Super League preview: Widnes Vikings v Salford City Reds

Brown was a big-name signing for the Vikings heading into the new campaign but saw his debut held up by an injury picked up during pre-season training.

The former Huddersfield half-back made his bow against Hull FC at the start of March but was forced off during the match with an ankle problem that has kept him on the sidelines since.

Cameron Phelps has also been out of action since scoring two tries in the 36-16 victory over the Airlie Birds due to a knee injury but he too is named in Denis Betts' squad.

Captain Jon Clarke and Rhys Hanbury are likely to come back into the side after missing the 62-6 defeat at the hands of Huddersfield on Easter Monday.

The heavy reverse on their travels came off the back of an impressive triumph over Warrington on Good Friday, a result that means the Vikings have still only lost once so far this year at the Stobart Stadium.

Mixed fortunes

Salford, meanwhile, also managed a win and a loss over the Easter period; they stunned Huddersfield 21-20 at home before going down 36-24 at Bradford.

Interim head coach Alan Hunte could have former Great Britain international Martin Gleeson available again after he missed the last two games with a hamstring problem.

However Ashley Gibson is still missing with a similar injury the former Leeds Rhinos picked up in the victory over the Giants.

The City Reds will not hand a debut to recent recruit Jacob Emmitt, the prop having joined in a swap deal with Castleford this week that saw Ryan Boyle head in the opposite direction.

Widnes: Allen, Briscoe, K. Brown, Cahill, Clarke, Dean, Flynn, Gerrard, Gore, Hanbury, Hock, Joseph, Kavanagh, Mellor, O'Carroll, Owens, Phelps, Pickersgill, Winterstein.

Salford: Broughton, Gleeson, Gaskell, Foran, Jewitt, Ashurst, Dixon, Wild, Godwin, Nero, James, Neal, Fages, Sneyd, Owen, Griffin, Murphy, Okanga-Ajwang, A. Walne.