St Helens turn to youth as squad decimated by injuries and suspensions for Wakefield Trinity match

Injuries and suspensions have wreaked havoc in the build-up to St Helens’ Betfred Super League home game against Wakefield Trinity on Bank Holiday Monday.

Potential debutants named on Sunday include 19-year-old Reserves centre Rio-Osayomwanbo Corkill who was named in the youthful 21 man squad that lost out to Castleford earlier in the year.

He is joined by 18-year-old half back Ellis Archer who has represented Lancashire in the Origin series and has played eight times for the Reserves this season.

Winger Keane Gilford, aged 18, is also named for the first time. He has scored an impressive five tries in seven Reserve team games in 2022.

Full back Ben Lane is another 18-year-old named. He has played five times for the Reserves and has also represented Lancashire in their 3-0 origin series win over Yorkshire.

Hooker Jake Burns, 22, has scored seven tries in 12 games for the Reserves this year and is rewarded with a call up to the senior squad.

Fellow hooker Taylor Pemberton, prop George Delaney, back rower McKenzie Buckley and half back Daniel Moss have all progressed through the Academy and debuted against Castleford earlier this season. They are again named ahead of this afternoon’s game.

Curtis Sironen and Morgan Knowles miss out through suspension, while . Tommy Makinson is named despite sitting out the loss to Wigan due to a fluid on his knee.

St Helens squad: Makinson, Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Passi, Wingfield, Bell, Simm, Davies, Norman, Royle, Bennison, Baxter, Pemberton, Moss, Delaney, Buckley, Corkhill, Archer, Gilford, Lane, Burns.

Wakefield: Jowitt, Miller, Lino, Battye, Arona, Ashurst, Crowther,  Gaskell, Kay, Croft, Walker, Aydin, Adebiyi, Bowes, Murphy, Windrow, Shaw, Hall, Minns, Butler, Evans.