Paul Wellens had teased that there could be a ‘solution’ for St Helens in how they field Jack Welsby and Tristan Sailor and we’ve now found out.
St Helens host Hull FC tonight and both teams have now confirmed their matchday squads with the ‘solution’ for how to play Welsby and Sailor revealed.
Jack Welsby made his return from injury last week, coming on off the bench against Huddersfield Giants as he earned some much-needed minutes following his 11 weeks off.
During that spell, Sailor shifted to number nine with Welsby playing in his traditional number one role but Paul Wellens conceded mid-week to the media that there was “potentially” a solution to playing both men.
As for Hull FC, it had been confirmed that both Will Pryce and John Asiata wouldn’t feature after their injuries last week with the latter confirmed to be season-ending and the former very likely to have played his last game in 2025.
Both clubs have now named their matchday squads.
St Helens team news
Jonny Lomax is the man who has had to be sacrificed with the St Helens captain dropping to the bench where he will play the utility role, as Wellens decides to play Sailor in the halves.
The NRL recruit moves to number six with Jack Welsby starting at full-back in an otherwise unchanged back seven.
Curtis Sironen returns to the forward pack after he missed out last week due to a HIA and that means Joe Batchelor drops to the bench with James Bell dropping out of the squad.
St Helens XIII: Jack Welsby; Kyle Feldt, Harry Robertson, Mark Percival, Owen Dagnall; Tristan Sailor, Moses Mbye; Alex Walmsley, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees; Curtis Sironen, Matt Whitley. Morgan Knowles
Interchanges: Jonny Lomax, Joe Batchelor, Agnatius Paasi, George Delaney
😇 Your Saints lineup for tonight’s clash with @hullfcofficial in @SuperLeague!
Live Match Centre
➡️ https://t.co/DL6iosFM2R#COYS pic.twitter.com/0UXuxROHYz— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) August 22, 2025
Hull FC team news
Last week’s star man Zak Hardaker is moved to full-back and there is also a return for captain Aidan Sezer, who is partnered in the halves by Jordan Rapana.
Rapana is back in the squad and his return sees Cade Cust move to the bench as the utility. Brad Fash is the man tasked with replacing John Asiata at loose forward whilst Yusuf Aydin replaces Liam Watts at prop.
Ed Chamberlain returns to play off the bench whilst Matty Laidlaw is another handed an opportunity with Sam Eseh dropping out of the squad.
Hull FC XIII: Zak Hardaker; Harvey Barron, Tom Briscoe, Davy Litten, Lewis Martin; Jordan Rapana, Aidan Sezer; Herman Ese’ese, Amir Bourouh, Yusuf Aydin; Jed Cartwright, Jordan Lane, Brad Fash
Interchanges: Jack Ashworth, Ed Chamberlain, Cade Cust, Matty Laidlaw
Locked in. 📋🔒
Team News 👉 https://t.co/E8lZ9xqWRX
⚫️⚪️ #COYH | https://t.co/69MwiDLYU2 pic.twitter.com/5QC56d2U9C
— Hull FC (@hullfcofficial) August 22, 2025
