on. Dodd grabbed his first Super League try with a little help from referee Robert Hicks, and it was encouraging to see Woolf this week suggesting that Dodd will get a start in the halves this year if all goes to plan. Whether it will be this one or not I’m not sure. Perhaps Woolf may prefer to ease Dodd in against Salford on Monday (October 26) after they have been softened up by their clash with Wigan on Friday. If Lomax has no ill-effects from last week expect him to start alongside the seemingly immovable Theo Fages.
Outside of that little lot the usual suspects vie for bench spots. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Kyle Amor must be favourites to make the bench although Dom Peyroux, Joe Batchelor and Aaron Smith will hope to feature. Jack Ashworth will not following the news that he has pleaded guilty to criminal damage and not guilty to theft ahead of a February trial for the latter.
There are some regulars missing from Agar’s 21 following his side’s Wembley exertions. Tom Briscoe, Konrad Hurrell and Ash Handley are rested and with Harry Newman out with a long term injury it will be a patched-up back division. Seven members of the cup final 17 do survive including Lance Todd Trophy winner Richie Myler. Ava Seumanafagai, Brad Dwyer, Robert Lui, Mikalolaj Oledzki, James Donaldson and Alex Sutcliffe are the others who will be asked to shake off the hangover. That means no Luke Gale, Kruise Leeming, Adam Cuthbertson, Alex Mellor, Rhys Martin or Matt Prior but another possible opportunity for the likes of Sam Walters, Jarrod O’Connor, Tom Holroyd and Liam Tindall among others.
Saints, who finally announced the signing of Luke Thompson from Manly Sea Eagles this week, look an overwhelming favourite to carry on a winning run that now stretches to nine Super League matches. The absence of key Leeds players will be a convenient get out for the RL press who have declared Leeds back to their Grand Final-winning best. Even they might accept though that the revival might have to go on hold for a week. Saints by 24.
Squads;
St Helens:
1. Lachlan Coote, 2, Tommy Makinson, 3. Kevin Naiqama, 5. Regan Grace, 6. Jonny Lomax, 7. Theo Fages, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. James Roby, 11. Zeb Taia, 12, Dom Peyroux, 13. LMS, 14. Morgan Knowles, 15. Matty Lees, 16. Kyle Amor, 19. Aaron Smith, 20. James Bentley, 22. Jack Welsby, 23, Joe Batchelor, 26, Josh Simm, 27, Lewis Dodd, 32. James Graham
Leeds Rhinos;
1. Jack Walker 8. Ava Seumanafagai 14. Brad Dwyer 16. Richie Myler 19. Mikolaj Oledzki 20. Bodene Thompson 21 Rhys Evans 22. Cameron Smith 23. Callum McLelland 24. Luke Briscoe 25. James Donaldson 26. Alex Sutcliffe 27. Sam Walters 28. Tom Holroyd 33. Jarrod O’Connor 34. Jack Broadbent 36. Corey Hall 38. Liam Tindall 39. James Harrison 42. Levi Edwards
Referee: Liam Moore
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