How did it come to this? Playoff hopes go on the line when Saints visit Huddersfield Giants on Sunday afternoon (September 1, kick-off 3.00pm).
Saints have never missed the playoffs in the Super League era. They are the only club that can make that boast. But that proud record has never been closer to being spoiled than it is right now. Last week’s 42-6 home drubbing by Hull KR has left Saints in a precarious looking fifth place in the table. Leigh Leopards’ win over Warrington on Friday night (August 30) has created a distinctly gloomy situation for those of a red vee persuasion.
Saints ‘ seven losses from their last nine games is relegation form. Injuries, suspensions and a general air of tactical disarray don’t look like releasing their grip on the once dominant force any time soon in order to change that trajectory. If Saints do make the end of season bash it is likely to be due to the failures of those clubs just outside the top six to win enough games to force their way in. With Leigh in decent form and facing Saints on the last weekend of the regular season it could come down to whether Salford Red Devils or Catalans Dragons can eke out a couple of wins.
Huddersfield’s interest in end of season knockout football ended some time ago. The Giants parted company with Head Coach Ian Watson in July following a 48-0 drubbing at Warrington. At that point they had won just six of their first 16 Super League games. Having finished ninth in 2023 Watson and his processes were not visibly improving the side and so were basically dispensed with.
Former halfback Luke Robinson took over on an interim basis, a status he still holds. Since that battering at Warrington Robinson has led his side to just two wins out of seven. Last time out they were humiliated by Salford Red Devils as Paul Rowley’s men pulled off a 60-10 demolition job. For all that Saints are in miserable form the fixture compilers have at least given them a sporting chance of getting a much needed two points by sending them to Huddersfield.
I’m not sure if I was watching a repeat of a post game interview from earlier in the season but earlier this week I definitely saw Saints boss Paul Wellens threatening to make changes to the team following another debacle. The trouble is that short of rolling back the years and putting a pair of boots on the legendary fullback hasn’t got many experienced players to call on. The loss to KR saw Saints lose another key man as Tommy Makinson was sent off for a high shoulder on Tyrone May and subsequently handed a three-game ban. That was reduced to two on appeal but the winger is still out of the equation for this one and next week’s trip to Warrington.
Other than Makinson the only other member of last week’s 21-man party to miss out on selection this week is young halfback Will Roberts. Leon Cowen is restored but the most significant returnee is Morgan Knowles. He has missed the last two through suspension after he was yellow carded for a high shot in Saints’ last win which was against Salford on August 8. Expect him to go straight into the starting lineup at loose forward.
The Saints back line defended horribly against KR, particularly in the first half when they conceded 26 points without responding. In the process they made Joe Burgess look like prime Martin Offiah. Makinson’s absence weakens that defensive unit even further. Reading between the lines of Wellens’ pre-game comments Jon Bennison seems set to replace Makinson with Tee Ritson on the opposite wing outside of centres Waqa Blake and Jonny Vaughan. Harry Robertson is likely to continue to stand in at fullback for Jack Welsby. Lewis Dodd is still out so there’s every reason to believe that last week’s debutant George Whitby will get another outing alongside Jonny Lomax in the halves.
Bennison has not been seen in first team action since appearing as a substitute in a 14-10 home defeat by Warrington six weeks ago. Wellens has been vocal about the fact that there’s no guarantee that Bennison will even be at the club in 2025. With his contract expiring at the end of the year and since Saints have strengthened the backs for next year with the additions of Brisbane Broncos’ Tristan Sailor and North Queensland Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt there is every chance that Bennison will be elsewhere next year and beyond. For now he has the unenviable task of having to step in after a significant absence and make an impact.
It transpired that Alex Walmsley missed out last week after he injured his hip playing in his garden with his children. If he can avoid any similar mishaps between now and game day then his return added to that of Knowles should improve the Saints pack considerably. Sione Mata’utia was doubtful earlier in the week but has made the cut. Hooker Daryl Clark and back rowers Curtis Sironen and James Bell remain out. Clark’s role is likely to be filled by Moses Mbye with Jake Burns coming off the bench.
Mata’utia is another who is out of contract at the end of the year. It’s fair to say that what little has come out of the club regarding his future has not inspired any optimism that he will stay. With Konrad Hurrell another out of contract and Makinson and Lewis Dodd having already secured moves elsewhere there could be a raft of personnel changes at the club going into next season. Many have already expressed the wish that Wellens be among those who are not retained. I’m not in that camp yet but if Saints miss the playoffs playing his risk averse, Woolfball-lite brand of rugby his position could become untenable very quickly.
Any Saints fans who list getting angry about Jake Connor among their hobbies are going to be disappointed. The talent wasting irritant and ex-Hull man is out for the rest of Huddersfield’s meaningless campaign with a knee problem. Also out is Sam Halsall whose season has ended following surgery on a wrist injury.
There’s better news for Robinson with three players returning from injury. Halfback Adam Clune has had an underwhelming first season in West Yorkshire since arriving from Newcastle Knights but there are mitigating circumstances when you consider he has had to try and fit in alongside the combined chaos of Connor and Tui Lolohea. Clune could come in alongside Olly Russell with Lolohea reverting to fullback. After all, changes are likely after that shellacking by Salford and it isn’t that long ago that Watson proclaimed that Lolohea was the best fullback in the league.
Also fit again is former Saint Joe Greenwood. Given his promise as a young back rower with Saints Greenwood hasn’t quite kicked on in his career. A short lived spell in the NRL with Gold Coast Titans was followed by fleeting visits to Wigan and Leeds before a move to the Giants three years ago. Now more likely to be seen in the front row there is still a decent player in there if the 31 year-old can stay fit.
Elliot Wallis also comes back into contention for a spot and could challenge Jake Bibby for the opportunity to be a direct replacement for Halsall on the wing. Between those two Esan Marsters and Kevin Naiqama are the likely centre partnership.
The pack is still lead by the ageless Chris Hill. The veteran’s first Super League appearance was 19 years ago when he turned out for the then Leigh Centurions in 2005. After almost a decade at Warrington he is now in his third season with Huddersfield just a couple of months short of his 37th birthday.
Greenwood is one option to partner Hill in the front row as his another ex-Saints man Andre Savelio. The Jake Connor of the forwards, Savelio’s career has been a mixture of occasional flashes of brilliance mixed in with injuries and some pretty ordinary spells. It has seen him take stops at Castleford, Warrington and Hull FC after leaving Saints. Sebastine Ikahihifo, Hugo Salabio and Fenton Rogers are the other prop options with Matty English and Oliver Wilson out. Ashton Golding could continue at hooker with Kieran Rush and Tom Deakin the other specialists in the 21.
The back row features another age defying presence In Leroy Cudjoe behind the rather more youthful pair of ex-Canberra Raider Harry Rushton and Sam Hewitt. Jack Murchie is a long term absentee and Luke Yates has made an early getaway to Warrington. That just leaves Harvey Livett as an alternative although Greenwood and Savelio could both still operate wider.
There have already been two meetings between these two in 2024. The first - given everything that has gone on around Saints this year - feels like several lifetimes ago. Back in February there was a totally different aura around Saints as they produced a dominant display to hold the Giants scoreless at the John Smith’s Stadium. Saints won 28-0 on the same night that Liam Moore began awarding tries to Wigan for getting close as the Warriors claimed Saints’ world crown.
It was a different story in St Helens in April. Wellens’ side needed a late Lomax drop-goal to pull off a 13-12 win. Which if nothing else shows that this is a Giants side which is often terrible but which can put in a competitive performance when in the mood. That was a Saints side which included Hurrell, Percival, Clark, Bell and Sironen too. The Giants might just fancy it against what will be a weakened team whatever decisions Wellens makes with selection.
It’s not quite knockout football yet for Saints but if the Giants do front up and condemn their guests to another defeat then an unprecedented first Super League season without Saints in the playoffs becomes highly likely.
Squads;
Huddersfield Giants;
3. Esan Marsters 4. Kevin Naiqama 5. Jake Bibby 6. Tui Lolohea 7. Adam Clune 8. Chris Hill 10. Joe Greenwood 12. Sam Hewitt 14. Ashton Golding 16. Harry Rushton 18. Seb Ikahihifo 19. Tom Deakin 20, Elliot Wallis 21. Leroy Cudjoe 22. Harvey Livett 23. Olly Russell The FM Company 25. Fenton Rogers 26. Hugo Salabio 27. Kieran Rush 30. Aidan McGowan 33. Andre Savelio
Referee: Aaron Moore
Video Referee: Jack Smith
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