Woolf on selection headache at Saints

St Helens Head Coach Kristian Woolf has explained why the selection headache he is facing is a good one to have.

Woolf will be without winger Tommy Makinson for the next five matches due to suspension, while Mark Percival will miss two to four weeks with a muscle strain.

Saints have several young outside backs who will be competing to fill those positions, and Woolf says he’s pleased to have players pushing for those spots.

He said: “There is always a headache, if you want to call it that, when you make decisions about who comes into spots.

“We call them good decisions, because you would rather have to make tough decisions, than put someone there because they are the last choice.

“If you look at Jack Welsby, he played at fullback at the start of the year. He’s also played on the wing and also at centre. He can play in any of those positions.

“Matty Costello has played every position in the backline for Saints over the last few years. And he is the type player who can do that.

“Josh Simm is a guy we know has enourmous talent. It’s not a case of if he will play First grade rugby, it is when we can get the timing right.

“Any one of those three are going to do a good job wherever we put them, and that is what makes it difficult. It is just making sure we get the decision right this weekend.

“It’s a good headache to have, but they are always tough and you need to make them for the right reasons.”