St Helens vs Wakefield Trinity: Kick-off time, TV Channel and Team News

St Helens host Wakefield Trinity on Friday night in a fixture whereby the four time consecutive Champions are hosting the only remaining winless side in Super League.

Many will see the game as a walkover for Saints but Paul Wellens was keen to avoid that talk at his press conference when he insisted his side weren’t looking past Trinity.

The suggestion that Saints were looking beyond this fixture came down a lot to the fact St Helens face Wigan in the Good Friday Derby next week, however Wellens assured fans that wasn’t the case.

“A lot of people in the game will look and see that there’s a team that’s not won a game and coming up against us and many people probably see it as a foregone conclusion but we just don’t approach it in that manner at all.

“We have to approach this with a real strong mindset.”

Kick-off Time and TV Channel

The game kicks off at 20:00.

There is no live coverage of the game but BBC will show highlights on the Super League Show.

Team News

Paul Wellens has made some changes to his squad for the fixture though, albeit some are enforced.

Ignatius Paasi was “grumbling with his knee” per Wellens who also hinted that young talent George Delaney could be called up the 21-man squad having impressed on dual registration with Swinton.

“In terms of our middle units we’re a bit depleted there so we have a young player who has been fantastic on dual reg in George Delaney who comes into the squad this week.

“He’s a real chance of playing if Ignatius isn’t right.

“George has been fantastic throughout the pre-season in the way he’s gone about his work, obviously when you have a dual reg situation it’s sometimes a bit different when you go and represent a different club.”

Wellens has now named his squad and he’s made two changes from last week’s win with Morgan Knowles returning from suspension and then McKenzie Buckley, a young forward, being named in the squad for the first time.

That sees Sione Mata’utia drop out following HIA protocols after he left the field early against Huddersfield.

Jonny Lomax could be set to make his 300th appearance for St Helens if he features.

Mark Applegarth’s side have been hit with plenty of injury concerns this season not least in their back line among their star men.

Full-back Max Jowitt and winger Lewis Murphy were both hit with long-term injuries and a recent move has just seen another young back, Corey Hall, sent to Hull KR.

In the swap deal Trinity acquired Will Dagger who will likely slot straight in at full-back for Friday night.

Despite Dagger’s addition Trinity only named a 20-man squad rather than the standard 21-man squad however loan signing Innes Senior is set to feature completing the 21.

There is a reappearance of Kevin Proctor which will be a boost for them however their other NRL prop signing, Renouf Atoni, is not named in the squad which is a huge blow.