St Helens and Catalans face each other on Sunday after a successful Easter for both sides.
TEAM FORM GUIDE
St Helens
Saints sit at the top of the table and in all honesty nobody looks like catching them at the moment. They have won 11 of 12 games and are only looking better each week after pummelling Hull FC 68-14 on Easter Monday.
Catalans Dragons
Catalans are the definition of inconsistent and they are really hard to predict. They however put in two strong performances over the Easter weekend and will look to make it three on the trot.
SQUAD NEWS
St Helens
Easter did come at some cost though with them losing Mark Percival and Louie McCarthy Scarsbrook to injury on Good Friday and then Luke Thompson on Easter Monday. Tommy Makinson has picked up a slight knock while James Roby is rested. Theo Fages however returns while James Bentley and Matty Costello are called into the squad.
St Helens 19-man squad: 1. Jonny Lomax 3. Kevin Naqaima 5. Regan Grace 6. Theo Fages 7. Danny Richardson 8. Alex Walmsley 11. Zen Taia 12. Joseph Paulo 16. Kyle Amor 17. Dom Peyroux 18. Adam Swift 19. Matty Lees 20. Jack Ashworth 21. Aaron Smith 22. James Bentley 23. Lachlan Coote 24. Matty Costello 25. Joe Batchelor 29. Jack Welsby
Catalans Dragons
Catalans make just one change from their team that played Castleford with Matty Smith being drafted in to face his former club. Found Yaha, Benjamin Garcia, Michael McIlorum and Jodie Broughton are all still out with injury
Catalans 19-man squad: 1. Tony Gigot 3. David Mead 4. Branden Williame 5. Lewis Tierney 6 Samisani Langi 7. Matty Smith 8. Remi Casty 10. Sam Moa 11.Kenny Edwards 13. Greg Bird 14. Julian Bousquet 15. Mickael Simon 16. Benjamin Jullien 17. Matt Whitely 18. Alrix Da Costa 19. Mickael Goudemand 24. Jason Baitieri 28. Sam Kasiano 29. Sam Tomkins
HEAD TO HEAD
Catalans are the only team in the competition that can boast about beating Saints this season after they beat them 18-10 at the Stade Gilbert Brutus. Saints have beat them on the last four occasions at home with Catalans last victory coming in 2016.
KEY BATTLE
Alex Walmsley (St Helens) v Sam Kasiano (Catalans Dragons)
Last season was a revelation for Luke Thomson when he stood up and took responsibility when Alex Walmsley was out injured . Now it is time for Big Al to return the favour while Thompson is out. Catalans are an absolutely massive side so Alex needs to lead by example and act as a role model for the younger forwards in his team like Matty Lees and Jack Ashworth. He missed out on Monday afternoon putting in a mammoth effort against Wigan making the most metres with over 180.
Walmsley come up against Sam Kasiano who has a wealth of experience. He came over mid-season from Canterbury Bulldogs and has had a steady start for the Dragons. He is capable of big performances so we could see one on Sunday.
THE IMPORTANT DETAILS
Date: Sunday April 28
Venue: The Totally Wicked Stadium
Kick-off: 15:00
Referee: Robert Hicks
WHO WILL WIN?
Every time I go against Saints they seem to prove me wrong. They showed they have strength in depth on Monday and that their youngsters can do a job while Catalans are pretty terrible on the road.
