After Catalans’ stunning Challenge Cup win, we return to Super League this week, and the prize of Grand Final glory is on the horizon.
It’s first versus second on Friday night – more than that, it’s derby day. It’s St Helens against Wigan, and here are three head-to-heads that could decide it…
Tommy Makinson v Tom Davies
It’s been a memorable year so far for St Helens, but for Tommy Makinson, 2018 is that little bit extra special.
He finally made his England debut against New Zealand in Denver, having been overlooked or injured at the wrong moment for years. Makinson came off the bench that day and scored one of the England tries.
The winger hasn’t crossed perhaps as much as he would have liked in Super League this season – he managed seven in the regular campaign – but Makinson did grab two in the recent win over Wakefield, taking him up to nine overall, three behind fellow winger Regan Grace.
Makinson has plenty more to his game; he’s got seven try assists and has made nearly 2500 metres at 7.85m a carry. A Grand Final winner and try scorer already in 2014, he will be crucial to the Saints in the run-in.
Meanwhile, Tom Davies could be crucial in Wigan’s campaign. The Warriors’ top scorer Liam Marshall went off against Catalans with a knee injury, leaving Wigan with a hole on the wing. But there is hope – Davies is second in terms of tries for Shaun Wane’s side; he’s got 11 so far this season.
The winger has been sensational with ball-in-hand. He’s made over 3,000 metres in 2018 – 711m more than any other Wigan player, which is also the second-best in Super League, only behind Bill Tupou.
Davies’ metres have come at 8.82m per carry, while he’s joint-top of the clean breaks category for the Warriors with 24. Will he cross the whitewash on Friday night?
Jonny Lomax v George Williams
There’s a big couple of months ahead for Jonny Lomax. Trusted with Danny Richardson to guide the Saints around the park, they’ll be looking for him to create.
Lomax has an eye for the line himself; he scored a cracker against Wakefield, showing excellent feet to get over for a four-pointer. That was his 15th try of the season, only behind Ben Barba and Mark Percival in the St Helens ranks.
Lomax’s 14 try assists is also the third best in the side, this time behind Barba and Richardson. Will the half-back come up with the goods on Friday night?
The NRL rumours just won’t go away. Despite George Williams signing a new marquee player deal with Wigan last season, the half-back himself admitted it would be a dream to move to the NRL. The Warriors have already lost John Bateman to Australia next season and losing Williams would be an even bigger blow.
St Helens vs Wigan Warriors
August 31, 2018, 7:30pm
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But since making those comments, the player has stated he’s 100 percent going to be a Wigan player next season. Great news for Warriors fans, as he’s crucial to their cause; Williams has the most try assists in the Wigan side this season with 19.
Injuries have caused him a few problems in 2018 and he missed a chunk of the back end of the regular season, but the half-back is back and hoping to steer the side towards Old Trafford.
Zeb Taia v Joe Greenwood
It will be a night of big collisions in the pack and Justin Holbrook will need Zeb Taia at his powerful best. He’s a strong carrier, over 2500 metres from his 352 carries in 2018, at an average of 7.30m a drive. Taia is also a dangerous offloader; he’s got the joint-most for the Saints with 30, alongside Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook.
Taia offers tries (8), assists (6), and tackles (653), the fourth best in the St Helens side. A real all-rounder, he’ll need to be at his best on Friday night.
Opposite Taia in the Wigan pack is the man St Helens swapped him for. Joe Greenwood decided to move to the NRL and the Gold Coast Titans in 2017, while Taia made the switch the other way.
But life in Australia didn’t quite work out for Greenwood, and he headed back to Lancashire this June. However, instead of pulling on the Red and White of St Helens, he’s now in the Cherry and White of their biggest rivals Wigan.
Greenwood is a replacement for Joel Tomkins and has settled in nicely. He’s got three tries so far, has racked up over 100 tackles already and nearly 400 metres. The second rower will no doubt be hoping to get one over his former team-mates on Friday.
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