MrFussy Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 After a long and glittering career Paul Wellens has announced his retirement. I have no hesitation in saying that he's been amongst the finest players that I've ever seen and has the trophies, both with the club and on a personal level, to back that up. My initial thoughts were that it's sad that he couldn't go out on his own terms, but thinking about it he probably has. He's had several ideal moments to retire, last season's Grand Final success perhaps the most obvious, but instead chose to carry on. It seems pretty clear that for him retirement was going to come when he couldn't physically keep playing anymore, and now that moment has come I don't think there's any real reason for regret. A true legend of the club and in my opinion the sport. You'd be hard pressed to find a more committed player and sportsman than Paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Total Rugby League Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 St Helens legend Paul Wellens has announced his retirement from Rugby League. He has played 495 times for the Saints, scoring 1,005 points and collected a whole host of personal View the full article on TotalRL.com Total Rugby League www.totalrl.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Avenger Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Wow. Like you say, sad that he couldn't go out on his own terms, he deserved a rousing send off. One of the greats of the modern era, no doubt. An absolute pleasure to watch, even when he was giving my team a good hiding – a good, hardworking sportsmen that gave his all. Every team could do with one or two more Wellenses. SQL Honours Play off mini league winner - 2002. Bronze Medalist - 2003. Big Split Group Winner - 2006. Minor Stupidship - 2005, 2006. Cup Silver Medalist - 2008, 2009 CHAMPION - 2005, 2009, 2010 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 A great servant to the club, and for so many years. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrFussy Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 The hope now is that he'll be able to get healthy for the next stage of his life. He says he'll be having substantial surgery on his hip as it's affecting his ability to do things. Fingers crossed that will go well for him and he'll remain an integral part of the club off the field. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I'm assuming this releases cap space so Saints can sign a full back for the rest of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Drake Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 There's a six page feature with Paul Wellens in the new issue of Rugby League World on sale this Friday, 26th June. Well worth reading. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Frightful Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Great servant to his club and the game in general. My fondest memory of him was backing Long up in the Willie Mason thuggery test to swan dive and score under the posts helping GB on the way to a very sweet victory. Will Saints be presenting him with a miniature Angel of the North statuette as a retirement gift? Hull FC....The Sons of God... (Well, we are about to be crucified on Good Friday) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Toppy Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 His positional play and ability under the high ball were as good as any full back ever to play the game. It was only his lack of pace that stopped him from becoming an International class player. He won every domestic trophy in the game, SL, LLS, CC, WCC and is only the 3rd person to have won all 3 domestic individual awards, the Lance Todd trophy (twice), Harry Sunderland trophy and Man of Steel award. Good luck to him now he's joined the backroom staff full time. Lets hope his injury doesn't have an adverse long term affect on his life. A mate of mine saw him last week and said that even after 3 months out he's still finding it difficult to walk St.Helens - The Home of record breaking Rugby Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuffer Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Great player.....safe as houses for saints at full back for many years.....always seemed to have a lot of time/space when he returned a kick and often managed to elude the first tackler somehow even without a lot of speed....either that or his speed was deceptive. Wish him all the best and hope he stays in the game in some capacity, hopefully in coaching/development of local players Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allora Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Very good player. I hope he enjoys his time in retirement. Talent is secondary to whether players are confident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave T Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Shame he didn't make that 500 mark for Saints, but he will always go down as a legend of that club. He's a funny one, I never massively thought he was the best player - probably due to the lack of pace Saint Toppy refers to, but he never ever let Saints down, and always seemed to be there at the right time to do something solid, rather than spectacular, and often those solid things won Saints games, sometimes even trophies. Brilliant career though, good luck to him in his future career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exiled Wiganer Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Two attributes spring instantly to mind with Wellens, a gentleman and a wonderful reader of the game. He was a golden thread through a golden era for his club and was that rare combination of true club great and humble and articulate person. I am sure he will go on and have a happy future - he deserves one - and hope he does remain in the game. The insights he will be able to bring deserve to be passed on. A true leaguie, and praise does not come higher than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPosh Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 His positional play and ability under the high ball were as good as any full back ever to play the game. It was only his lack of pace that stopped him from becoming an International class player. He won every domestic trophy in the game, SL, LLS, CC, WCC and is only the 3rd person to have won all 3 domestic individual awards, the Lance Todd trophy (twice), Harry Sunderland trophy and Man of Steel award. Good luck to him now he's joined the backroom staff full time. Lets hope his injury doesn't have an adverse long term affect on his life. A mate of mine saw him last week and said that even after 3 months out he's still finding it difficult to walk I think that sums him up really well. People called Romans they go the house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C H Calthrop Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 After a long and glittering career Paul Wellens has announced his retirement. I have no hesitation in saying that he's been amongst the finest players that I've ever seen and has the trophies, both with the club and on a personal level, to back that up. My initial thoughts were that it's sad that he couldn't go out on his own terms, but thinking about it he probably has. He's had several ideal moments to retire, last season's Grand Final success perhaps the most obvious, but instead chose to carry on. It seems pretty clear that for him retirement was going to come when he couldn't physically keep playing anymore, and now that moment has come I don't think there's any real reason for regret. A true legend of the club and in my opinion the sport. You'd be hard pressed to find a more committed player and sportsman than Paul. Its true. Must be one of most sporting sportsmen in the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good Omen Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I'm assuming this releases cap space so Saints can sign a full back for the rest of the season. It does and it will wither be Fages or Locke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Good Omen Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I would like to extend my thanks to Wello. I was pretty cut up when Stevie Prescott (God rest his soul) moved onto to Hull but Paul made up for his absence. Great support player, fantastic competitor and a worthy captain. Together with Kieron, Longy and Scully, one of the clubs Super League era greats (in fact club greats period) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viking Warrior Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 bye paul a true legend of the modern game and an exceedingly nice guy off the pitch as well good luck for the future "Why is Napoleon crying ?" said one sailor to the other, "poor ###### thinks he's being exiled to st helens" came the reply. https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1455957_262746450543197_276002364_n.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longboard Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Good player. Good full back. Good reader of the game with good positional sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fieldofclothofgold Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 As been said earlier great servant to club and game and he and several other saints players will go down in the folklore of the intense Leeds Saints rivalry 2007 to 2009 at that time the two best teams in SL nothing to choose between either.thanks for the memories Wello Soon we will be dancing the fandangoFROM 2004,TO DO WHAT THIS CLUB HAS DONE,IF THATS NOT GREATNESSTHEN i DONT KNOW WHAT IS.JAMIE PEACOCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padge Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I have given Wellens some stick over the years, turning circle of a tanker, slow as a cart horse etc. However, he has been a great servant for the S.t Helens club and has made a massive contribution to their success over many years, undoubtedly talented, passionate (remember the "that's not good enough" interview) and sporting gentleman. I hope he has a good future in his new career and that all goes well with his operation. Visit my photography site www.padge.smugmug.com Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007 Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king" This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Browny Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 A tremendous player and long-time thorn in our side. I thought Toppy summed him up well before. I also remember with great fondness his contribution in that 2006 game - he certainly never let anyone down at international level. I'm sure he'll be doing his Angel of the North routine just as capably from the sidelines. I can confirm 30+ less sales for Scotland vs Italy at Workington, after this afternoons test purchase for the Tonga match, £7.50 is extremely reasonable, however a £2.50 'delivery' fee for a walk in purchase is beyond taking the mickey, good luck with that, it's cheaper on the telly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Frightful Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 Hull FC....The Sons of God... (Well, we are about to be crucified on Good Friday) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiderWire Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 A superb player whose loyalty to his club was unsurpassable. Good luck to him for his future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintslass Posted June 24, 2015 Share Posted June 24, 2015 I will miss Wello. Only he could have produced that kick which Makinson caught to win us the Grand Final last year. I've never seen Wello kick like that before but he was never one to shirk something new for the benefit of his team. He was the ultimate professional who put team first and set himself high standards. He was a humble man but a fierce competitor. He is a decent bloke who I hope will have many happy years as he enters the next phase of his career. I'll miss watching you play Wello. You've been an absolute star for Saints and for St Helens over the last 17 years. I wish you every best wish and I hope you're at the stadium on Sunday because I know those of us who turn up for the semi final will want to give you a good sing off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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