Rowley explains Saints' selection for Workington cup clash

All of the club’s high-profile signings are included in the 21-man squad for the club’s first trip to the west Cumbrian outpost since 1996.

With a huge Super League opener coming at Warrington seven days later, the cup game will enable the new-look side to continue building their combinations.

But Rowley was also keen to give respect to the proud Championship side – a club he should know plenty about given his dad Allan played prop for the Cumbrians in the early 1980s.

Although they have played the friendly against Castleford, this is Rowley’s first competitive game in charge.

He said: “The season starts this week - it's a competitive fixture and then we lead into Warrington, which is going to be a blockbuster to be honest.

“So we can't be undercooked going into that game, that's for sure.

“Ultimately, what I've learned in life is to be respectful and humble when you're approaching games otherwise you come undone so giving Workington the utmost respect is the overriding factor.

“They're (at this stage of the cup) on merit, they're a proud side with a rich history and there will be vociferous support.

“I think they've sold quite a lot of tickets so it will be a bit of cauldron really, so we need to be good.”

It will be a first for all of the squad given Town have been out of the top-flight since the inaugural season in 1996 and the sides have not met in the Challenge Cup since 1980.

It is certainly a different sort of challenge for the squad, and especially the NRL recruits in the side.

“In many respects it is a test of character and a test of how we approach it and how consistent we are in how we go about our business “I guess that'll be the chat on Friday night, be consistent in our actions regardless of where we're playing, where we're training, or whatever we're doing.

“The season starts this week and that's against Workington, so it's the start of a journey.

“That's the first game, so we'll give it the respect it deserves,” Rowley said.

There are some big names missing from the line up but Rowley explained: “The ones who aren't in the squad have got niggles got but there's nobody long term.

“They're all precautionary, in a different scenario, different situation, maybe three of them could have put their hand up.

“But I won't be risking unnecessarily at this point of the year in what's going to be hard this year with a brutal format, so we've got to be really careful.

“Although it is disappointing that Curtis Sironen and Jacob Host aren't just quite there yet, it's exciting to give opportunities to other people as well.

“There are some great back rowers here, and we've got a young lad there as well in Jake Davies who's been showing up as well, so there's a reward for him.”

Another youngster - Saints Academy hooker Tom Humphreys - is included in the 21 for the first time after joining the first team environment ahead of the 2026 season. If he is selected to make his debut, Humphreys would then be allocated an official squad number.

Rowley said: “At this point he's in squad but unlikely to play but who knows on the day. I would have no issue whatsoever in playing him.

“I won't really give squad numbers out just for experience. If they're in that squad, the lines they were given today was ‘bring your boots, bring your kit, you could play’. “I reserve the right to change that squad, or if anyone goes down with injury, then I've got the utmost confidence, and I would be excited to see him play.”