One hundred and nineteen days after Jack Welsby’s Grand Final winning try (and 10 minutes after you’ve stopped watching re-runs of it) Super League finally comes back into our lives as Saints take on Salford Red Devils at Headingley on Friday (March 26, kick-off 6.00pm).
In 2020 Kristian Woolf’s side successfully defended their Super League crown that had been won under Justin Holbrook in 2019. Now they embark on a quest for what NFL aficionados call a threepeat. No side has won three successive Super League titles since Leeds Rhinos managed it between 2007-09. Woolf’s men start favourites, and begin the campaign with the challenge of his former assistant coach Richard Marshall’s new charges from the AJ Bell Stadium.
Saints have had only one pre-season run to speak of, a 25-24 loss to Leigh Centurions in Tommy Makinson’s testimonial match on March 13. A handful of key players missed that one with minor knocks but the good news is that the vast majority of them are fit to take their place in Woolf’s first 21-man squad selection of 2021. Only Morgan Knowles remains on the sidelines due to a thumb injury for which he has had surgery. Complications mean he could be set for a few more weeks out of action.
Though Knowles is the only current squad member injured he will not be the only one of Saints 2020 squad absent. Zeb Taia retired before opting to play at a gentler level in Australia, James Graham called time on his career while Dominique Peyroux and Joseph Paulo have made the move to Toulouse. In have come back rowers Joel Thompson and Sione Mata’utia from Manly Sea Eagles and Newcastle Knights respectively and prop forward Agnatius Paasi from New Zealand Warriors. Saints other major recruit - London Broncos prop Dan Norman - gets an early indication of how big a step up he has made as he has not made the cut for this one.
Reassuringly, the back division should look pretty much as it did last year. Lachlan Coote was one of those who missed the Leigh reverse but should return at fullback while Regan Grace should be back on the left wing. Makinson, Kevin Naiqama and the fit again Mark Percival should complete the rest of the back line with Jonny Lomax and Theo Fages in the halves. Lewis Dodd played three first team games in 2020 and is included. He may not get the start here but it surely won’t be too long before the 19 year-old is putting real pressure on Fages for his place at halfback.
Thompson and Mata’utia look to have the best chance of making a full debut in the pack. Paasi will hope to be included in a prop group that is led by the mountainous Alex Walmsley and also features Matty Lees, Kyle Amor and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook. Knowles’ absence means that one of either Mata’utia or James Bentley could fill in at loose forward. James Roby left the Leigh match in the opening minutes with a concussion but is available. Josh Eaves’ recent loan move to Leigh appears to have left the way clear for Aaron Smith to provide the regular cover for the skipper.
It’s a pretty strong looking outfit. So strong that Welsby isn’t guaranteed a place in the 17 and nor are 2020 breakthrough stars Dodd and Josh Simm or highly-rated back rower Joe Batchelor. Whoever misses out this week though will know that with 25 rounds planned between now and the October Grand Final they will get their opportunities as the season wears on. It is Saints strength in depth which makes them a leading contender to win it all again.
Salford cannot traditionally boast such depth and they suffered a further blow when coach Ian Watson made the move to Huddersfield Giants. The former Welsh international led Salford to the 2019 Grand Final as well as the 2020 Challenge Cup final. They may have lost both but Salfordians were nevertheless breathing rare air after years of struggle at the wrong end of the table. Marshall has head coaching experience at Halifax and knows all about what it takes to be a winner after those two title wins as a number two.
His first competitive Salford squad selection is shorn of two new signings in former Wigan winger Joe Burgess and ex-Toronto man Darcy Lussick but there are several new faces in the 21. One of those is former Saint Matty Costello, while Harvey Livett, Elijah Taylor and veteran Danny Addy could all feature. Morgan Escare has come in to replace departed fullback Niall Evalds who has joined Castleford. Dec Patton joins a group of halves that includes Kevin Brown and Tui Lolohea. There is strike in the three-quarters too with the excellent Krisnan Inu and one-time England regular Kallum Watkins joining Dan Sarginson, Rhys Williams and Ken Sio.
The side is led from the front by Lee Mossop, though the loss of Gil Dudson to Catalans Dragons may be felt especially with Lussick out. Sebastine Ikahihifo and Pauli Pauli will look to add impact value and in the back row Taylor will be a key. The rest of what should be a competitive squad is completed for this one by Elliott Kear, Jack Ormondroyd, Jack Wells, Josh Johnson and Ryan Lannon.
Saints and Salford met on the opening weekend last year. Back before Covid, when crowds were a thing at sports events, and before the world plunged into its dystopian new normal. On that occasion Welsby deputised for an injured Coote and shone in a 48-8 win that was probably Saints best performance prior to the game’s suspension. It might be closer this time but I still expect that powerful Saints squad to get them home by a couple of scores.
Squads;
St Helens;
1, Lachlan Coote, 2, Tommy Makinson, 3. Kevin Naiqama, 4. Mark Percival, 5. Regan Grace, 6. Jonny Lomax, 7. Theo Fages, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. James Roby, 10. Matty Lees, 11. Joel Thompson, 12, James Bentley, 14. Sione Mata’utia, 15. LMS, 16. Kyle Amor, 17. Agnatius Paasi, 18. Jack Welsby, 19. Aaron Smith, 20, Joe Batchelor, 21. Lewis Dodd, 22, Josh Simm.
Salford Red Devils;
Morgan Escare, Ken Sio, Kallum Watkins, Krisnan Inu, Tui Lolohea, Kevin Brown, Lee Mossop, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Ryan Lannon, Pauli Pauli, Elijah Taylor, Danny Addy, Josh Johnson, Elliott Kear, Harvey Livett, Rhys Williams, Dan Sarginson, Matty Costello, Jack Ormondroyd, Jack Wells, Dec Patton
Referee: Liam Moore
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