Saints v Reds: Teams
St Helens travel to Super League newcomers Salford City Reds on Friday without three key players.
Last Updated: 12/03/09 9:28am
St Helens travel to Super League newcomers Salford City Reds on Friday without three key players due to injury and suspension.
Samoa prop Tony Puletua misses his first game for the club because of a groin injury, while Lee Gilmour and Maurie Fa'asavalu also miss out.
Former Great Britain centre or second rower Gilmour is sidelined with a facial injury and England front-rower Fa'asavalu is suspended following a dangerous tackle against Celtic Crusaders.
Saints coach Mick Potter is able to recall loose forward Chris Flannery, who has missed the last two matches with an elbow injury.
There is also a call up for 20-year-old reserve prop Jake Emmitt, whose only previous Super League appearance was at Wakefield last season.
Injury problems
Salford coach Shaun McRae is also wrestling with a number of injury problems as he prepares to return to one of his former clubs.
Goalkicking winger John Wilshere has been ruled out with a knee problem and, with Willie Talau, Paul White and Dean McGilvray still on the sidelines, McRae has called 20-year-old former Wigan winger Andrew Thornley into his initial squad for what would be his Super League debut.
The Reds are still without scrum-half Richie Myler, who has a hand injury.
However, second rower Ian Sibbit and winger Mark Henry are set to return after sitting out last week's 48-18 home defeat by Harlequins.
St Helens squad: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Pryce, Long, Cayless, Cunningham, Graham, Wilkin, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Clough, Wheeler, Dixon, Foster, Ashurst, Armstrong, Emmitt.
Salford squad: Fitzpatrick, Henry, Smith, Cashmere, Alker, Stapleton, Sibbit, Parker, Swain, Turner, Littler, Leuluai, Paul, Jewitt, Ratchford, Adamson, Thornley, Nash, Sidlow.