AFTER a run of five afternoon games, Saints have their first Friday night home game since early April when they tackle a Jackson Hastings-inspired Salford Red Devils (7.45pm).
It is a tricky fixture for the leaders against one of Super League’s masters of inconsistency who have proven themselves capable of raising their game against the best.
Already this year they have tucked the scalps of Catalans and Warrington into their belts, but have slipped up in other games and will be smarting from last weekend’s surprise knockout by Hull KR.
Saints boss Justin Holbrook and his coaching staff have done their homework on halves Robert Lui and star man Hastings — and are prepared for Salford at their best.
He said: “They will be disappointed with their Challenge Cup defeat.
“If you look how they have played this year, they have played really good against the big sides and had a dominant win at Warrington at Easter and they were the only side to go to Catalans and blow them off the park.
“They are really capable and are a good attacking side.
“For us we have got to make sure we do a good job there on Hastings and Lui, their two main threats.
“They run their plays well - and we will be tested in that area.”
Holbrook does not anticipate making wholesale changes to the side for Friday’s clash, but there is a possibility that Saints will again manage James Roby’s knocks with the big games ahead at the end of the month.
Aaron Smith has been proving a capable deputy there and he spelled the Saints skipper at the end of Sunday’s cup tie.
Read: Saints and Salford 19-man squads>
“We have a few knocked around from Sunday - as to be expected - so we will get a better gauge over the next day or two.
“Robes and Matty Lees have a couple of knocks, but we will see.
“I can’t imagine many changes,” he said.
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