Odemwingie wrote:
I really hope Carmont changes his mind though.
According to Melis interview Carmont is considering staying
Francis Meli will be out to make it up to his St Helens team-mates in Friday's Engage Super League derby with Wigan at the Stobart Stadium after sitting out Sunday's draw at Bradford.
The former New Zealand international was the only one of six Saints players involved in last Friday's Origin International to be given a rest by coach Royce Simmons and he says he is in debt to the five colleagues who will be playing their third games in eight days.
"I had a bit of a knock and Simmo said you might as well have a rest because it's a short turn-around," said Meli, who was a tryscorer in the Exiles' 16-12 win over England.
"In that respect, I felt guilty and I give the boys full credit. It's tough to back up and then come again and play a derby game on Friday.
"But this week, it doesn't matter how you feel, if you've niggles and that - this is a special game for both teams."
St Helens, beaten by Wigan in last October's Grand Final, will be aiming to making it third time lucky in 2011 after being held to a draw in the opening game in Cardiff and conceding a last-minute try to go down 28-24 at the DW Stadium on Good Friday.
"The last two games have been tight," said Meli. "The last time they got us in the last few seconds and that hurt. We want to get one to tie the series.
"The games don't get any bigger than Wigan or Leeds. It's always a special atmosphere."
While Meli returns for Saints, Wigan recall England full-back Sam Tomkins and Exiles centre George Carmont, who were both rested for Sunday's 22-22 draw at Castleford after picking up knocks at Headingley.
Tomkins was still feeling the effects of a crunching tackle by Meli in which he was dumped into the ground in the closing stages of last Friday's international but the Saints centre insists it was nothing personal.
"I didn't mean to hurt him," he said. "It was just one of those things that happen.
"I hope he gets better. I wouldn't want him to miss this game on Friday night.
"The derby is always important and it's good to have everybody fit."
Meli is equally happy to face Carmont, whose match-winning try for the Exiles was apt reward for an outstanding performance in another impressive season which could be his last as he contemplates retirement.
"He's going real well at the moment," admitted Meli. "He's probably one of the best centres going around this year.
"We were roomies with the Exiles and I told him you stay retired a long time. He giggled and said there's a maybe at the end of it so he's still thinking about it."
