Promising 19-year-old centre Ryan Atkins makes his first team debut at St Helens today.

Atkins - who spent time in rugby union with Leeds Tykes and Bramley - should start, resuming his regular Under-21 academy partnership with left wing Andy Smith as Lesley Vainikolo has been rested for the trip to Knowsley Road.

Karl Pryce - Vainikolo's partner on the left flank for much of this season - has also been omitted from Brian Noble's 18-man squad.

Untried 18-year-old centre Matt Cook is included in the squad but is unlikely to feature, with Noble expected to retain his right flank partnership of Jamie Langley and Stuart Reardon.

St Helens coach Ian Millward has named a strong side, however Saints will be without star Australian centre Jamie Lyon and forward Mark Edmonson. Injured Saints captain Paul Sculthorpe also misses out.

Lee Gilmour, one of 11 regulars controversially left out by St Helens for last year's Easter Monday clash with the Bulls, is looking forward to locking horns with his old club, and insists they will at least be recognisable this time.

"We'll be putting the strongest side on the field that we can," said Gilmour. "I'm sure the 17 players will do a good job for us.

"Both teams are coming off a loss so both will be eager to pick up the two points."

While Saints were pipped 22-20 by the Warriors, the Bulls must pick themselves up from a 42-12 home defeat by Leeds, although Gilmour believes his former team-mates can take heart from their derby mauling.

"They had a big defeat but in the first 20 minutes of both halves, Bradford totally dominated the game," he said.

St Helens 18-man squad: Wellens, Gardner, Gilmour, Albert, Hardman, Roby, Wilkin, Fozzard, Cunningham, P. Anderson, Mason, V. Anderson, Graham, Viane, Moore, Fa'asavalu, Bennett, Long.

Bulls: Ferres, Deacon, Cook, Fielden, Harris, Atkins, Langley, Lynch, Meyers, Parker, Paul, Peacock, Pratt, L. Pryce, Radford, Reardon, Smith, Vagana.