Saints v Dragons: Teams
St Helens will be without forward James Graham when they host Catalans Dragons on Friday night.
Last Updated: 09/09/09 3:52pm
St Helens will be without James Graham when they host play-off chasing Catalans Dragons on Friday.
England forward Graham is sidelined for the final match of the regular season with a shoulder injury suffered in the 18-10 defeat to Leeds.
Saints say Super League's reigning Man of Steel has failed to recover from the "chicken-wing" tackle administered by Jamie Jones-Buchanan
"The medical team have been working hard to get James Graham right for this weekend's game but he will be unavailable," a club spokesman said.
"He has damaged his rotator cuff tendon in his left shoulder which is causing more instability in the joint. This is a direct result of the chicken wing tackle."
Banned
Jones-Buchanan was handed a one-match ban by the RFL's disciplinary committee following the incident in the top-of-the-table clash.
The Rhinos' victory at Headingley means they only need to avoid a heavy defeat away at Salford to clinch the League Leaders' Shield ahead of Saints.
The home side are still without Chris Dean (hamstring) and Jason Cayless (shoulder) for the game at the GPW Recruitment Stadium.
Catalans Dragons head on their travels knowing only a victory will do if they are to qualify for the play-offs.
The French side suffered a 34-20 home loss to Wakefield last time out, a result that means they are now only just hanging on to eighth place.
Bradford - who travel to Hull FC on the same night - are just a point back while Warrington and Harlequins, who face each other at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday - could also overtake the Dragons with a win.
Coach Kevin Walters is without Jason Croker, meaning the veteran second-rower could have played his last game for the club.
St Helens squad: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Long, Cunningham, Gilmour, Wilkin, Ashurst, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Puletua, Clough, Eastmond, Fa'asavalu, Dixon, Emmitt.
Catalans Dragons squad: Baile, Bentley, Bird, Bosc, Casty, Duport, Elima, Ferriol, Gossard, Greenshields, Guisset, Martins, McGuire, Mogg, Pelo, Perry, Raguin, Ryles, Touxagas.