Star Sport

Saints put amazing record on the line

12:32pm Thursday 18th March 2010

SAINTS hope to have centres Matt Gidley and Sia Soliola back on duty when they put their remarkable record against big-spending Warrington on the line of Friday night.

With the game not being televised and a massive travelling contingent filling the Eddington End, club officials expect the gate to be a 17,500 sell-out.

The encounter is being eagerly anticipated in St Helens but more so on the banks of the Mersey, with more than 5,000 fans travelling in expectation of seeing their first win at Knowsley Road since January 1994.

The summer era record is remarkable with Saints winning the last 18 encounters at home to the Wolves. The length of that record is underlined by the fact that Rob Myler, the stepfather of current Wolves scrum half Richie, played on the wing outside Jonathan Davies the last time Warrington beat Saints away.

Warrington are made of sterner stuff these days – not simply because they have been able to splash the cash to strengthen their side across the park. They are now more mentally tough having won a big cup for the first time in 35 years.

Saints coach Mick Potter expects the visit of the Challenge Cup holders to be a cracker.

He said: “Warrington are looking good and offload the ball quite a lot and have some guys who bring the ball back pretty well with King, Hicks, Riley and Mathers.

“Their halves are tricky too. They are a handful with quality right across the park and they have a very good roster.”

Saints, though, have faced tough Warrington challenges before and have always been ready with a very large pin to prick the primrose and blue bubble when it has shown signs of over inflating.

It is expected that Potter will start with a front row of Tony Puletua, Keiron Cunningham and James Graham to go toe-to-toe with heavyweight counterparts Adrian Morley and Garreth Carvell.

Big man Puletua has recovered from the back spasm that ruled him out of the Crusaders game. With Bryn Hargreaves and Maurie Fa’asavalu both playing well last week, and Paul Clough likely to be used in the back row, it could mean that Fozzard is left out. Scott Moore is likely to spell Cunningham, with the versatile James Roby used as an impact back rower.

Saints’ biggest concerns are in the backs after Sia Soliola failed to complete Monday’s training session.

Potter added: “We are looking a bit better. Paul Wellens is a definite and we will see how Matt Gidley progresses but there is still a question mark over Soliola.

“We will have to see how he progresses in training.”

Pryce has shaken off his dead-leg sustained against Crusaders and Gary Wheeler looks to have overcome a shoulder knock.

Gidley is an important asset in this fixture – he and and Ade Gardner have tormented Warrington’s left hand side in the last three seasons.

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