After 27 rounds of Betfred Super League action and two weeks of the play-offs, the Betfred Super League Grand Final has finally arrived. Can St Helens lift the trophy for the fourth year running, or will Leeds ruin their party? Here is a look at which England players could feature at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
St Helens are the current reigning champions and are looking to lift the Super League trophy for a fourth season in a row.
A player who could have a big say on that is Jack Welsby. Welsby scored the winning try in the 2020 Grand Final after beating Bevan French to the ball and the young talent has really impressed again. Welsby was awarded the Betfred Young Player of the Year award for the second year running and also made the final three in the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel. The young full-back has scored 12 tries this season and has produced 27 try assists.
Tommy Makinson is an experienced member of the side and has been involved in some key moments. The winger finished third in the top try scorer standings with 22 tries, despite missing some of the season due to injury. Makinson showed he can do more than just score tries when he scored a drop-goal in the 2019 Grand Final win over Salford.
Saturday evening could be a very special occasion for Matty Lees. The prop has made 99 appearances in Super League and if selected he will make his 100th at the biggest game in the Super League season.
Joe Batchelor is another St Helens’ player who has stood up this season. Batchelor was picked to play against the Combined Nations by Shaun Wane. Since then, he has continued to impress, which was clear when he scored a double during the 19-12 victory over Salford in the Semi-Final.
Jon Bennison was an addition to the England Knights squad this week. Bennison scored last weekend and could play a big role both in this fixture and for Paul Anderson’s Knights when they face France and Scotland in October.
Mikolaj Oledzki has stood out as arguably one of the best props in the Super League this season. Oledzki will need another strong performance if he is to help his side lift the trophy. The prop was rewarded for his efforts this season as he was named in the Super League Dream Team.
Kruise Leeming will be hoping to have a big say on the fixture. Leeming has played some key roles when the Rhinos have been on form. Leeming scored a try on the final day of the season, which helped Leeds book their place in the play-offs.
