Leeds Rhinos v St Helens latest team news as top try scorer Ryan Hall makes 'needed the break' admission

Hall wasn’t risked in Rhinos’ final game of the regular Betfred Super League season, against Wigan Warriors eight days ago, but confirmed a week off means he is fit and fresh for the play-off elimination tie at AMT Headingley. Hall, 37, played in all but three of Leeds’ 29 league and cup fixtures this year and is top try scorer, with 13, but admitted: “My body needed a rest last week.”

He said: “I wasn’t 100 per cent so I didn’t want to put myself in the firing line to play against Wigan and to then come up against Saints and not be 100 per cent, because this game really matters. It is do or die at this time of the year and I wanted to be on top form for playing this game. Obviously it doesn’t guarantee anything, but it gives us a bit more chance if I can play my usual game.”

Hall has left Leeds, played in the NRL, returned to Super League and featured for Hull KR at Wembley and Old Trafford since Rhinos last had home advantage in a play-off, eight years ago. Only he and Kallum Watkins, who also rejoined Rhinos this season, remain from the team which beat Hull FC in a semi-final at Headingley in September, 2017.

Now that target has been achieved, he insisted they have to make it count. “We’ve been fighting for it,” he said. “We’ve been fluctuating between positions three and five for the last few weeks. It has been a case of ‘this might happen or that that might happen’, but now we know how the land lies, we have got to take advantage. We have worked our way into this advantageous spot and we’ve got to use it now we’ve got it.”

Full-back Lachie Miller, centre Ash Handley and scrum-half Jake Connor also return this week, with Riley Lumb dropping out from the 17 on duty in the 22-6 loss at Wigan. Saints’ squad includes seven players who weren’t involved in the win against Castleford Tigers eight days ago.

Mark Percival, Alex Walmsley, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees and Curtis Sironen are back after being rested, George Delaney is available following a suspension and Harry Robertson also comes into contention. The players making way from last Friday’s 17 are Agnatius Paasi, Lewis Murphy, Leon Cowen and Jake Davies.

Leeds Rhinos: from Miller, Newman, Handley, Hall, Croft, Oledzki, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, O’Connor, Lisone, Gannon, Jenkins, Connor, Holroyd, Sinfield, Simpson, Watkins, Cassell, Hankinson, Shorrocks.

St Helens: from: Welsby, Feldt, Percival, Bennison, Sailor, Lomax, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Batchelor, Knowles, Mbye, Bell, Whitley, Delaney, Stephens, Burns, Robertson, Cross, Wright.

Referee: Jack Smith (Wigan). Kick-off: Saturday, 8pm.