Saints v Hull FC: Teams

Sean Long will be the centre of attention on Saturday night when he makes his return to St Helens with new club Hull FC.

After 12 stellar seasons with Saints scrum-half Long has moved on for pastures new, signing a two-year deal with the Airlie Birds.

The fixture list has given the 33-year-old the earliest possible chance to face to his old team-mates having bowed out from St Helens as a Grand Final loser for the third straight year.

As well as Long, Lee Gilmour, who is now at Huddersfield, and Jason Cayless have also departed from the GPW Recruitment Stadium.

Saints have bolstered their squad with the signing of centre Sia Soliola, who has been named in coach Mick Potter's 19-man squad for this weekend.

Also included are prop Nick Fozzard and hooker Scott Moore, both players now back at St Helens after spending 2009 with Hull KR and Huddersfield respectively.

Wheeler role

With Francis Meli currently back in New Zealand on compassionate leave, Gary Wheeler looks likely to start on the wing.

"We are as close as we can get to a full first team squad to choose from," Potter said. "Gareth Frodsham isn't ready just yet and Francis Meli isn't back in the country. We are expecting him back shortly."

Having finished a disappointing 12th last year, Hull have spent big in the off-season in the hope of getting back in the play-offs.

Long, who has been named as the Airlie Birds' new skipper, will partner Richard Horne in a exciting half-back pairing.

Meanwhile, Mark O'Meley and Craig Fitzgibbon will both start in Super League for the first time having been signed from Sydney City Roosters.

The Australian duo, who moved to England in November of last year, will be joined in the pack by the fit-again hooker Shaun Berrigan.

Jordan Turner could start alongside Kirk Yeaman in the centres following his switch from Salford but winger Mark Calderwood is ruled out through injury.

St Helens squad: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Soliola, Pryce, Eastmond, Fozzard, Cunningham, Graham, Puletua, Wilkin, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Moore, Clough, Wheeler, Fa'asavalu, Lomax

Hull FC squad: Berrigan, T. Briscoe, Cusack, Dowes, Fitzgibbon, Hall, Horne, Houghton, Lauaki, Long, Manu, O'Meley, Radford, Tansey, Tickle, Turner, Washbrook, Whiting, Yeaman