Super League returns this week as deposed champions Saints host newly promoted London Broncos on Friday night (February 16, kick-off 8.00pm).
The offseason always feels that bit longer when your campaign ends with a painful defeat. There haven’t been many more ouch inducing in recent years than the semi-final defeat by Catalans Dragons at the end of 2023. With virtually the last act of an annoyingly stellar career Sam Tomkins sliced through a Saints defence which was fully sold on the idea that he was going to kick a drop-goal to break a 6-6 tie. The quest for five in a row ended, we’ve been waiting impatiently for Round 1 of the 2024 campaign ever since.
As it arrives it brings with it the visit of an unlikely Championship Grand Final winner. The vagaries of the playoff system have provided a scenario in which the team that finished fifth in the regular season have somehow found themselves among the elite. Yet not for long.
The vagaries of IMG’s grading system mean that London - ranked 24th in the new grading system according to our new strategic partners - will be heading back to the second tier for 2025 irrespective of where they finish in the table. This rather depressing scenario has the potential to make the game look very silly indeed should the Broncos end up anywhere but rock bottom. It’s unlikely, but the London side could emulate what Leigh managed last season as a newly promoted club - that is make the playoffs and/or win the Challenge Cup - and still find themselves escorted from the Super League premises like a Saturday night punter who’s had one too many. Their name isn’t down.
For now they’ll be focused on the job in hand so we’ll do the same. Saints Head Coach Paul Wellens has had to deal with a smattering of injury problems before naming his first 21-man squad of the year. Morgan Knowles was expected to be fit for this one but is being held back until next week due to a groin issue. Meanwhile Joe Batchelor will be missing for what is predicted to be a few weeks because of a collarbone injury.
Saints will also be without Moses Mbye. The man who came in towards the end of 2023 to replace Joey Lussick as the back-up hooker is still struggling with a knee problem. So too is Agnatius Paasi, who hasn’t been seen since John Asiata’s scandalous assault in July’s Challenge Cup semi-final. Mbye should return within weeks but the prognosis for former New Zealand Warriors prop Paasi seems less certain.
With no Mbye and with James Roby now retired the inclusion of Daryl Clark takes on even greater importance. Clark joins Saints after almost a decade at Warrington and is one of three new recruits set for a competitive debut. Centre Waqa Blake has arrived from Parramatta Eels and should start while locally born ex-Catalans Dragons back rower Matt Whitley could also feature.
With Knowles and Paasi out and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook having joined Roby in calling time on his playing days, one of Saints’ legion of back rowers may have to step into the front row. That won’t be Whitley, but if Sione Mata’utia gets the gig then the ex-Widnes man could get a start alongside Curtis Sironen with Batchelor out. James Bell should fill the loose forward role.
Matty Lees is back in contention having missed pre-season friendlies with Swinton and Salford. He and Alex Walmsley are the front line props but last year’s breakout star George Delaney could also rotate into that role along with Mata’utia. Jake Wingfield missed much of last season through injury but his versatility could prove useful with a couple of pack stars out.
There are fewer problems in the backs. Wellens did express some concerns earlier in the week about Mark Percival but the centre is included. He’s also celebrating a two-year extension to his contract which will keep him at the club until the end of 2026. If he is fully fit we should see him hold down one centre spot with with either Blake or Konrad Hurrell occupying the other. Blake could also be utilised as a winger, otherwise expect Jon Bennison to continue in a role he fulfilled so well in 2023. He certainly seems to be ahead of Tee Ritson in the current pecking order.
Jonny Lomax has taken over the captaincy from Roby and is also one of the main creative sparks in the side alongside halfback Lewis Dodd.
The Broncos would be well served to treat this season as one in which they have nothing to lose. Individually, maybe the players will be motivated by the opportunity to show prospective Super League suitors that they can perform at the top level. For the moment there isn’t a huge amount of Super League experience within their ranks while in ‘it doesn’t rain but it pours’ news they have already lost fullback Josh Rourke and hooker Bill Leyland to long term injuries before a ball is kicked.
Alex Walker is unavailable so perhaps former Hull FC man Hakim Miloudi could play at fullback with Illies Macani and new signing Lee Kershaw on the wings. Jarred Bassett, Robbie Storey and Dan Hoyes provide the centre options.
In the halves Italian international Jack Campagnolo is set for a debut with the returning James Meadows likely to partner him after two seasons at Batley.
In the pack Rob Butler and Rhys Kennedy offer front row experience while Sam Davis is the dummy half. Behind those three captain Will Lovell, Marcus Stock, Emmanuel Waine and Dean Parata could all feature,
London haven’t been in Super League since 2019 so there is no real recent form between these two to consider. Four years ago the Broncos beat Saints twice at home, prevailing 23-22 in June and 32-12 in July that year. Yet they got no change out of their last visit to St Helens, going down 26-0 as Justin Holbrook’s side went on to claim the first of what would be four Grand Final wins in a row for the red vee.
This latest meeting looks a foregone conclusion. A question not of whether Saints will start 2024 with a win but by how many. And the Broncos will not measure the success of their solitary season in the top flight - for now - by how they fare against the division’s serial winners. In that sense it’s a free hit for Mike Eccles’ men, but they will do well to get within 30 points of what should be a charged up Saints outfit playing in front of their own fans.
Squads;
St Helens;
1.Jack Welsby, 2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Waqa Blake, 4. Mark Percival, 5. Jon Bennison, 6. Jonny Lomax, 7. Lewis Dodd, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. Daryl Clark, 10. Matty Lees, 11. Sione Mata’utia, 15. James Bell, 16. Curtis Sironen, 18. Jake Wingfield, 19. Matt Whitley, 20. George Delaney, 21. Ben Davies, 22. Sam Royle, 23. Konrad Hurrell, 24. Jake Burns, 25. Tee Ritson.
London Broncos;
3. Jarred Bassett 4. Hakim Miloudi 5. Illies Macani 6. Jack Campagnoli 7. James Meadows 8. Rob Butler 9. Sam Davis 11. Will Lovell 13. Dean Parata 15. Marcus Stock 16. Jordan Williams 17. Sadiq Adebiyi 18. Emmanuel Waine 19. Rhys Kennedy 20. Oli Leyland 21. Robbie Storey 24. Matt Davies 26. Jensen Monk 27. Dan Hoyes 28. Jack Hughes. Lee Kershaw
Referee: James Vella
No comments:
Post a Comment