Saints v Rhinos: Teams
Paul Wellens returns as St Helens look to gain revenge for their Grand Final heartache at the hands of the Rhinos.
Last Updated: 24/04/10 8:42am
St Helens are boosted by the return of Paul Wellens for Saturday's showdown with Leeds at the GPW Recruitment Stadium, live on Sky Sports.
Full-back Wellens has overcome a thigh injury to take his place in coach Mick Potter's 19-man squad.
Francis Meli is also available again following a hamstring problem, though Saints are still without centre Matt Gidley and Chris Dean.
Jon Wilkin has joined the duo on the sidelines after the England international was told he required surgery to solve a nagging shoulder injury.
With Wilkin ruled out for between eight-to-12 weeks and Wellens fit to return, Potter is likely to return Leon Pryce to his usual stand-off position for what is a re-run of the last three Super League Grand Finals.
It was the Rhinos who came out on top last year at Old Trafford, clinching them a hat-trick of titles and leaving Saints as bridesmaids once again.
Good run
Leeds have not found it easy going at the start of the 2010 campaign though, and currently sit outside the top eight in the table.
However the defending champions have managed two wins on the trot in league action and recorded an impressive 48-24 result away at Hull in the fourth round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup last weekend.
Coach Brian McClennan is able to name Ali Lauitiiti in his 19-man squad, though the forward may yet miss the game through injury.
The Samoa international strained a muscle in training before the game against the Airlie Birds and will be given the chance to prove his fitness before McClennan names his line-up.
Although they were forced off the field at the KC Stadium, both centre Keith Senior and forward Ian Kirke are selected.
Leeds - who also pipped their opponents to the minor premiership in 2009 - were beaten 26-18 on their last trip to St Helens.
St Helens squad: Wellens, Gardner, Meli, Pryce, Eastmond, Fozzard, Cunningham, Graham, Puletua, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Moore, Clough, Ashurst, Wheeler, Dixon, Fa'asavalu, Foster.
Leeds squad: Webb, Delaney, Senior, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Lauitiiti, Sinfield, Diskin, Bailey, Kirke, Ablett, Burgess, Ambler, Smith.