Warrington Wolves selection dilemmas for St Helens

Will he stick with the same group that performed so well at Leeds Rhinos on Friday? Or will he bring fit-again squad members back into the fold?

Some of that will be determined by fitness – checks will have to be made on the likes of Toby King, Joe Philbin and Zane Musgrove – but it certainly looks as though there are a few selection dilemmas for Burgess to solve.

We take a look at three of them here...

More depth in the forwards, but who drops out?

At the very least, Burgess is expected to have Joe Philbin available again this weekend after he sat out the Leeds game under concussion protocol.

The same rule also robbed him of the services of Zane Musgrove at Headingley but his failure to mention the New Zealander among the players he expects to return at St Helens could suggest there is a wider issue for him – a full update will no doubt be given at today’s pre-match press conference.

It means Wire have a little bit more depth available to them in the forwards, but who drops out in order to get Philbin back in?

Given the performance of the pack against the Rhinos, anyone who does drop out of the squad would have to consider themselves unfortunate to do so.

Burgess may even choose to stick with the same set of forwards that served him so well last time out, but size could well matter against a monster Saints pack.

Joe Philbin is set to be available again having missed the win at Leeds under concussion protocol (Image: Mike Boden)

Can Wire afford to leave Ratchford out?

Another dilemma for Burgess is in the centres, where Connor Wrench and Stefan Ratchford are currently in possession of starting shirts.

It was all-change from the previous week when Toby King and Rodrick Tai started, with King succumbing to an injury while Tai was merely left out as a selection call and featured for the reserves at Leeds the day after the first-team game.

If fit, King will surely come back into the side on the left edge – but what about the other side?

One has to wonder whether this is a game where Wire can afford to leave Ratchford out, given the solid goal-kicking he brings is likely to be crucial and is perhaps one of the only areas in which Wire have a distinct advantage over their hosts.

Moving him over to the right would also stiffen up an edge that has been occasionally suspect defensively, but it would mean losing the pace and dynamism Wrench or Tai would offer in that area.

Stefan Ratchford's goal-kicking could prove crucial against St Helens (Image: SWPix.com)

The Drinkwater-Hayes choice nears

It is the decision Burgess is getting closer to having to make and one supporters will be keeping a close eye on.

Hayes has excelled since coming into the side in Round Two to cover for injuries first to George Williams and then to Drinkwater himself, so much so that fans voted him as their player of the month for March.

Defensively, he has been so solid that opponents appear to have stopped targeting him and he is starting to add more of a running threat to the kicking game he is renowned for – a sign of his increasing confidence.

However, Drinkwater is close to a return from a thigh injury and could well be fit for Sunday, and Burgess has expressed his admiration for what the Australian brings to his squad.

He has done the same for Hayes and while it is clear what the popular option would be, the head coach will have the final say.

Leon Hayes has started the past seven games (Image: SWPix.com)