Just over a year ago Huddersfield and St Helens served up one of the games of the season as a dogged defensive display from the Giants gave them a shock win at the home of the Champions. However, a year on and despite some major recruitment, a victory for Huddersfield would be even more miraculous as they look for a first league win of the season.
However, in defeat last week they may have found an attacking formula that could work for them in the absence of natural fullbacks Ash Golding and Olly Ashall-Bott who are both missing through injury. In the second half of their narrow loss to Hull KR Lee Gaskell operated at fullback and did superbly well. He should definitely start at fullback for the Giants this week. The rest of the line-up should be relatively straight forward as the Giants continue to cope with the absence of Joe Greenwood through suspension as well as Ricky Leutele and Joe Wardle through injury. Worryingly for the Giants there are also major doubts over both remaining centres Leroy Cudjoe and Jake Wardle.
As for the Champions, the main story for them is the absence of 2018 Golden Boot winner Tommy Makinson due to a foot injury which could see centre Kevin Naiqama move to the wing and Mark Percival return to fill the void at centre. Meanwhile, St Helens will also be without Matty Lees and Morgan Knowles through injury. However, Sione Mata’utia could return following a week out due to concussion protocols.
Huddersfield
6 Lee Gaskell
2 Jermaine McGillvary
25 Owen Trout
27 Sam Wood
5 Darnell McIntosh
16 Jack Cogger
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Luke Yates
19 James Cunningham
10 Michael Lawrence
11 Kenny Edwards
17 Chris McQueen
13 Josh Jones
Substitutes
9 Adam O’Brien
14 Matty English
18 Jack Ashworth
22 James Gavet
St Helens
1 Lachlan Coote
3 Kevin Naiqama
18 Jack Welsby
4 Mark Percival
5 Regan Grace
6 Jonny Lomax
7 Theo Fages
8 Alex Walmsley
9 James Roby
17 Agnatius Paasi
11 Joel Thompson
12 James Bentley
14 Sione Mata’utia
Substitutes
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
16 Kyle Amor
20 Joe Batchelor
21 Lewis Dodd
