Joey Lussick insists St Helens must raise game against former club Salford Red Devils

No one knows better than Joey Lussick the kind of task Betfred Super League leaders St Helens face at Salford Red Devils on Sunday.

The Australian-born hooker joined Saints ahead of the new season from Parramatta after  earlier in his career pulling on the Red Devils’ shirt between 2018-20. He is now relishing the opportunity to lock horns with some of his old mates.

"I’m really looking forward to playing at the A.J. Bell Stadium for the first time in a few years but fully aware of the challenge which lies ahead,” he said.

"Salford are a team full of confidence at this moment in time and like to throw the ball all around. They are also a tough team to beat and we will need to play better than we did at Wakefield to pick up the points."

Lussick has made 23 first team appearances this season - quite a number for the interchange bench - but is now slotting into a squad which has suffered its fair share of injuries since head coach Kristian Woolf arrived.

He added: "I am enjoying being part of this wonderful group of players, getting more game time, and ready to play in any position for the benefit of the team."

Tough tackling prop forward Dan Norman misses the clash due to injury but loose forward Morgan Knowles is back after a one-match suspension.

Squad: 1. Jack Welsby, 5. Regan Grace, 6. Jonny Lomax, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. James Roby, 10. Matty Lees, 12. Joe Batchelor, 13. Morgan Knowles, 14. Joey Lussick, 15. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 16. Curtis Sironen, 17. Agnatius Paasi, 19. Jake Wingfield, 20. James Bell, 22. Ben Davies, 23. Konrad Hurrell, 27. Jon Bennison, 28. Lewis Baxter, 29. Dan Hill, 31. Taylor Pemberton, 34. George Delaney.

🔴 Any fans not travelling to the A.J. Bell Stadium  can ‘nip down the road’ and watch the club’s women’s team in action against York City Knights at Thatto Heath (kick-off 2.30pm).

Champions St Helens lie third in the group one behind Leeds Rhinos and the table-topping Knights, who recently defeated Derek Hardman’s side in the semi-finals of the Women’s Nines and went on to lift the trophy.