ST HELENS co-coach Craig Richards says the club will continue to stay local when it comes to strengthening the squad for next season.

In Saints’ big signings ahead of the 2025 season, Amy Hardcastle, Shona Hoyle and Caitlin Casey moved across the Pennines from Leeds, but other new faces in the squad included Mia Drescher and Caitlin Maylor, who are the latest future stars to make the step up from the Academy squad and get a taste of first-team action.

Erin McDonald was in a similar situation last season making four appearances from the bench in 2024, before going on to feature 15 times this year.

“We have got some young girls who have stepped into the side and done fantastically well for us,” said Richards.

“We have a really strong Academy at Saints, with some fantastic coaches, so for us it’s about the pressure coming from within.

“What we’ve not done is look externally too much, or overseas, and that is probably something we will stick with. We’ll continue to build on our Academy and those Academy players will put pressure on the first-team players. 

“Someone like Erin McDonald has proved you can do that. She’s come from nowhere and is now a mainstay of the team.

“Then there are players like Caitlin Maylor and Mia Drescher and others who will continue to put pressure on the current squad. If they work hard enough and are good enough, they will take the shirt.”