Saints v Wildcats: Teams
St Helens welcome back hooker Keiron Cunningham and centre Matt Gidley for the visit of Wakefield on Friday.
Last Updated: 17/07/09 10:09pm
St Helens welcome back hooker Keiron Cunningham and centre Matt Gidley for the visit of Wakefield on Friday night.
The former was not expected to be available so soon after undergoing a minor knee operation, while Gidley is expected to overcome a thigh strain.
However, coach Mick Potter must do without mumps victim Chris Flannery, while Kyle Eastmond has been included in the 19 although is also thought to have caught mumps.
Gary Wheeler is missing due to a calf injury that is likely to keep the 18-year-old out of action for around four weeks.
Bad memories
Wakefield will be looking to quickly erase the memory of their dramatic late loss to Leeds Rhinos last time out.
The Wildcats were in front 30-28 going into the final minute against the defending champions but Scott Donald's late try denied them at the death.
The defeat means Wakefield have not beaten their Yorkshire neighbours on home soil since a Stones Bitter Championship fixture back in October 1992.
Coach John Kear will be hoping his side can cause an upset against the current league leaders, who won 44-18 at Belle Vue back in March.
The visitors will definitely be without Frank Winterstein after the Samoan international suffered a broken jaw in a reserve match.
The 22-year-old may not play again for the Super League club having only joined on a contract until the end of the current campaign.
St Helens squad: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Cunningham, Graham, Gilmour, Wilkin, Roby, Hargreaves, Puletua, Clough, Eastmond, Dean, Dixon, Ashurst, Lomax, Emmitt.
Wakefield squad: Blaymire, Atkins, Peterson, Brough, Demetriou, Drew, Snitch, Wilkes, Grix, Obst , Stosic, Bibey, Henderson, Gleeson, Leo-Latu, Korkidas, Ferguson, Moore, Murphy.