Wakefield v St Helens: Teams
Wakefield Wildcats take to the field for the first time since the sudden death of Leon Walker when St Helens visit of Friday.
Last Updated: 29/03/09 8:16pm
Wakefield Wildcats take to the field for the first time since the sudden death of Leon Walker when St Helens visit Belle Vue on Friday night.
Walker, the 20-year-old Wildcats forward, collapsed playing in a reserve team encounter with Celtic Crusaders last Sunday and was pronounced dead after being airlifted to hospital in Swansea.
Wakefield postponed their Super League clash with the Crusaders as a mark of respect but, after consultation with Walker's family, have opted to take to go ahead with the Saints fixture.
Walker's death comes less than six months after another Wakefield player, Adam Watene, died during a weight training session, while former players Don Fox and David Topliss have also passed away recently.
Coach John Kear has made just one change to his squad for what is sure to be an emotionally charged night in West Yorkshire, with Brad Drew the man to miss out and Sam Obst coming into the party in his place.
Youth
St Helens could hand a debut to promising 19-year-old Jonny Lomax.
Academy product Lomax, whose specialist positions are hooker and half-back, looks set to become the fourth teenager to make his Super League debut for Saints by deputising at full-back for Paul Wellens.
Wellens, one of a trio of internationals ruled out by injury, has a chronic knee problem but is hoping to delay surgery until after the busy Easter period.
"We're trying to nurse him through," said St Helens coach Mick Potter, who is also without out scrum-half Sean Long and hooker James Roby with leg and rib injuries respectively.
"It's another opportunity for the kids. Jonny had a knee reconstruction last year and we've eased him back at full-back with the reserves.
"His opportunity has probably come earlier than expected but he's a good young kid and he will acquit himself well."
Dangerous
Another teenager, Gary Wheeler, will switch to scrum-half alongside Leon Pryce, with former New Zealand international Francis Meli taking over on the wing for his first match of the season after being stranded in Auckland by visa problems.
Saints also have prop Tony Puleta back from injury and hope that England front rower Maurie Fa'asavalu recovers in time from the knock he took to his face during last Friday's 26-18 win over Leeds.
Former Catalans head coach Potter criticised the Rugby Football League's match review panel for their decision not to charge Leeds prop Ryan Bailey over the incident which led to Fa'asavalu leaving the field with a broken nose.
"Maurie has had to go to the hospital for a second time this morning for X-rays because his nose has not yet congealed," said Potter.
"Apparently you are allowed to hit blokes 'accidentally' on the head. I think it sets a dangerous precedent. It's a real issue for me that you can get away with that."
Fa'asavalu will have to pass a 'head test' before he can be cleared to face the Wildcats.
St Helens: Gardner, Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Cayless, Cunningham, Graham, Gilmour, Wilkin, Flannery, Hargreaves, Puletua, Clough, Wheeler, Fa'asavalu, Ashurst, Armstrong, Lomax, Emmitt.
Wildcats: Blaymire, Blanch, Martin, Atkins, Brough, Demetriou, Sculthorpe, Snitch, Wilkes, Grix, Obst, Henderson, Gleeson, Leo-Latu, Ferguson, George, Murphy, Bibb, Pitts.