Threepeating, derby-winning Saints look to consolidate their position at the top of the Super League table when they visit Huddersfield Giants on Easter Monday (April 18, kick-off 3.00pm).
Arguments about player welfare continue to rage as all 12 Super League teams attempt to back up from playing just three or four days ago. Saints had a particularly physical if ultimately not very close encounter with Wigan on Friday (April 15) but coach Kristian Woolf has chosen to select a 21-man squad that is pretty much as close to full strength as he has available.
Woolf has made just three changes to his selection. The most significant of these is the absence of Lewis Dodd. The young half left the Wigan game before the end, since when there have been discomforting suggestions that he may have a long term problem. That would be a headache for Woolf who only really has Jack Welsby with any recent, quality experience of playing in the halves. For this one he could slot in at stand-off with Jonny Lomax moving to halfback and youngster Jon Bennison covering Welsby’s full back role.
Should that happen it may give Josh Simm a chance to re-establish himself in the first team. Simm has not featured since the humbling defeat at Toulouse on March 19. However, he played in every game before then in 2022 and was starting to establish himself in Regan Grace’s absence.
Another key player Saints must do without for this one is Morgan Knowles. The loose forward was knocked out of the derby after just eight minutes after an altercation with Liam Farrell’s shoulder and Saints colleague James Bell. It could very well be Bell who covers for Knowles as he sits out this one and very probably Friday night’s visit to Castleford (April 22). Alternatively, Bell could stay in the second row after an impressive debut on Friday, allowing Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook to move from the interchange bench to the starting 13 berth. The recall to the squad of Dan Norman and the inclusion of TV’s Kyle Amor is perhaps a nod to the fact that McCarthy-Scarsbrook could be needed somewhere other than prop.
All of the starting front row are retained so Alex Walmsley and Matty Lees should start. Ordinarily James Roby would too. Yet with just two clear days rest in between games might this not be the ideal opportunity to hold the veteran back on the bench and take a look at what Joey Lussick can do from the start?
Konrad Hurrell picked up a two-match ban for an alleged crusher tackle on Cade Cust during Friday’s win. He was unfortunate given that Farrell seemed to push him into a position from where it was very difficult to get Cust down to the ground without applying too much pressure on Cust’s head and neck area. The Tongan centre is free to play at Huddersfield however as the ban does not come into force until the next round of matches. Hurrell should therefore continue to partner Mark Percival in the centres with metre-munching, Super League top try scorer Tommy Makinson taking the other wing position. Will Hopoate was named in the 21 ahead of the Wigan game but did not feature and is again missing out.
The Giants will still be without Will Pryce who is serving a 10-game suspension for his horrific spear tackle on Hull FC’s Connor Wynne. Jake Wardle is another missing from coach Ian Watson’s back line while Theo Fages will not feature against his former club. A lot rests on Tui Lolohea, described by Watson as the best fullback in Super League recently, while in Fages’ absence the midfield strings are likely to be pulled by Jack Cogger and Oliver Russell. The back line could also include brothers Louis and Innes Senior. Veterans Jermaine McGillvary, Leroy Cudjoe and Ricky Leutele add further experience and quality to the backs.
Up front former Saint Jack Ashworth is recalled to the 21 and could feature in a pack led by former Warrington stalwart Chris Hill. Hill sent irony metres into the stratosphere this week by complaining about players feigning injury. Yet he remains a consistent performer and has clearly had a positive influence on a Huddersfield side which has lost just two of its first eight Super League outings in 2022 while also making it through to the Challenge Cup semi-finals.
Another older head is missing in the shape of Chris McQueen and Watson is also without Matty English. Luke Yates is inside the top 10 tacklers in Super League and will be key defensively. Hooker Danny Levi has been excellent since arriving from Brisbane Broncos this year. Like Ashworth, Joe Greenwood will be keen to get an opportunity against his former employers. Oliver Roberts, Nathan Mason, Michael Lawrence and another former Saint Josh Jones add further depth.
The Giants have won only two of the last 10 meetings with Saints. Their last success over the champions was back in March 2020 when Aiden Sezer kicked Saints to death and the experimental idea of using Knowles in the centres began and ended. Their only other success in the last 10 was a 16-12 win in August 2018. Only eight of the 17 on duty for Saints that day remain at the club.
Watson will be delighted with his side’s start to the season after what was a difficult first season in charge in 2021. However he will know that in order to compete with Saints the Giants will need to improve on their last outing. On that occasion the Giants needed two tries in the last three minutes to snatch a draw from the previously comatose and currently 11th placed Leeds Rhinos. Remarkably, neither side could find a golden point to win the game in the extra 10 minutes. It was only the second occasion that golden point has failed to produce a winner since it was introduced into Super League in 2019.
Both coaches will be hoping that it is not needed here. Not just for the sake of their nerves but for the wellbeing of their players during the demanding Easter schedule. Saints clearly have the stronger squad. The only question mark around them is in how they reshuffle without Dodd and Knowles and how that plays out. Funny things happen in Easter fixtures but I would still back Saints to come out on top by around 12-16 points.
Squads;
Huddersfield Giants;
2. Jermaine McGillvary 4. Ricky Leutele 5. Ashton Golding 6. Tui Lolohea 8. Chris Hill sponsored 9. Danny Levi 10. Michael Lawrence 11. Josh Jones 13. Luke Yates 15. Joe Greenwood 16. Jack Cogger 19. Adam O’Brien 20. Oliver Wilson 21. Leroy Cudjoe 22. Louis Senior 23. Oliver Russell 24. Oliver Roberts 25. Innes Senior 26. Nathan Mason 27. Jack Ashworth 29. Sam Hewitt
St Helens
1. Jack Welsby, 2. Tommy Makinson, 4. Mark Percival, 6. Jonny Lomax, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. James Roby, 10. Matty Lees, 12. Joe Batchelor, 14. Joey Lussick, 15. LMS, 16. Curtis Sironen, 17. Agnatius Paasi, 18. Kyle Amor, 19. Jake Wingfield, 20. James Bell, 21. Josh Simm, 22. Ben Davies, 23. Konrad Hurrell, 24. Dan Norman, 26. Sam Royle, 27. Jon Bennison.
Referee: Tom Grant
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