St Helens set to receive massive boost with long-term absentee close to return

St Helens back-rower Joe Batchelor could take to the field for the first time this season in Super League against Warrington, says head coach Paul Wellens.

Batchelor, 28, suffered an ankle injury during the club’s trip to Australia in February against St George Illawarra Dragons during the NRL’s pre-season challenge.

The England international was forced to undergo surgery and has been sidelined ever since, with St Helens currently holding a record of four wins from eight so far in 2023.

St Helens host Daryl Powell’s Warrington this Thursday at the Totally Wicked Stadium, live on Sky Sports.

Wellens provides Joe Batchelor update

“Joe trained with the team this afternoon and trained really well,” Wellens said.

“Obviously we’ve got to see that he comes through and recovers well from the session, which is important. 

“Having Batch back in contention is massive for us. As a player, we rate him very highly. He adds so much to us and the team. 

“As you can imagine with Joe, he’s worked so hard throughout his rehabilitation and he’s obviously desperate to get back out on the field.

“He trained with us and trained really well. We’ve just got the fingers crossed in terms of his recovery and that he comes through OK.”

Wellens feels his star back-rower is ready to be thrown straight into Super League action, should he pull through with training, with the side’s reserves not playing next until April 29 against Castleford.

“We’re happy with his recovery,” Wellens added.

“Like anybody when you come back from injury, it may take a bit of time and he’s not going to be absolutely firing and 100% at his best, I wouldn’t expect that.

“But what I have become accustomed to with Joe is that gives his best effort in everything he does all the time and that’s what you should see Thursday night should he come through OK.”

Wellens also confirmed that he expects to be without Australian back-rower Curtis Sironen until after England’s mid-season fixture with France due to a slight hamstring issue.

“We’re hopeful that he’ll be back after the international break,” Wellens added.

“It’s really unfortunate to miss a player of Curtis’s calibre considering the fact that we’re already missing key players in that position.

“We have to be sensible there and having Curtis back after the break will be massive for us.”

Mark Percival praise

The world champions have been low on troops in their pack in recent weeks, with Sione Mata’utia, Batchelor and Sironen all missing out against Hull KR in Round Nine.

It saw international centre Percival named in the back-row alongside Sam Royle, while the side continue to be without props Alex Walmsley and Agnatius Paasi due to injury.

Morgan Knowles continues to miss out through suspension, while Jake Wingfield will miss Thursday’s home clash due to a failed head injury assessment during last week’s 26-14 defeat at Craven Park.

“What I do know about Mark is that he plays the game physically, and he’s a player who puts his hand up for the team. I could ask him to play front-row and he’d do it for me,” Wellens said.

“I thought he acquitted himself really well in the back-row position.

“It’s something we probably never ever considered doing, but given the amount of injuries we picked up, we had to try it.

“And now it becomes another option moving down the track moving forward.”

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