St Helens were forced into another change for Friday's clash with Catalans Dragons, with Nene Macdonald missing from Paul Rowley's match day 17 despite being named in the 21-man squad.
The late omission is another blow for a side already described as ravaged by injury, and it comes after images posted on St Helens' social media this week showed Macdonald training at the BrewDog Stadium. That made his absence from the final line-up all the more notable, especially with last weekend's home defeat to Toulouse Olympique still fresh in the background.
A setback on a difficult night
The game was a huge one for a multitude of reasons, and St Helens went into it with their outside-back options already stretched. With several senior names unavailable, Rowley's choices were always going to be limited, and Macdonald's late removal only narrowed them further.
The club had brought in Deon Cross and Lewis Murphy in, while Dagnall and Macdonald were part of the wider group before the final selection was made. But the key change on Friday was clear: Macdonald did not make the cut for the match day 17.
What happens next?
Rowley is expected to address the reason for Macdonald's absence after the match, but for now the focus remains on St Helens getting through a period of heavy disruption. When a squad is already short on outside backs, losing another senior option can have a major impact on both selection and balance.
After a 46-0 defeat to Toulouse, St Helens needed a response. Instead, they were left managing another selection headache on a night that underlined just how difficult the rest of the season could become.
