SAINTS coach Justin Holbrook will use the two pre-season friendlies to decide who his half-back partnership will be for the season opener against Castleford.

Holbrook has made it clear that his charges will be “playing for places” in the forthcoming warm-up games against Sheffield Eagles and Leigh Centurions.

But it is the half-back partnership, where the coach is still undecided and arguably faces his biggest decision. Matty Smith, Danny Richardson and Theo Fages are included in the squad to face the Yorkshireman at Ruskin Sports Village this Saturday.

They will be given the chance to audition for the roles – with the versatile Jonny Lomax coming into the mix the following week against Leigh.

Holbrook said: “The friendlies give us a chance to look at the half-back partnership and we will give everyone an opportunity.”

Meanwhile, Saints will go into the season having kept hold of England front rower Alex Walmsley – at least for the time being – despite keen NRL interest.

Walmsley has been at the centre of intense speculation since returning from the World Cup.

The Saints prop forward, under contract until the end of next year, is rumoured to be a target of several NRL clubs but Holbrook is confident ‘Big Al’ is in the right place.

He said: “We’ve had a couple of brief chats (about his future).

“We know we’ve got him for this year and we will knuckle down and do our best. He will have to make a decision at some stage on whether he wants to stay or not.”

Walmsley, James Roby, Mark Percival, along with Lomax, have been left out of the squad to face the Eagles, though the England World Cup contingent are expected to return in a much stronger Saints side that takes on Leigh at the Totally Wicked Stadium next Friday.

Saints squad: Aaron Smith, Alex Eckley, Callum Hazard, Cameron Brown, Chris Follin, Danny Richardson, Dominique Peyroux, Jack Ashworth, Jake Spedding, James Bentley, Jorge Lewtas, Josh Eaves, Kevin Brown, Kyle Amor, Liam Cooper, Mathew Costello, Matty Lees, Matty Smith, Regan Grace, Rob Fairclough, Ryan Morgan, Theo Fages, Tom Nisbet.