Back at the top of the Super League table following victory over Huddersfield Giants last time out, Saints face another tough challenge when they travel to Sewell Group Craven Park to face Hull KR on Saturday afternoon (May 4, kick-off 3.00pm).
It’s not exactly been a smooth ride to the summit for Paul Wellens’ side. Indeed, had Wigan scored one more point in Thursday night’s 30-8 win over out of sorts Catalans Dragons (May 2) then the Warriors would have replaced Saints as leaders going into this one.
It would be overly kind to suggest that the Saints attack has flattered to deceive. It’s absolutely stunk the place out with its one paced cluelessness. Yet that is currently being compensated for by a defence which gives up only just over eight points per game in Super League through the first nine rounds. A win here against a KR side which now has to be considered a genuine title contender would be a further statement that despite their flaws Saints aren’t going away any time soon.
Meanwhile Rovers come in off the back of an eye-catching 26-10 over a Wigan side which for some reason previously considered itself invincible. Good Friday doesn’t count because Chris Kendall. Or something. That win saw Willie Peters’ side climb to fifth in the table. They are now one of three teams sat just two points behind Saints, Wigan and the Dragons ahead of Salford’s visit to Huddersfield on Friday evening (May 3). The Robins have long been a tricky opponent at home for any of the top sides. Now they find themselves among them and consistently playing in top of the table clashes.
Involvement in those clashes is a prerequisite for any Saints coach. Wellens has made two changes to the 21-man squad which edged past the Giants last time out as he bids to keep Saints among the elite. The headline news is that Tommy Makinson is suffering from illness - thought to be chickenpox - and is ruled out. On the other side of the ledger Wellens has Lewis Dodd available again after a groin issue and Jake Wingfield who has been out with a shoulder problem since the loss to the Dragons in France on April 6. Sam Royle is the other man to make way besides Makinson.
The absence of the England winger has set tongues wagging about the possibility of a recall for Tee Ritson. He has not featured for Saints since last August but has been getting game time in the Championship with Swinton in recent weeks. If Dodd comes back in as expected it looks a straight fight between Ritson and Jon Bennison for that wing spot. Dodd would then renew his halfback partnership with Jonny Lomax while Jack Welsby reverts to fullback. The remainder of the three-quarter line should feature Mark Percival, Konrad Hurrell and Waqa Blake.
The news that Alex Walmsley could miss up to three months with hamstring and knee injuries was a hammer blow but it is still a fearsome looking pack. Matty Lees and Sione Mata’utia started at prop against Huddersfield and could do so again with George Delaney and possibly Wingfield in the rotation off the bench. Daryl Clark turned the game back towards Saints last week and has probably done enough to reclaim the starting nine jersey and send Moses Mbye back to the bench.
In the second row Wellens has to choose between Matt Whitley, Joe Batchelor and Curtis Sironen while still having the option of using Mata’utia there if required. Morgan Knowles starts at loose forward most often, backed up by the excellent and increasingly influential James Bell.
Peters makes minimal changes to his squad too. There is only the one, with former Parramatta Eel and one time teammate of Blake Tom Opacic returning to the fold. He replaces hooker Reiss Butterworth in the 21.
Peters appears to have moved on from the early season madness of lining up with Peta Hiku at fullback with actual fullback Niall Evalds pushed out on to the wing. The former Salford man now operates in his preferred role while Hiku has been playing at centre. With Opacic back in contention Peters has a decision to make in that position with former Wigan man Oliver Gildart also among his options. Joe Burgess will be comfortably the fastest man on the park on one wing and Ryan Hall the oldest on the other.
Mikey Lewis is no slouch either and continues to excite in the halves alongside former Catalans Dragons man and NRL Grand Final winner with Penrith Panthers Tyrone May.
Peters’ preferred front row against the Warriors featured Sauaso ‘Jesse’ Sue and Jai Whitbread at prop with Jez Litten at nine backed up by former Leeds Rhino Matt Parcell. Sam Luckley and Matty Storton both made the bench last week but one may make way if Peters chooses to restore George King to the 17.
We could also see the Batchelor brothers go head-to-head with KR’s James possibly butting heads with Saints’ Joe. Whitbread’s ex-Wakefield colleague Kelepi Tanginoa is among the second row options with Dean Hadley. Elliott Minchella is now established as one of the league’s better loose forwards.
Refreshingly there were only two meetings between the sides in 2023 with the home sides victorious on each occasion. Rovers won 26-14 on Humberside in mid-April while Saints prevailed 28-6 in the return in August. Ritson had made what remains his last appearance for Saints just five days earlier at home to Huddersfield. Saints’ last win at Sewell Group Craven Park was in March 2022 when a Makinson hat-trick, two from Mata’utia and a further score by Walmsley earned a 42-8 success. With two of those three unavailable Saints will need others to step up this week.
The red vee defence gives them a chance in any game but there has to be concerns about the already vulnerable right edge without Makinson. Warrington showed in their recent Challenge Cup humbling of Saints what can be achieved by teams which have speed and are prepared to chance their arm a little. I’m extremely loath to predict a Saints defeat. It’s something you’ll rarely see in this column. But the fact is that I have a bad feeling about this one. Rovers by 4.
Squads;
Hull KR
1. Peta Hiku 2. Niall Evalds 3. Tom Opacic 4. Oliver Gildart 5. Ryan Hall 7. Mikey Lewis 8. Sauaso Sue 9. Jez Litten 10. George King 11. Dean Hadley 12. James Batchelor 13. Elliot Minchella 14. Matt Parcell 15. Sam Luckley 16. Jai Whitbread 17. Matty Storton 20. Kelepi Tanginoa 27. Tyrone May 30. Leo Tennison 35. Joe Burgess 36. Jack Broadbent
Saints:
1. Jack Welsby, 3. Waqa Blake, 4. Mark Percival, 5. Jon Bennison, 6. Jonny Lomax, 7. Lewis Dodd, 9. Daryl Clark, 10. Matty Lees, 11. Sione Mata’utia, 12. Joe Batchelor, 13. Morgan Knowles, 14. Moses Mbye, 15. James Bell, 16. Curtis Sironen, 18. Jake Wingfield, 19. Matt Whitley, 20. George Delaney, 21. Ben Davies, 23. Konrad Hurrell, 25. Tee Ritson, 31. Noah Stephens.
Referee: Chris Kendall
Video Referee: Ben Thaler
No comments:
Post a Comment