St Helens scrum-half Kyle Eastmond has been ruled out of Saturday’s Super League Grand Final against Wigan Warriors with an ankle injury.
Eastmond had a scan on the injury on Tuesday but coach Mick Potter had already admitted the 21-year-old had only a “a very slim chance” of playing.
And Eastmond was duly left out of Potter’s 19-man squad on Thursday.
Wigan coach Michael Maguire selected the same 19-man squad he named ahead of last weekend’s victory at Leeds.
Maguire has no new injury concerns ahead of the Warriors’ first trip to Old Trafford in seven years after skipper Sean O’Loughlin shrugged off a shoulder injury he picked up at Headingley.
And if the Wigan boss sticks with the 17 that won 26-6 on Saturday to seal their place in the final, then that will mean further disappointment for fit-again Amos Roberts and second-rower Chris Tuson.
Matty Smith has been fantastic for us and taken his chance with open arms
St Helens boss Mick Potter
Saints are hoping to end a sequence of three straight Grand Final defeats, with all of them coming against Leeds.
But they will have to do so without Eastmond, who scored all of their points in last season’s 18-10 reverse.
“What Kyle Eastmond brings to us is speed and unpredictability,” said Potter earlier in the week. “He’s very hard to tackle, a good defender and you want him in the team if he’s right.
“But we’re not going to go with anyone who’s not fully fit.”
The half-back returned from an ankle injury to start last Friday night’s play-off eliminator against Huddersfield but after an ineffective performance he limped off again just after the break.
And his latest injury blow could also seriously affect his chances of being selected on Monday in Steve McNamara’ 24-man England squad heading down under next week for the Four Nations.
Eastmond made 23 appearances for St Helens this season, scoring 15 tries and kicking 69 goals. But he was been dogged by injury problems over the latter part of the campaign, initially damaging ankle ligaments in late May during Saints’ Challenge Cup win over Barrow.
He was ruled out for a month and then limped off with a hip injury in his comeback game against Leeds before another failed comeback against the Giants.
Who do you think will win the Grand Final?
St Helens-born scrum-half Matty Smith, who is due to complete his move to Salford as soon as this season is over, made his first appearance for the club in two-and-a-half years in the 28-12 play-off win over Warrington Wolves.
Smith played stand-off last week to accommodate the return of Eastmond as Saints came from 22-18 down just after the break to beat the Giants.
“We can shuffle things,” added Potter of his selection for the final. “We have Jonny Lomax available after injury, so there’s one or two options.
“Matty Smith has been fantastic for us. He’s taken his chance with open arms and, all of a sudden, he’s got a chance of playing at Old Trafford. It’s fairytale stuff for him.”
The match is the final for Potter as Saints coach before he leaves to take over at Bradford, while club legend Keiron Cunningham plays his last game before retiring.
Before kick-off both teams will observe a minute’s silence for former Great Britain international Terry Newton, who died last Sunday.
Newton played in four Grand Finals, for Leeds and Wigan, in a career that also saw him turn out for Bradford and Wakefield.
St Helens (from): Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Soliola, Meli, Cunningham, Graham, Puletua, Wilkin, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Clough, Ashurst, Dixon, Lomax, Emmitt, Foster, Smith.
Wigan (from): Roberts, Gleeson, Carmont, Richards, S Tomkins, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Coley, Hansen, J Tomkins, O’Loughlin, Prescott, McIlorum, Paleaaesina, Deacon, Goulding, Farrell.
