ST HELENS are confident Origin winger Kyle Feldt will be fit for Saturday night’s play-off encounter with Leeds – but the news is not so good on team-mate Lewis Murphy.
Feldt was forced off after scoring two tries in Friday’s worryingly narrow 26-24 win over Castleford at Totally Wicked Stadium.
“Kyle left the field with back spasms but we’re confident he will be okay as he is making good progress,” coach Paul Wellens told the St Helens Star.
But winger Murphy suffered a recurrence of a quadriceps injury that kept him out for nine weeks and will not figure again in 2025.
Hooker Darryl Clark, rested last week, is another high profile ‘in’.
Reflecting on the unexpectedly narrow margin in their final game of the regular season, Wellens said: “What we can’t do is lose our concentration and drop our levels against any team because you get punished.
Meanwhile Castleford football director Chris Chester promised better times ahead under new coach Ryan Carr.
“Hundred per cent there are reasons for optimism,” Chester said.
“The playing squad will look totally different, I know Ryan’s really excited about coming over in October and getting his teeth into a real tough pre-season and I’m looking forward to working with him as well.
“There’ll be complete change on and off the field, it’s probably needed.”
ST HELENS 26 (Feldt 2 Bennison Bell Stephens tries Feldt 3 goals) bt CASTLEFORD 24 (Tate 3 Horne Wood tries Hoy 2 goals) at Totally Wicked Stadium.
SAINTS: Tristan Sailor; Kyle Feldt, Jon Bennison, Deon Cross, Lewis Murphy; Jack Welsby, Jonny Lomax; Noah Stephens, Moses Mbye, Agnatius Paasi, Shane Wright, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles. Res: James Bell, Jake Burns, Leon Cowen, Jake Davies.
CASTLEFORD: Zac Cini; Will Tate, Sam Wood, Lewis Senior, Elliot Wallis; Tex Hoy, Daejarn Asi; Brad Singleton, Liam Horne, George Lawler, Joe Stimson, Alex Mellor, Joe Westerman. Res: George Griffin, Sam Hall, Muizz Mustapha, George Hill.