Super League preview: Salford City Reds v St Helens
Rock-bottom Salford City Reds host St Helens on Friday looking to bounce back from two hammerings.
Last Updated: 21/06/13 7:47pm
Brian Noble's side were thrashed 68-10 at Warrington and then lost heavily 46-10 to Wakefield at home in their last outing.
To compound their misery, the Reds also dropped to the bottom of Super League this week after having two points deducted for having 14 players on the pitch during their win over Castleford Tigers in April.
Following the latest defeat, Noble accused his players of "appearing gutless" and Australians Liam Foran and Vic Mauro have been dropped from the team that lost to the Wildcats.
Noble will take a first look at teenage full-back Niall Evalds and has included prop forwards Jordan James and Adam Neal in his 19-man squad.
While the Reds have agreed a transfer fee with Bradford Bulls for unsettled second row forward Elliott Whitehead, they have not finalised his move in time for Friday's game.
Home success
The eighth-placed visitors go into the game on the back of a 30-18 home success over Bradford and can go seventh with a win.
But Nathan Brown's side have suffered a blow with the news second rower Sia Soliola will be out for up to 10 weeks with a foot injury.
Soliola, who has missed just one of Saints' 19 matches in all competitions this year, sustained the injury playing for the Exiles in last Friday's 30-10 defeat by England.
Brown has called young forward Joe Greenwood into his squad while experienced prop Anthony Laffranchi returns.
Salford City Reds: Ashurst, Broughton, Dixon, Emmitt, Evalds, Fages, Gaskell, Gibson, Gleeson, Godwin, Griffin, James, McGoldrick, McPherson, Neal, Sneyd, A Walne, Wild, D Williams
St Helens: Clough, Greenwood, Hand, Hohaia, Jones, Laffranchi, Lomax, Makinson, Manu, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Meli, O'Brien, Puletua, Roby, Thompson, Turner, Walmsley, Wellens, Wilkin
