WITH six players under treatment, Saints breathed a sigh of relief this week when Alan Hunte was declared fit to face Penrith Panthers at Knowsley Road on Sunday, kick-off 6.35pm.

Test ace Hunte damaged his collar-bone against Cronulla Sharks on Monday, but tests at Whiston Hospital and by club doctor David Graham revealed only bruising to the shoulder area.

Switched to centre this season, Alan has been in tremendous form and is Saints' leading try-scorer with 18, and returned to the side at Halifax this month after missing the Wembley win due to an hamstring injury.

Coach Shaun McRae will also be having late checks on Apollo Perelini (leg) and Anthony Sullivan (ankle) as Saints prepare for their final home game in the World Club Challenge competition.

Guided by former Kangaroo Royce Simmons, Penrith followed up their opening victory against Bradford Bulls by making short work of Warrington Wolves, and are expected to field the following side:

Jorgenson; Beckett, Domic, Girdler, Hinson; Carter, Gower; McNamara, Farrar, Adamson, Gall, McGilvray, Brown. Substitutes Alexander, Boyd, Thompson, Drew.

The complete match will be televised on the Sky channel, while an under-ll tournament involving SS Peter and Paul, Penkford and Hurst schools will start at 5.30pm.

Tony Bennett, 25, of McMinnis Avenue, Derbyshire Hill, is the winner of Saints' 'Trip of a Lifetime' to Australia and New Zealand for the World Club Challenge games. He will receive his tickets at the match against Penrith on Sunday.

Revised details of these games, which all kick-off at 7.30pm, are : Monday, July 21, Cronulla. Friday, July 25, Auckland Warriors. Monday, August 4, Penrith Panthers.

Contract negotiations with Chris Joynt and his agent were described as 'on-going' by Saints' chief executive David Howes as the Star went to press.

Saints' Alliance team won 14-10 at Hull KR on Friday night. Their tries came from Bailey and Gore and Wellens kicked three goals. Saints are to mark the second birthday of 'St. Bernard' will a special celebration on the pitch before the game with Bradford Bulls on Sunday, July 6.

Saints have signed 17-year-old Welsh forward Gareth Price on a junior contract. A big, raw-boned back-rower, Gareth marked his debut by being sent off in an Academy game at Bradford and was handed a three-match ban!

Saints Academy side travel to Hull on Sunday, kick-off noon.

Former Saints and Great Britain captain Alan Prescott, who is a patient in Leigh Infirmary, celebrated his 70th birthday on Tuesday.

Meanwhile his 74-year-old ex-team-mate Stan McCormick continues to make good progress in Kurtz ward of St. Helens Hospital after being admitted several weeks ago.

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