Hull v Saints: Teams

Eastmond: Named in 19-man squad

Scrum-half Kyle Eastmond could make a shock return when injury-hit St Helens travel to the KC Stadium to face Hull on Monday.

The 21-year-old, who will switch codes to join Bath at the end of the season, has not played since being suspended on March 16 for making abusive gestures to his own fans.

Although the suspension was lifted nine days later, he was not able to reclaim a place in the first team and was instead forced to play for the Under-20s.

But an injury crisis means that five Saints half-backs have been ruled out of the contest and coach Royce Simmons has responded by naming Eastmond in his 19-man squad.

The absentees were increased when Jonny Lomax and Scott Moore became the latest names to be added to a lengthy injury list when they picked ankle problems in the win over Castleford.

Leon Pryce is unavailable through injury, while promising stand-off Lee Gaskell is still sidelined with a fractured ankle.

With Gary Wheeler requiring five weeks to recover from shoulder surgery and full-back Paul Wellens and forwards Paul Clough and Chris Flannery also ruled out, coach Royce Simmons is down to the bare bones.

Return

However, the Australian could at least be able to welcome back Josh Perry after the prop has missed the last three matches with a groin strain.

Sean Long misses out on the chance to go up against his old club but Martin Gleeson is included in Hull's squad for the clash, which is live on Sky Sports.

Scrum-half Long suffered a broken thumb in the Good Friday derby win over Hull KR, though he carried on playing after sustaining the injury.

The former Great Britain international has since gone under the knife to correct the problem and is set to be sidelined for six weeks.

However Saints will come up against one of their former players in Gleeson, who made a try-scoring debut for the Black and Whites against Rovers.

Hull coach Richard Agar will give late fitness tests to full-back Cameron Phelps, who damaged a hamstring in the superb away win over Warrington Wolves on Easter Monday.

Joe Westerman missed that match at the Halliwell Jones Stadium with an ankle injury but has been included in Agar's 19-man squad.

A victory in front of their own fans on Monday would give the Airlie Birds three successive triumphs in the Engage Super League in 12 months.

Hull squad: T. Briscoe, Dowes, Fitzgibbon, Gleeson, Horne, Houghton, Lauaki, Manu, Moa, Obst , O'Meley, Phelps, Westerman, Sharp, Tickle, Turner, Washbrook, Whiting, Yeaman.

St Helens squad: Gardner, Shenton, Soliola, Meli, Eastmond, Perry, Roby, Graham, Puletua, Wilkin, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Ashurst, Dixon, Magennis, Foster, Armstrong, Ashe, Hale, Thompson.