BEN DAVIES is desperate to add to his 40 appearances for St Helens – and is aiming to force coach Paul Wellens’ hand when it comes to team selection.
Having often been 18th man, the versatile 24-year-old back who helped Saints win last season’s Reserve title, believes he is more than ready to step into the 17 and help his club mount a Super League challenge.
But the Widnes product, who made his Saints debut late in the 2020 season, knows he has to prove his value on the training pitch.
Fresh from signing a contract extension for 2025 (alongside fellow back Jon Bennison, hooker Jake Burns and halfback Will Roberts), Davies said: “It’s tough with the high-level players here.
“At centre we have Koni (Hurrell) and Percy (Mark Percival), for example.
“But I just want to play more games for St Helens.
“Whenever I get a chance I want to prove I can play at this level. I know I can, and I’ll be fighting for game time and giving 100 percent.”
Davies believes being 18th man has been a useful experience.
“You want to be out there, but you still have your job to do, helping everyone be prepped and ready for the game,” he told the club website.
“I do everything I can in that 18th man role, because if you don’t, then there is no point in you being there. You’re still part of the team and need to be ready to be called upon if needed.
“One of our mottos is ‘team first’ and we stick by it and everyone strives to do that.
“We’re all driving one another to keep getting better, and we’re even hungrier to drive towards silverware.
“That is going to be the focus, as it always is at Saints, and success will come from being consistent throughout the year.”
