Holbrook expecting Leeds to be at their best
St Helens coach Justin Holbrook says Leeds are still a dangerous side despite their four game losing run in Super League.
Holbrook’s men travel to Headingley on Friday night as part of the State of Mind Super League round, with the Rhinos winless in the league since beating Hull KR at the end of April.
Since then, they’ve lost to Warrington, Castleford, Catalans and Huddersfield, in amongst cup wins over Widnes and Leigh.
Saints, meanwhile, are on an eight match winning run and sit six points clear at the top of Super League.
Holbrook said: “They’re a dangerous side. I know they won’t be happy with where they’re sitting and they’ve been a little bit inconsistent and have had some injuries.
“But they always play well against us, every time I look at games leading up to when we’re playing them, they always just come out and play much better than what I looked at.
“So I’m expecting them to be at their absolute best.
“They’re a very good team and they’re the defending champions, so I’ve got a lot of respect for them as a team and we know we have to play really well to win.
“Brian (McDermott) does a great job with them and you look at last year, they looked to be slightly inconsistent but then won the competition and that’s what you get judged on.”
Jon Wilkin is set to return for Saints having sat out last week’s win over Hull KR with flu, while Jonny Lomax should come back having not been risked due to a knee problem.
Leeds welcome back Joel Moon, while Anthony Mullally is back from suspension.
The Rhinos, along with Wakefield, are one of only two teams to have beaten Saints this season, winning 28-20 back in March.
Leeds: Golding, Briscoe, Sutcliffe, Hall, Moon, Cuthertson, Parcell, Ward, Dwyer, Mullally, Garbutt, Ferres, Handley, Ormondroyd, Walker, Lilley, Newman, Smith, Walters.
St Helens: Lomax, Makinson, Morgan, Percival, Fages, Smith, Roby, Taia, Wilkin, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Douglas, Knowles, Thompson, Peyroux, Richardson, Grace, Lees, Ashworth, Barba.