St Helens injury news: Paul Wellens delivers encouraging update on Tongan powerhouse Konrad Hurrell

St Helens coach Paul Wellens has revealed that Tongan centre Konrad Hurrell is in contention to return for Friday’s trip to Castleford Tigers.

Hurrell has missed Saints’ last three games with a torn calf, but the 32-year-old is in line to return for their clash with Castleford this weekend.

“Konrad Hurrell has trained with the squad again today which is great,” Wellens said in his weekly press conference.

“He’s in contention, we’ll make a decision tomorrow and see how he’s pulled up from today’s session and whether we name him in the squad but he’s nearing a return so if it’s not this week, then hopefully next week.

“Konrad is an important player for us and what’s important for him is when he does return he does so in the best physical condition possible because when he’s like that he’s a player who gives us something different and adds a different dimension to us.

“There are not too many Konrad Hurrells knocking around in Super League, he’s a pretty unique player.

“I think Ben Davies over the last few weeks has done a wonderful job, I say that about him because even for the five or six weeks beforehand he was training so well but never quite got an opportunity but he’s stayed patient and when he has got that opportunity he’s gone out there and done really well for us.”

Paul Wellens provides full injury update ahead of St Helens trip to Castleford Tigers

The Saints boss said they can’t put a ‘definitive timeframe’ on back-rower Curtis Sironen (hamstring) and centre Will Hopoate (hamstring). Prop Matty Lees will be available again after serving the second of his two-match ban this weekend.

“We have to be a little bit patient there, obviously Matty Lees will return from his suspension after this weekend but we’ve just got to see how those bodies pull through,” Wellens said.

“We can’t really put a definitive timeframe on the likes of Curtis Sironen and Will Hopoate and how they’re progressing but at the same time we’ll be patient and hopefully they won’t be too far away.

“We’re progressing with Curtis and we’ve taken the pressure off so to speak so let’s just see how we are, we’ll monitor his symptoms.

“I don’t want to sit here and say ‘two weeks, four weeks’ because at this moment in time we just don’t know. We’ll just see how he progresses and make decisions on the back of that.”

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