Theo Fages returns to St Helens with Huddersfield on Friday night
We look at what is being said and team news as Round 19 of the Betfred Super League season gets under way on Friday night, including St Helens against Huddersfield Giants live on Sky Sports…
St Helens vs Huddersfield Giants (8pm, live on Sky Sports)
Kristian Woolf is looking forward to welcoming Theo Fages back to Totally Wicked Stadium when St Helens host Huddersfield in Friday’s first-versus-third clash in Super League.
Scrum-half Fages made his long-awaited return for the Giants in their 30-18 win over Salford Red Devils at Magic Weekend and is now likely to face the club he won two Grand Finals with during his spell there.
St Helens vs Huddersfield Giants
July 15, 2022, 7:30pm
Live on 
There will be no room for sentiment from Saints on Friday as they aim to take a step closer to making certain of a home semi-final in the play-offs, but head coach Woolf is still full of respect for the France international.
“Theo is a guy we’ve got enormous respect for as a player and a person,” Woolf said. “He’s a guy we look at and remember very fondly, and a lot of our guys still keep in close contact with.
“We’re really looking forward to seeing him and it always adds that little element of excitement.”
Woolf has named an unchanged 21-man squad from the 20-18 win over Wigan Warriors in the Magic Weekend derby last Saturday, with Mark Percival sidelined for up to four weeks and Tommy Makinson expected to be out for three.
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Highlights of the Betfred Super League match between Huddersfield Giants and Salford Red Devils
The Giants travel to St Helens unchanged as well as they have players unavailable too and head coach Ian Watson is wary of not compromising his side’s hopes in the play-offs later this year by rushing squad members back into action.
“The one big thing we spoke about is we want to get to the play-offs, but what we don’t want to do is end up injuring players so they’ve got little issues,” Watson said.
“Theo coming back in massively helps. He was a real stable influence for us.”
Named squads
St Helens: Jack Welsby, Will Hopoate, Regan Grace, Jonny Lomax, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Matty Lees, Sione Mata’utia, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles, Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Curtis Sironen, Agnatius Paasi, Jake Wingfield, James Bell, Ben Davies, Konrad Hurrell, Dan Norman, Jon Bennison, Dan Hill.
Huddersfield Giants: Will Pryce, Jermaine McGillvary, Ashton Golding, Tui Lolohea, Theo Fages, Daniel Levi, Michael Lawrence, Josh Jones, Chris McQueen, Luke Yates, Matty English, Joe Greenwood, Owen Trout, Oliver Wilson, Leroy Cudjoe, Oliver Russell, Innes Senior, Nathan Mason, Jack Ashworth, Sam Hewitt, Toby King.
Wigan Warriors vs Hull FC (8pm)
Matt Peet is expecting another intense clash with Hull FC at the DW Stadium as Wigan meet the Black and Whites for the third time this season.
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Highlights of the Betfred Super League match between St Helens amd Wigan Warriors
Honours have been even in the two previous closely fought clashes, with the Warriors edging the home match in March 19-18 thanks to Harry Smith’s late drop goal but Hull FC triumphing 31-22 at the MKM Stadium in May.
Wigan are coming off the back of that defeat to St Helens at Magic Weekend and while this week’s opponents are still struggling with injuries to key players, head coach Peet believes the depth of Hull FC’s squad means they will still pose a tough test.
“I think that’s why at the beginning of the season everyone looked at that squad and said it is a squad that you can see playing in finals,” Peet said in his pre-match press conference.
“They’ve been unfortunate with some injuries and suspensions, but they also have a very good academy system, so we have to prepare for the best of them and the best of them is quite formidable.”
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Wigan Warriors’ Brad Singleton was sent off against rivals St Helens on his 200th appearance
The Warriors have injury concerns of their own, with John Bateman expected to be out for a month after suffering a broken rib in the defeat to Saints in Newcastle.
Brad Singleton also starts a three-match ban following his red car in the same game, with Sam Halsall and Junior Nsemba coming into the 21-man squad.
Hull FC, meanwhile, head across the M62 buoyed by their 34-28 victory in a thrilling and controversial derby clash with Hull Kingston Rovers at St James’ Park but still without 12 players due to injury or suspension.
The only change head coach Brett Hodgson has made is bringing back Miteli Vulikijapani in place of the suspended Connor Wynne, while academy pair Matty Laidlaw and Charlie Severs get another opportunity after making their professional debuts against Hull KR.
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Highlights of the Betfred Super League match between Hull Kingston Rovers and Hull FC
“The two debutants from our academy added to that, and the loanees were outstanding,” Hodgson said. “That was led by our senior players too who really stood up.
“We needed something to change, and as soon as those boys came in and were announced in the team, there was a huge lift in the camp.”
Named squads
Wigan Warriors: Bevan French, Jake Bibby, Liam Marshall, Cade Cust, Sam Powell, Patrick Mago, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell, Morgan Smithies, Kaide Ellis, Harry Smith, Oliver Partington, Ethan Havard, Liam Byrne, Kai Pearce-Paul, Joe Shorrocks, Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Sam Halsall, Brad O’Neill, Junior Nsemba.
Hull FC: Josh Griffin, Darnell, McIntosh, Luke Gale, Danny Houghton, Chris Satae, Jordan Lane, Joe Lovodua, Brad Fash, Jack Brown, Mitieli Vulikijapani, Jacob Hookem, Aidan Burrell, Jamie Shaul, Scott Taylor, Charlie Severs, Davy Litten, Matty Laidlaw, Jack Walker, Josh Simm, Ellis Longstaff, Lewis Martin.