PAUL WELLENS has admitted to being taken aback by the breakthrough year enjoyed by young St Helens forward George Delaney.
The teenager made his first-team debut in 2022, when a youthful Saints team played Castleford Tigers, but has come into his own this year, making a further 13 appearances prior to Sunday’s visit of Huddersfield Giants.
And Delaney has been rewarded for his performances for the Super League and world champions with a new three-year deal, keeping him at St Helens, where he came through the Academy, until 2026.
“I don’t think any of us envisaged, at the start of the year, George having quite the impact he’s had,” said Saints head coach Wellens.
“To do what he’s doing as a 19-year-old kid, given the position that he plays, and the effect he’s having, he’s having an impact.
“He’s going out there and being difficult to handle. He’s making tackles, he’s working hard for his team-mates, he’s doing all the unfancied stuff that we pride ourselves on as a club.
“He’s had a huge impact for someone of such a young age. We just hope he continues to work hard and continues to develop as a player.
“Quite clearly the raw ingredients are there for him to go on and be a very, very good player.”
Wellens has been delighted with the way Delaney has stepped up to cover injury absences, particularly in recent weeks.
The youngster has taken on a starting role for the first time following the season-ending injuries suffered by senior props Agnatius Paasi and Alex Walmsley.
“Agnatius and Alex add so much to us as a team, particularly the way they carry the ball. They’re so difficult to handle,” added Wellens.
“But what we have to do as a club is find another way of being effective. In George Delaney we have another way of being effective.
“That’s the challenge for us as a team, not to look at the players who aren’t there but focus on the strengths of the players who are there. We’re doing a pretty good job of that at the moment.”
Delaney, a Halton Farnworth Hornets junior who started the season on loan at Championship side Swinton Lions, said: “It’s always sad when a player gets injured but I thought it was my chance now to step up and show everyone what I can do.
“Wello told me to do the simple things well, he said to do what I have done to get that opportunity, at Swinton and Academy – run hard and tackle hard.”
