St Helens injury news: Paul Wellens provides update on quartet, including latest on Curtis Sironen

St Helens coach Paul Wellens has provided an injury update on key quartet Tommy Makinson, Tee Ritson, Joe Batchelor and Curtis Sironen.

Forward Sironen could return for St Helens’ clash with table toppers Catalans Dragons on Thursday after being named in Wellens’ 21-man squad.

The Australian back-rower hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury in their loss at Hull FC three weeks ago.

“I’ve got some decisions to make there and Curtis Sironen is working his way back,” Wellens said.

“We need to make a decision on Wednesday morning whether Curtis plays or not. We’re in a position where we could potentially make the same 17.

“I’m not sat here getting too caught up in next week and the fact its a semi-final. If he’s fit to play, then he plays and if he’s not, then he won’t. That’s the way I look at it.

“If next week was another Super League game, we’d be approaching it in exactly the same fashion.

“What we have to be is smart in the way we approach the situation and that’s why we are giving until the 12th hour to make that call.”

England duo have a ‘chance’ to make Challenge Cup semi-finals

Wellens says England internationals Joe Batchelor and Tommy Makinson have a chance of returning for next weekend’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Leigh.

“They’ve got a chance, they are progressing okay,” Wellens said.

“They are still with physios at the moment. The plan for them is to return to squad training next week so hopefully should they come through the work over the weekend that they’ve got with the medical team.

“Hopefully they will come back into the squad but we’ll have to see how they progress over the next few days.”

St Helens winger Tee Ritson nursing ‘grumbling’ knee issue

Winger Tee Ritson has dropped out of the Saints 21 for Thursday’s match against Catalans Dragons with a knee injury.

Wellens said: “Tee has actually got a grumbling knee issue at the moment that probably hasn’t healed as quick as we initially expected it to so Tee is not fit to take to the field this week, that’s why he isn’t in the squad.”

Ritson didn’t feature in last week’s 24-20 win over Warrington because of the knee injury, with Jon Bennison and Will Hopoate starting on the wings.

Wellens added: “I was really pleased with both of the performances of Jon and Will on the weekend, I think it was Will’s strongest game for us in a while.

“Jon Bennison, every time he pulls on a Saints shirt, he goes out there and never lets anyone down so we’ll be hoping for more of the same from those guys this weekend.”

The Saints take on the Dragons in Thursday night’s televised Super League clash, 8pm kick-off.

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