St Helens see return of suspended stars as Wellens names squad for Huddersfield

St Helens are set to face Huddersfield Giants on Thursday night and at the 21-man squad declarations, they’ve named just a 20-man squad.

The key reason for this is that Paul Wellens’ men are contesting the one game ban that was handed down to Morgan Knowles.

Knowles was charged with a Grade B offence of dangerous contact and was hit with a one match ban as a result of that.

Saints have now appealed this charge and as such named a 20-man squad, given Knowles is currently ineligible to play.

Should St Helens be successful then Knowles will assume his position in the squad and Wellens will have a full 21 to select from for Thursday night.

The club site confirmed the news.

“The Saints will be appealing the decision of Morgan Knowles’ one-match penalty notice received from the Match Review Panel following St Helens’ victory over Hull FC last Friday night. The loose forward was charged with a Grade B ‘Dangerous Contact’ offence for an incident that occurred in the 71^st minute of the game.

“As it stands, Knowles is set to miss Thursday night’s match in Huddersfield against the Giants.

“An independent tribunal hearing is scheduled for Tuesday night where the Club will appeal the decision. Following the result of the hearing, if Knowles’ ban is overturned he will be added to the squad declaration, but if it is unsuccessful another Saints player will be added to Thursday night’s team.”

As for the rest of the 20-man squad Saints have been boosted by the return of Sione Mata’utia and Konrad Hurrell, both of whom served bans following their loss to Leeds Rhinos.

The pair have served their two-match suspension and will re-join the squad alongside Will Hopoate who appears in the squad for the first time this season.

Ben Davies misses out after Wellens confirmed he would require five to six weeks away with an ankle injury.

Full Squad

1. Jack Welsby

2. Tommy Makinson

3. Will Hopoate

4. Mark Percival

5. Jon Bennison

6. Jonny Lomax

7. Lewis Dodd

8. Alex Walmsley

9. James Roby

10. Matty Lees

11. Sione Mata’utia

14. Joey Lussick

15. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook

16. Curtis Sironen

17. Agnatius Paasi

19. James Bell

22. Sam Royle

23. Konrad Hurrell

25. Tee Ritson

30. George Delaney