The Gentle Stroll Ends
It’s been easy for the last few weeks. Comparatively. Since defeat at home to Leigh on July 17 Saints have won four games in a row, conceding only 18 points in the process. But that was against bottom feeders Castleford and Huddersfield as well as top six wannabes Wakefield and Hull.
Now the level goes up a little. Saints face Wigan and Leigh in the coming weeks but start a much trickier run of games away to league leaders Hull KR. Somewhat remarkably this fairly plodding Saints side sits third in the Super League table going in. They are only two points off second placed Wigan, with the Warriors due to visit next week.
If Saints had looked like beating any of the top sides in recent meetings we would all be getting excited about the prospect of a top two finish. That brings a home playoff game leading directly to Old Trafford. But we haven’t so expectation is low throughout the fan base. Except on Facebook where any attempt to take some kind of realistic stock of Saints’ position and potential is met with allegations that you support Wigan or Warrington.
KR’s Reality Check
Rovers still top the table despite last week’s surprising 28-6 hammering by Leeds Rhinos. Wigan fans even gave the credit to their team for that, suggesting that it was always going to be hard for KR to get up for playing Leeds after they had shared hallowed turf with Liam Byrne and company six days previously. Back in the real world Leeds were just better on the night. They are improving quickly under Brad Arthur who has decided to postpone leaving them in a chaotic state of flux until at least the end of next season. KR were dominated that night which might offer a little bit of hope. On the other hand it might just have made Willie Peters’ men mad.
Top 4 Permutations
While I am not totally convinced about Saints’ top 2 or 3 prospects there is a very real opportunity to finish in the top four, thus securing a home playoff in the first round before the semi-finals. Saints and Leeds are currently both on 32 points with 16 wins from 23 games but Saints’ have a huge points difference advantage over the Rhinos. Where Arthur’s men have the definite edge is in the fixture list. They have Hull FC next and Wigan last but those two tough looking encounters sandwich matches with Huddersfield Giants and Catalans Dragons. Both those sides have had woeful years that recent wins have done little to mask. With Castleford at home for Saints on the final weekend as close to a banker as you can get they still must beat one of the trio of KR, Wigan or Leigh to get into that top four.
The Walking Wounded
So it’s a crucial stage of the season which means – as sure as Kyle Amor has ever been sure that anything sure is – you’re going to get injuries. We all witnessed Owen Dagnall going down clutching his hamstring in the latter stages of the Hull win, but none of expected Kyle Feldt to be ruled out with a head knock he sustained early in the game and which did not prevent him from continuing on the night. He complained of feeling unwell after the victory and has been stood down under concussion protocols. Meanwhile Dagnall could be out at least until the playoffs or even for the rest of the season after his hamstring injury was confirmed. Though if Jack Welsby’s early recovery is anything to go by who knows when we will see Dagnall again?
What Is Wellens’ Best Halves Combo?
For now it is inconvenient for Head Coach Paul Wellens with Lewis Murphy already out long term. He has chosen not to recall Jon Bennison from his loan spell at Widnes so we will probably see Deon Cross return on one wing with Tristan Sailor on the other. Wellens raised eyebrows when he withdrew Sailor from the action during the Hull game to accommodate Jonny Lomax from the bench. He doesn’t seem to know what his best combination of playmakers is with Welsby now fit again. He plays fullback even after Sailor moved there to great effect in recent weeks, leaving Sailor to scrap it out with Lomax to partner automatic Wellens choice Moses Mbye in the halves. Sailor got the nod to start against Hull but got the shepherd’s crook as Wellens explained that he needed Lomax’s experience on the pitch.
Dagnall’s misfortune has meant that Sailor was probably always going to be shunted back on to the wing where he has played three time already this season. All of which gets Wellens out of a dilemma with those halfback combinations, though he probably doesn’t see any upside in Feldt’s injury further muddying the waters. Mbye may be undroppable in Wellens’ eyes at the moment but he is running out of games having confirmed that he will leave the club at the end of the season to join Ipswich Jets. No, I don’t think it is that Ipswich.
Recruitment Ramblings
With Joe Batchelor firmly ensconced as a backup to the extent that I managed not to notice his entire cameo against future employers FC the pack sort of picks itself. Alex Walmsley retains the ground gaining burden at the ripe old age of 48, while Matty Lees does most of the defending among the front rowers. Darly Clark is the direct threat from nine and with Batchelor out of favour Curtis Sironen partners Matt Whitley in the second row with soon to be departed Morgan Knowles at loose forward.
There has been speculation this week that Sironen’s brother Bayley may join Saints from Catalans Dragons, a road trodden already by Whitley and potentially by Liam Byrne prototype Oli Partington if rumours are to be believed. Quite why Saints should be recruiting from a side that has stunk the place out in 2025 is anybody’s guess. Is this all the club can afford or has Wellens – or other recruitment influencers – seen something I haven’t in these players? It hasn’t been met with rapture by the fans, let’s just say that.
Rovers To Rate
Rovers come in without chief grub Jared Warea-Hargreaves in whose mouth butter would likely explode. Inevitably the former Sydney Rooster and New Zealand international is suspended. Fellow dark arts exponent Micky McILorum is also missing along with prop Sauaso Sue who was injured early in the defeat by Leeds. Yet there are still threats everywhere with ex-Wigan wingers Tom Davies and Joe Burgess joined by Man Of Steel annoyance Mikey Lewis in the backs and the likes of Jez Litten, Elliot Minchella, Kelepi Tanginoa and Rhyse Martin in the forwards. Leeds debacle or not, KR go into this one as favourites, particularly on home soil.
Craven Park - It’s Been A While
If Saints record against the likes of Wigan and Leigh is bad, the same can also be said about their fortunes against Hull KR in recent seasons. Their last win at Rovers’ home was a 42-8 success in March 2022. Saints would go on to win a fourth consecutive Grand Final that year. Eight of the 17 on duty for Saints that night can be reasonably expected to play some part in this one, but they face a very different Rovers side to that one, which was in the early stages of the rebuild which has taken it to the top of the tree, picking up a Challenge Cup win and making another final as well as a Grand Final along the way. This lot are the real deal. One off night against the Rhinos doesn’t change that.
Squads;
Hull KR;
2 - Tom Davies 3 - Peta Hiku 5 - Joe Burgess 6 - Mikey Lewis 7 - Tyrone May 9 - Jez Litten 11 - Dean Hadley 12 - James Batchelor 13 - Elliot Minchella 15 - Sam Luckley 16 - Jai Whitbread 17 - Rhyse Martin 18 - Jack Broadbent 20 - Kelepi Tanginoa 21 - Jack Brown 24 - Eribe Doro 25 - Bill Leyland 33 - Harvey Horne 35 - Arthur Mourgue 36 - Noah Booth 38 - Cobie Wainhouse
Saints;
1. Jack Welsby, 4. Mark Percival, 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, 19. George Delaney, 23. Jake Burns, 26. Harry Robertson, 27. George Whitby, 31. Leon Cowen, 34. Jake Davies, 36. Deon Cross.
Referee: Chris Kendall
Video Referee: Jack Smith
No comments:
Post a Comment