2 weeks Ago
Both Saints and Leigh have plenty riding on the outcome of a game that has become a keenly fought derby since the Leopards’ return to the top flight and their re-incarnation as the Leopards. Last time out they thumped Saints 46-4 at LSV, the nadir of a Saints seasons that has gone in fits and starts and bedevilled by injury. A win for Saints, that seemed wholly unlikely a few weeks ago, would see then leap-frog Salford in fourth place and earn them home advantage against the Red Devils in the eliminator next week.
Defeat would see Saints squeeze in at sixth, on points difference over Catalans, and as a result would travel to Warrington in the knockout stages. Although final positions are significant, as are the advantages they confer, but so too is form. If Saints were to get a result from a tough Leigh side at emotionally-charged LSV then would send them into the play-offs with a bounce and give them an infusion of confidence missing for most of the year.
A defeat, though not fatal, would prick the small bubble that was inflated last week in the eight-try thrashing of an admittedly poor Castleford. It helps massively that Saints have some big-game players back on the field – and any team would look and perform better with Jack Welsby, Mark Percival, Tommy Makinson, Daryl Clark and James Bell et al on the park rather than in the stands. With Moses Mbye in the 21-man squad this week after suspension, Wellens has another big call to make on who to leave out given how well Jake Burns has played.
But if the former NRL is fully fit, his versatility, kicking game and big game experience may make the coach’s mind up. Leigh’s season has been like Saints’ in reverse having had their period of being decimated by injuries in the earlier part of the campaign. Once Adrian Lam got bodies back on board Leigh once again became the strong force we saw last year on the road to Wembley and have marched up the Super League table.
They are on the cusp of qualification again – but they need to avoid defeat by Saints to do so. A Leigh win would lift them into fifth and an away trip to Salford in the play off eliminator. A draw – unlikely these days - would see them sneak past Catalans and qualify on points difference.
Defeat would mark the end of the Leopards season – and a farewell to John Asiata, Tom Amone, Zak Hardaker, Ricky Leutele and Kai O’Donnell. That is another aspect that Saints must factor into tonight’s equation – and Asiata’s presence alone will make that tasty. It is a tough one for Saints – and they must be resolute, physical and be prepared to meet fire with fire without succumbing to any silliness or ill-discipline that could impact on the play-offs.
Leigh welcome back influential NRL full back Matt Moylan and tough PNG hooker Edwin Ipape into their 21. Leigh Leopards 21-man squad: Gareth O’Brien, Zak Hardaker, Ricky Leutele, Josh Charnley, Matt Moylan, Lachlan Lam, Tom Amone, Edwin Ipape, Robbie Mulhern, Kai O’Donnell, Jack Hughes, Josh Asiata, Matt Davis, Frankie Halton, Owen Trout, Ollie Homes, Keanan Brand, Umyla Hanley, Brad Dwyer, Darnell McIntosh, Aaron Pene. Saints 21-man squad: 1.
Jack Welsby, 2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Waqa Blake, 4.
Mark Percival, 5. Jon Bennison, 6. Jonny Lomax, 7.
Lewis Dodd, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. Daryl Clark, 10.
Matty Lees, 11. Sione Mata’utia, 12. Joe Batchelor, 13.
Morgan Knowles, 14. Moses Mbye, 17. Agnatius Paasi, 19.
Matt Whitley, 20. George Delaney, 21. Ben Davies, 24.
Jake Burns, 30. Jonny Vaughan, 31. Noah Stephens.
From that my 18-man selection – provided all fully fit - would be: Welsby; Makinson, Mata’utia, Percival, Bennison; Lomax, Dodd; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Whitley, Batchelor, Knowles. Subs: Mbye, Paasi, Delaney, Bell. 18th: Burns.
The game kicks off at 8pm with Liam Moore the man in the middle. Leigh 46, St Helens 4 (SLR19, 26/7/24). St Helens 12, Leigh 4 (SLR3, 1/3/24).
St Helens 22, Leigh 12 (SLR25, 8/9/23). Leigh 12, St Helens 10 (CCSF, 22/7/23). Leigh 20, St Helens 12 (SLR4, 10/3/23).
St Helens 42, Leigh 12 (SLR21, 26/8/21). Leigh 12, St Helens 22 (SLR5, 30/4/21). St Helens 28, Leigh 6 (SLR12, 28/4/17).
Leigh 24, St Helens 16 (SLR2, 24/2/17). Leigh 4, St Helens 78 (SLR26, 4/9/05) (at Hilton Park)..
