First Utility Super League qualifying semi-final: St Helens fresh but Catalan Dragons in form
Thursday 2 October 2014 11:04, UK
St Helens welcome back prop Alex Walmsley from suspension for Thursday's visit of Catalan Dragons in the only change to the side that beat Castleford in their opening playoff tie a fortnight ago.
The French side have invested in a private jet this season but will surely bear some ill-effects of three long trips from Perpignan in as many weeks.
Saints will be refreshed after a week off following that win over the Tigers, but head coach Nathan Brown is not convinced that will give his side any great advantage.
"They (Catalan) were tired at the end of the game last week and they were tired at the end of the Leeds game but sides can come in as fresh as they like, if you maintain possession and carry the ball and kick-chase, you can make a fresh side look tired," Brown told the Super League's official website.
"If you don't maintain possession or kick well, you can make the most tired side look fresh. We made Cas look like they were spent in our opening play-off match."
Saints are still without their injured trio of playmakers Luke Walsh, Jon Wilkin and Jonny Lomax but they are boosted by the return from suspension of Walmsley.
Confidence
"We can go into the game with confidence but the reality is probably a lot of people are going to tip Catalans," Brown added.
"No one expected us to win the league leaders' shield when we lost Walshy - apparently everybody said we didn't win it, everybody else lost it."
Catalan head coach Laurent Frayssinous admits he has injury concerns over a few, unnamed players in his team but remains convinced that they can produce another play-off surprise and reach their first Grand Final.
"There are two ways to look at it," he said. "Some like to play week in, week out, and others like to have a rest. We will see on Thursday night which is the best way."
St Helens squad: Makinson, Turner, Jones, Swift, Hohaia, Masoe, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Soliola, Manu, Laffranchi, Flanagan, Amor, Wellens, Walmsley, Percival, Wheeler, Richards, Thompson.
Catalan squad: Escare, Pomeroy, Oldfield, Bosc, Elima, Henderson, Lima, Taia, Anderson, Mounis, Maria, Pelissier, Whitehead, Millard, Bousquet, Baitieri, Duport, Garcia, Williams.
Watch Thursday's game live on Sky Sports 1HD from 7.30pm
