Super League: St Helens vs Warrington Wolves talking points and team news
Reigning champions St Helens take on title contenders Warrington Wolves in Thursday's live Super League match (7.45pm kick-off); watch on Sky Sports Arena from 7.30pm
By Sky Sports Rugby League
Last Updated: 17/06/21 7:51pm
We look at what is being said and team news ahead of Thursday night's Super League showdown between St Helens and Warrington Wolves, which is live on Sky Sports...
Battle of the half-backs
Both St Helens and Warrington have threats all over the park, but one area which will certainly be worth keeping an eye on when they face off at Totally Wicked Stadium is the halves.
Jonny Lomax and Theo Fages have both been in fantastic form for the defending champions during the first two months of the 2021 season, putting them at the sharp end of the Super League table and helping the team reach the Challenge Cup final.
Both have claimed player of the match prizes this year too and one person who will be among their opposite numbers on Thursday evening, Blake Austin, sees stopping England international Lomax as crucial to Warrington's chances.
"Lomax is the key," Austin said. "If you can negate a chunk of him, it will go a long way to helping the team out. The homework has been done.
"It's a shame we're not going to have a full house and I'm sure the Saints fans will make it as hostile as possible.
"We're building steadily. We've found a bit of rhythm in attack and we're comfortable with where we're at."
Austin, who was dropped from the Warrington team earlier in the season, is enjoying a revival alongside one of the in-form players in Super League at present in the shape of his half-back partner Gareth Widdop.
The recent performances from Widdop have seen him recalled to the extended England squad by head coach Shaun Wane.
"He was always going to come good because he's a class player," St Helens boss Kristian Woolf said of Widdop. "He's a big threat for them.
"But we can't worry solely about Gareth Widdop because Blake Austin is a threat, Stefan Ratchford is a threat, Daryl Clark is a threat, Toby King is a threat - they've got a lot of threats right across the park."
Tough at the top
St Helens have the chance to go back to the top of the table when they host Warrington, but head coach Woolf is anticipating the title fight to go down to the wire.
Like Saints, Catalans Dragons and Wigan Warriors have lost only one league game so far, with the Wolves leading the chasing pack after only suffering two defeats and being held to a draw.
Indeed, Woolf - whose side are coming into this game after a week without a game following the postponement of their clash with Leeds Rhinos - believes there are a host of other serious challengers in what he expects will be the most competitive title race for years.
"I remember making a comment at the start of the season that most teams had improved and it was going to be a stronger competition," Woolf said.
"I think that's exactly what we're seeing at the moment. You look at Catalans and Warrington but there's Hull, ourselves, Wigan - a number of teams are travelling well at the top.
"But you're also seeing Leigh involved in a real contest at the weekend - as they were against us - and Wakefield are a bit healthier after strengthening this year and think that's the case across the board.
"It's obviously what you want in terms of professional sport at the elite level, you want 12 teams that are really competitive and you want six or seven teams that can all be playing finals footy. I think that's what we're getting at the moment and it's really exciting for the fans."
Warrington have won their last three meetings with Saints, including the 2018 Challenge Cup final, and come into this match on the back of a 38-18 win over Wakefield Trinity. However, head coach Steve Price also has an eye on what is coming up for his side.
That includes midweek fixtures for his team both at the end of this month and in July, and the Australian has that in the back of his mind when it comes to team selection in the coming weeks.
"Our focus is week-to-week but, as a head coach, I have to look at the long-term," Price said. "That's always going on in the backdrop.
"It is a marathon and you want to be playing your best footy at the back end of the season. That means you have to keep players healthy."
Team news
St Helens have prop Agnatius Paasi back after he sat out the Challenge Cup semi-final with a hamstring injury, but centre Mark Percival remains sidelined with a similar issue so Jack Welsby continues in his role.
Warrington coach Steve Price is set to field the same team for the third successive week. Jason Clark, Greg Inglis and Matty Ashton remain their only injury absentees.
Named squads
St Helens: Lachlan Coote, Tommy Makinson, Kevin Naiqama, Regan Grace, Jonny Lomax, Theo Fages, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Joel Thompson, Morgan Knowles, Sione Mata'utia, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Kyle Amor, Agnatius Paasi, Jack Welsby, Aaron Smith, Joe Batchelor, Lewis Dodd, Josh Simm, Dan Norman, Sam Royle.
Warrington Wolves: Sitaleki Akauola, Blake Austin, Rob Butler, Josh Charnley, Daryl Clark, Michael Cooper, Ben Currie, Matt Davis, Chris Hill, Jack Hughes, Toby King, Tom Lineham, Ellis Longstaff, Jake Mamo, Robbie Mulhern, Joe Philbin, Stefan Ratchford, Josh Thewlis, Danny Walker, Gareth Widdop, Connor Wrench.
