SAINTS coach Paul Wellens has picked his 21 for the defending champions' Super League opener at Castleford Tigers on Sunday. (1pm).

Tommy Makinson, concussion protocol, and Joe Batchelor (ankle surgery) were already sidelined.

Will Hopoate, James Roby and Agnatius Paasi are stood down following knocks picked up in the World Club Challenge game.

Tee Ritson is in line to make his official competitive debut for the Saints if selected, whilst young prop George Delaney is named in the initial 21-man squad.

Saints: Welsby, Percival, Bennison, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Lees, Mata'utia, Knowles, Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Sironen, Wingfield, Bell, Norman, Davies, Royle, Hurrell, Baxter, Ritson, Delaney.

Saints have not won at Castleford since before Covid, going back to March 2019 - and Wellens understands it is a tough arena to play.

Wellens said: "Castleford, for as long as I can remember, has always been a difficult place to play.

"It is one of those old-style rugby league grounds that is unforgiving but again that adds to the challenge for us this weekend.

"We are going to have to go there and find a performance because we know with Castleford they are always tough to beat, especially n their own ground."

Saints go into thie first game since climbing up to the lofty perch of World Club champions and that in itself brings its challenges.

"One of the challenges on the return from Australia is coming back and getting straight into Super League - and what can, at times be the monotony of the day-to-day grind.

"It is something we are going to have to get our heads around pretty quickly.

"But knowing this playing group, and how they have gone about their work this past two years, I have every confidence we can do that," Wellens said.

Sunday's game kicks of at 1pm and is broadcast live on Channel 4.