Nathan Brown: Winning shield would be reward for fans

St Helens coach Nathan Brown believes winning the League Leader’s Shield would be rewarding for both his players and the club’s fans following some serious injury problems and a recent silverware drought.

The Saints, who last won a trophy in 2008, need just one point from their remaining two games to finish atop Super League, which is no mean feat considering they must play both Warrington and Huddersfield.

“Taking the League Leaders Shield would be a good reward for the players,” he told the Liverpool Echo.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries, there aren’t many worse than us really, and we have found ways to win.

“It would be a good reward for the playing group sticking together and having belief in times of adversity. It would be good for the fans too.

“There have been a lot of twists and turns in the league this year.

“Warrington had a super three month period; at the beginning it was us, then Leeds, Wigan have had a spell as have Huddersfield and Castleford too.

“The competition is more open than ever before and there are so many sides that can play well. Catalan have put 40 on a few teams over recent weeks and then Widnes knocked over a full-strength Wigan team.

“The reality for us is in the past four weeks we have changed the way we have played and it is all about getting better so when we come into the play-offs we are as prepared as we can be.”