MATTY LEES may have been a frustrated spectator but he took one key lesson from St Helens’ Good Friday win over Wigan Warriors: “Anything can happen.”
While the skipper and a horde of team-mates were out injured, Saints staged a remarkable late comeback from 14 points down to win 34-24.
That only whets the appetite for Saturday’s rematch in Warrington, with a place in the Challenge Cup final this time on the line.
Lees, who has now recovered from his knee injury and is set for his 21st derby, said: “It’s whoever turns up on the day.
“You can talk about who is missing for who, and who will play in what position, but we’re taught from a young age at St Helens – and Wigan are the exact same – that it’s a must-win game and you’ll do anything you can to win. That’s what makes the derby so special.
“Anything can happen, as you saw on Good Friday. It shocked everyone, including myself watching.”
St Helens are the form team, sitting joint-top of Super League with eight wins from ten.
Under new coach Paul Rowley hopes are high of ending a three-year silverware drought, starting with the Challenge Cup.
“The last time we got our hands on it was 2021. It feels like last year, but it’s five years ago,” said Lees, who came off the bench in that 26-12 Wembley triumph over Castleford Tigers,
“Time doesn’t wait for anybody. I really want to get us back to winning some silverware and this is our first chance to do that.
“Wigan are a great side and have been better than us the last few years, so we’re looking forward to hopefully getting the win.”