Sports reporter Matt Turner predicts how Warrington Wolves will line up at St Helens tomorrow...
MAKE no mistake, we will have to see a big change from Warrington Wolves if they are to come away from St Helens victorious tomorrow.
However, that change is more likely to be one of performance rather than personnel with Daryl Powell picking from a similar pool for players as he did for last week’s disappointing loss to Catalans.
There are a couple of notable exceptions, with at least two changes to the 17 to be made with Josh Charnley and Matt Davis out through suspension.
> Click here to see the 21-man squads for both Warrington Wolves and St Helens
In terms of their replacements, though, the logical choices appear to be the drafting-in of Josh Thewlis and Jason Clark as like-for-like swaps.
Josh Thewlis appears set to start on the wing. Picture by Mike Boden
Jack Darbyshire’s spot in the 21-man squad is reward for some good displays for the reserves in recent weeks and he has a great chance of following in father Paul’s footsteps and pulling on a Wire shirt in competitive first-team action down the line.
However, throwing him in for his Super League debut against this formidable-looking Saints side would certainly be a bold call from Powell.
Clark, who I feel was unlucky to drop out of the 17 last week after solid displays against Toulouse and Castleford, should fill Davis’ spot on the bench although Rob Butler – another impressive performer for the second string – is also an option for extra size.
Jason Clark was left out of the 17 last week. Picture by SWPix.com
As for the rest of the 17, there may well be some tinkering in a few places.
Firstly, this week will surely see Daryl Clark return to the starting hooker role having come off the bench in the past two games.
Danny Walker was substituted very early against Catalans and was not seen again, so I would expect Clark to start.
I also think Robbie Mulhern is a chance for coming back into the starting front row alongside Mike Cooper.
Joe Bullock is their biggest prop in terms of sheer size and could be left in from the start to help counter the inevitable fire and fury Saints will bring first up through Alex Walmsley and Matty Lees, but I feel he may be best off the bench alongside Joe Philbin.
With that in mind, my predicted Wire team looks like this:
Ratchford; Thewlis, Mata’utia, King, Ashton; Widdop, Williams; Mulhern, D Clark, Cooper, Holmes, Currie, Hughes. Subs: Philbin, Bullock, J Clark, Walker
That would leave Darbyshire, Butler, Ellis Longstaff and Riley Dean as reserves.
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