Super League playoffs – St Helens v Huddersfield Giants
Big games require big-name players and St Helens will be cheered with the news that two of their key men will return for the Super League semi-final elimination against Huddersfield tonight.
England international Kyle Eastmond and promising youngster Jonny Lomax have both recovered from injuries, which at first viewing looked as though it would end their respective seasons. Eastmond missed the play-off win over Warrington Wolves with a hip injury, while Lomax has recovered from a quad injury that had kept him out for the last two games of the regular season.
Both will be looking to send St Helens to victory at the last-ever game at their Knowsley Road ground, as they are set to ground-share with Widnes next season until their new stadium is ready.
One man that has had many special nights at the famous old ground is Saints legend Kieren Cunningham, and the influential hooker is looking for one last glorious performance to send his side to Old Trafford. “I’ve had a long career at the club and I set myself a goal to be playing in a Grand Final at the end of my career and I’m delighted to be in a position to achieve that,” the 33-year-old told the club’s official website.
“We’ve got one more game in which we’re playing a very talented Huddersfield side. They proved against Warrington what they can do to the top teams so we can’t take them lightly.
“We’ll have to play as though our life depends on it because this is our last game at Knowsley Road and we don’t want to go out with a defeat.”
The man charged with putting a spanner in the works of the St Helens farewell party is Huddersfield coach Nathan Brown, who has led his side to within one game of a Super League final despite finishing fifth in the league. Huddersfield had failed to even win a Super League play-off game before this season, but a seven-match winning streak has given them a serious chance of becoming champions for the first time since 1962. The Australian has wasted no time in starting the mid-games with his opposite number Tony Smith by saying that the advantage currently lies with the Giants.
Brown told the club’s official website: “Two weeks ago, if someone had said you could have the week off, you'd take it obviously but I think you have an advantage if you play and win and come through injury-free because you keep your momentum going. There is nothing like playing and I think for us and Wigan we have a clear advantage over the other side’s this week.”
The Giants are likely to stick with the same line-up that defeated Warrington 34-22 in the previous round. Andy Raleigh and Scott Grix have been added by Brown to the 17 that featured last weekend.
St Helens go into the game as huge favourites but the Giants have already showed they can match up with the bog-boys when the pressure is on.
Expect a full-blooded affair under the floodlights at a rocking Knowsley Road.
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