St Helens v Hull FC preview
Hull FC head coach Lee Radford may have to turn to youth this weekend with Curtis Naughton, Brad Fash and Jack Downs all called into the squad to face St Helens on Friday.
The Black and Whites have made four changes to their squad for their next Super8s clash with Richard Whiting, Kirk Yeaman, Jack Logan and the in-form Steve Michaels all missing through injury. They join the experienced pair of Gareth Ellis and Leon Pryce on the sidelines, whilst starlet Callum Lancaster is also injured.
It means Fash and Naughton both return to the squad after featuring earlier this season, whilst Jack Downs is called up for the first time and could make his debut if selected. The Airlie Birds are boosted by the inclusion of Fetuli Talanoa though, who missed last weekend's match against Castleford Tigers due to illness.
Feka Palea'aesina also retains his place having been drafted into the 19-man squad last week to deputise for Talanoa.
Keiron Cunningham is not panicking after Saturday’s opening Super 8s loss in France, but has nevertheless vowed to ring the changes after some tired individual performances. Some players will be dropped for Friday’s home clash against Hull – a game Saints need to win to keep up the pressure on the top two Leeds and Wigan.
And coach Cunningham has warned under-performing players who do not up their game “won’t be at the club going forward”. Although Saints are still well placed in third, Saturday’s loss against a 12-man Dragons came as a bitter disappointment on the back of the previous week’s cup exit.
Having already dropped Jordan Turner for the trip to Perpignan, Cunningham re-iterated his view that reputation alone will not guarantee places going forward into the crunch Super 8 games to come. Cunningham said: “Some of those middles have not missed a game all year and maybe need a freshen up and maybe a kick up the backside won’t do anyone any harm.
St Helens: Jordan Turner, Josh Jones, Adam Swift, Travis Burns, Luke Walsh, Mose Masoe, James Roby, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Alex Walmsley, Mark Flanagan, Mark Percival, Luke Thompson, Greg Richards, Joe Greenwood, Matty Dawson, Andre Savelio, Olly Davies, Matt Fleming, Adam Quinlan.
Hull FC: Jamie Shaul, Tom Lineham, Setaimata Sa, Fetuli Talanoa, Marc Sneyd, Mickey Paea, Danny Houghton, Liam Watts, Mark Minichiello, Joe Westerman, Iafeta Palea'aesina, Chris Green, Jordan Thompson, Dean Hadley, Curtis Naughton, Jack Downs, Jordan Abdull, Brad Fash, Jordan Rankin.
