SAINTS coach Paul Wellens gave an early fitness update ahead of Friday’s trip to Leeds Rhinos.

They could see two players return in Joe Batchelor and Matty Lees but prop Alex Walmsley, who struggled with tight calves in Friday’s game, will be assessed.

Saints will have to make another enforced change with Mark Percival banned for two-matches with Konrad Hurrell free to play after serving his suspension.

Wellens said: “Alex is running and doing some things but we just need to assess whether he is going to be in a position where he is able to get through an important game.

“Joe Batchelor has trained with the squad today and we will assess him over the next 24 hours, he is feeling confident so if he scrubs up well in the morning he is likely to come back into the 17.

“Matty Lees has trained with the squad again today and is in contention.

“All being well it will be great to get him back.”

England prop Lees has not featured in the last two games after being sent to hospital during the Huddersfield match after coughing up blood.

“He is a guy who brings a ton of energy and he is a player whose energy is infectious.

“When he is on the field doing what he is doing, he is actually giving energy to the people around him as well because he is a player who for a good number of years now has worked tirelessly around those effort areas of the game.

“And does a lot of the stuff that goes unnoticed by people but not by myself and certainly not by his teammates.

“Getting Matty back and getting him playing consistently well over a period of time is going to be really important for the team.”

“In Konrad’s absence last week Waqa Blake played in the centres and we have both available this week.

“On top of that we have options in terms of back rowers like Joe Batchelor and Matt Whitley who have played in the centres before.

“One player training really well and putting himself in contention is Ben Davies.

“He has been in the18th man role for the majority of season so far, which is a difficult role to do now and I have to pay him a huge credit.

“Whatever we do we will have 17 players going to Headingley committed to trying to respond in the right manner.”