I’ve had to rewrite this. I had all the pieces in place. A hopefully witty opening about how much we miss Super League. Some background on the expectations of both sides for 2025. A reminder to you about how exciting the recent clashes between Saints and Salford Red Devils have been. It was all set up.
And then Salford named their squad for their opening weekend visit to Saints this coming Saturday (February 15, kick-off 5.30pm).
It gives me no pleasure to relay to you that what looked all set to be a cracking game to start the season has been ruined. It has been a difficult winter for Salford. A winter of discontent if you will. Amid financial turmoil it had been widely expected that star names like Nene McDonald, Tim Lafai, Kallum Watkins and Marc Sneyd would be sold off to relieve the burden. Yet when a takeover of the club was completed by Swiss businessman Dario Berta it seemed that the day had been saved. Salford would be able to keep these stars, remain competitive and continue to entertain with their expansive brand of rugby.
They may still do that, but not this week. It turns out that the documents relating to the takeover have not quite been completed in time for this one. The upshot of that is that Salford remain under salary cap restrictions which prevent them from selecting a full strength side. Except the funny thing is they were able to name a much stronger side for last week’s 46-10 Challenge Cup win over Midland Hurricanes than they have managed for the trip to St Helens.
Ryan Brierley, Deon Cross, McDonald, Esan Marsters and Jayden Nikorima were among the regulars who helped Salford see off the Hurricanes but none of them will be involved this week. Clearly the Challenge Cup is a different competition so it may be that the same restrictions do not apply in the cup. But if the conditions are the same for both the Challenge Cup and Super League then what we could be seeing is Salford trying to goad the league into lifting whatever restrictions still remain, or else they are throwing a massive strop at the fact that those restrictions still apply.
Either way this is a pretty horrific way to start the season for anyone who can see beyond the fact that Saints’ chances of winning are now extremely high. But there are wider implications for the sport. This game is due to be shown live on the BBC. It would have been another great opportunity to showcase the sport on free to air television. Now it is very likely to look terrible to that audience, and more importantly to anyone within that audience who is new to rugby league. Blowouts aren’t usually pretty.
A near full strength Saints side are highly likely to put the proverbial cleaners through Paul Rowley’s side. We may see lots of tries and bucket loads of points scored but the competitiveness is very likely to be absent. Salford have effectively named a reserve side which I can only list with very little accompanying information. The only three players I have even heard of from their flimsy 17-man party are former Wigan forwards Joe Bullock and Tiaki Chan and ex-Leigh man Ben Hellewell. Quite what they have done to deserve to be included I don’t know.
It’s probably going to get ugly for the away side which raises all sorts of questions about the integrity of the competition. Saints have an unforeseen opportunity to give their points difference an immediate boost while presumably (and hopefully) other clubs won’t get that as the Red Devils’ paperwork is eventually sorted out. Points difference could be the difference between making the playoffs or not, between getting a home playoff or not, or even winning the League Leaders Shield or not. It’s a terrible, terrible look for the sport to have this happen, particularly on the weekend that the competition gets under way. Yet in many ways it is the most rugby league thing in the world. We probably shouldn’t be surprised.
What I can still tell you about are the 21-men selected by Saints coach Paul Wellens. The only real notable absence is that of Konrad Hurrell. The former Leeds man signed a one-year deal for 2025 and - when fit - will be expecting to start at centre alongside Mark Percival. For now the Tongan is out which is slightly worrying given that his involvement in last week’s 38-0 Challenge Cup win over the amateurs of West Hull was the first time he had featured since a 20-18 defeat to Salford on June 23 last year. A troublesome neck and spine problem kept him out of the latter part of 2024 and there have to be question marks about his consistency of availability this term.
Harry Robertson occupied one of the centre roles in the absence of Percival against West Hull and may do so again. Like Jack Welsby before him the talented Robertson has shown both an ability and a willingness to fill in at any of the positions across the back line. And do so with great effectiveness. Welsby should start at fullback allowing new signing Tristan Sailor to operate in the halves.
Jonny Lomax returns to the fold and is most likely to partner Sailor now that Lewis Dodd is in the NRL. George Whitby will be hoping that this is a genuine breakthrough year for him but he misses the cut despite the state of the opposition. As much as it is an opportunity to rack up the points it’s also a chance to protect anyone who Wellens thinks might need it. Thirty-four year-old Lomax is in that category but as the only recognised half he will surely start.
Tommy Makinson is now in France with Catalans Dragons so a competitive debut for ex-North Queensland Cowboy Kyle Feldt looks likely. On the opposite wing Jon Bennison could get the nod as one of Wellens’ trusted favourites but my hope is that the speedier Lewis Murphy - brought back to Super League after an unsuccessful stint with Sydney Roosters - will get a chance to display his attributes. In particular his pace, as that is a commodity which Saints have been lacking in since Regan Grace and Kevin Naiqama departed the club.
Up front there are options at prop with all of Alex Walmsley, Matty Lees, George Delaney, Noah Stephenson, Agnatius Paasi and Jake Wingfield included. The latter was another who featured at Sewell Group Craven Park last weekend but until then he had not played since a 60-4 win at Castleford on May 10. He could be like a new signing this season having only made 19 appearances over the last two campaigns combined. He’ll need to prove his fitness but if he can stay healthy he could be a big asset this year.
Looking a row further back Saints are now without the retired Sione Mata’utia and the released Sam Royle. That increases the likelihood of Matt Whitley earning a start although both Curtis Sironen and Joe Batchelor are available. Morgan Knowles starts his testimonial year amid suggestions that he will join former coach Kristian Woolf at the Dolphins in the NRL from 2026 but for now he’s still the preferred choice at loose forward ahead of the versatile James Bell. Moses Mbye is equally adaptable and will possibly continue to spell Daryl Clark at hooker.
The saga that is Salford’s salary cap issues pretty much makes this a gimme for Saints. The only remaining intrigue lies mainly in how Wellens chooses to line up, in how ruthless he allows his charges to be and in what has changed tactically with the arrival of Lee Briers and Eamon O’Carroll as assistant coaches. I’d be inclined to keep the foot to the floor and try to amass some serious points but that aim has to be balanced against the need to protect the players for what will be the sterner tests ahead in a long season.
It’s not quite in the circumstances we’d like but it’s good to have Super League back all the same.
Squads;
Saints;
1. Jack Welsby, 2. Kyle Feldt, 4. Mark Percival, 5. Jon Bennison, 6. Tristan Sailor, 7. Jonny Lomax, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. Daryl Clark, 10. Matty Lees, 11. Curtis Sironen, 12. Joe Batchelor, 13. Morgan Knowles, 14. Moses Mbye, 15. James Bell, 16. Matt Whitley, 17. Agnatius Paasi, 18. Jake Wingfield, 19. George Delaney, 20. Lewis Murphy, 21. Noah Stephens, 26. Harry Robertson.
Salford Red Devils;
Bardyell Wells, Ben Hellewell, Charlie McCurrie, Ethan Fitzgerald, Finley Yates, Harrison Hope, Jack Gatcliffe, Jimmy Shields, Joe Bullock, John Hutchings, Josh Wagstaffe, Kai Morgan, Logan Lagar, Lucas Coan, Nathan Connell, Sean Murray, Tiaki Chan
Referee: Jack Smith
Video Referee: Liam Moore
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