Paul Wellens is optimistic that Mark Percival will be fit enough to start Thursday night’s clash against Salford Red Devils. The St Helens centre missed last weekend’s game against Hull FC through suspension after being hit with a one-game ban for head contact.
However, the penalty notice came after Percival was forced off the field through injury in Saints’ loss to Leigh Leopards. The centre had been struggling with an issue for some time prior to that clash at the Leigh Sports Village.
The suspension gave Percival the break he needed though, and after being put through his paces on the St Helens training ground on Tuesday, he has been named in the 21-man squad. Whether he’ll be fit enough to play, though, remains to be seen.
“He’s settled down a little bit,” Wellens said. “It was enforced.
“It’s allowed Percy to get himself right and he’s done some running on the field today and looked comfortable. I’m hopeful that will stay the same and he’ll be in contention on Thursday night, too.”
George Delaney picked up an injury in that Leigh game, too, and continues to be ruled out.
“He’s still got the knee injury he kind of reinjured at Leigh a couple of weeks ago,” the head coach added. “Let’s be sensible with players like George, we’ve asked a lot of him at times, he’s still only 19 or maybe just 20, but he’s at the very infancy of his career in professional sport.”
St Helens have welcomed the likes of Tommy Makinson, Joe Batchelor and Morgan Knowles back into the action in recent weeks, while Alex Walmsley has been included in the 21-man squad this week and is in line to feature against the Red Devils.
Asked if he had hopes of welcoming any more back in the coming weeks, Wellens added “Potentially in a few weeks Jake Wingfield might come back into contention, we’ll see how he progresses and Sione Mata’utia is another one who could come close in a few weeks’ time.”
