St Helens v Catalans: Squads Announced

St Helens and Catalans have both announced their 21-man squads for Friday night’s Super League semi-final play-off fixture at the Totally Wicked Stadium (KO 7:45pm).

The winner will progress to the Grand Final, where they will face the winner of Thursday’s clash between Wigan and Hull FC to be crowned Super League champions.

Saints are the freshest team still involved in the competition, with their last game coming three weeks ago in a 18-6 defeat to Wigan.

They will be determined to retain their league title crown, despite losing out on the League Leaders Shield to the Warriors.

Catalans, on the other hand, come into the game on the back of a brutal elimination play-off against Leeds last week, but have played the least games of any Super League team in 2020, with Friday’s match set to be just their 17th competitive encounter.

St Helens

England and Great Britain prop Alex Walmsley returns for Saints after missing the game against Warriors. He replaces Joseph Paulo, while Aaron Smith and Joe Batchelor are also recalled in place of Josh Eaves and Jake Wingfield. Zeb Taia, Dominique Peyroux and James Graham will all make their final home appearances for the club if named in the matchday 17.

21-man squad: 1 Lachlan Coote, 2 Tom Makinson, 3 Kevin Naiqama, 5 Regan Grace, 6 Jonny Lomax, 7 Theo Fages, 8 Alex Walmsley, 9 James Roby, 11 Zeb Taia, 12 Dominique Peyroux, 13 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 14 Morgan Knowles, 15 Matty Lees, 16 Kyle Amor, 19 Aaron Smith, 20 James Bentley, 22 Jack Welsby, 23 Joe Batchelor, 26 Josh Simm, 27 Lewis Dodd, 32 James Graham.

Catalans Dragons

Steve McNamara is forced to make changes after losing Michael McIlorum and Joel Tomkins to lengthy suspensions. They are replaced directly by hooker Alrix Da Costa and back rower Benjamin Jullien.

21-man squad: 1 David Mead, 3 Samisoni Langi, 4 Israel Folau, 5 Fouad Yaha, 6 James Maloney, 7 Josh Drinkwater, 8 Remi Casty, 10 Sam Moa, 11 Matt Whitley, 13 Benjamin Garcia, 14 Julian Bousquet, 15 Mickael Simon, 16 Tom Davies, 17 Benjamin Jullien, 18 Alrix Da Costa, 19 Mickael Goudemand, 21 Paul Seguier, 24 Jason Baitieri, 25 Arthur Morgue, 28 Sam Kasiano, 29 Sam Tomkins.