GARRY SCHOFIELD is delighted to hear that St Helens will retain Paul Wellens as their head coach for next season.
SO Paul Wellens is going to be at the St Helens helm for at least another season – and I for one am pleased to see his contract extended to the end of 2025.
There had been a lot of speculation over his future, given Saints’ results during his reign so far, their lack of trophies other than the World Club Challenge in his first match in charge in 2023, their style of play and the fact his existing deal was coming to an end.
Clearly a decision had to be made, and the timing by Chairman Eamonn McManus and chief executive Mike Rush is good, because it clarifies the situation and means the focus can be firmly on the remainder of the campaign, with a pick-me-up required after that Magic Weekend loss to Wigan (although I don’t see it coming against Hull KR on Saturday).
It’s not a totally ringing endorsement in terms of its length when you look at the deals for Adrian Lam at Leigh (2027), Willie Peters at Hull KR (2028) and the most eye-catching, Matt Peet at Wigan (2030).
But it gives Paul, who has served his hometown club very well and loyally since he joined as a junior, the chance to learn from the ups and down of his tenure so far – and means that if things don’t work out, a parting of the ways wouldn’t be as costly as might be the case with a longer agreement.
When I say ups and downs of his tenure so far, it’s relative, because Saints have set such high standards for so much of the Super League era, and we are so used to them being up there in the top two or three most of the time.
Maintaining the levels reached in winning Super League four times running from 2019 to 2022 would have been hard for any coach, never mind a new one.
They were down in sixth at the end of that unheard of sequence of five straight defeats not so long ago, when absences were taking their toll, as they have done for much of the year.
That continues to be the case, with Lewis Dodd and Daryl Clark joining Jack Welsby on the sidelines through injury. That’s three key players.
Even so, Saints are still well placed for making the play-offs, and once there, a side with their talent and experience can really come to life.
I’m not saying that will happen, and Saints need to improve all over the pitch, be a lot more consistent, and be more creative (I don’t think Dodd has kicked on since that fine World Club Challenge performance against Penrith, and he’s leaving for the NRL in any case).
But having Lee Briers on board as one of the coaching team next season will be a massive plus, especially in terms of their attack.
It also means that if things don’t work out with Paul, there’s a potential replacement already on the payroll.
I said at the start of this season that the two Smiths, Rohan at Leeds and Tony at Hull, and Ian Watson at Huddersfield, were the coaches under most threat, and so it proved.
Next season it’s going to be Paul, but he knows the game and the expectations at clubs like Saints and I think he’ll cope with that scenario.
Hopefully he, Lee and the rest of the staff can work in tandem to get Saints closer to the standards they reached when dominating Super League before Wigan took their crown.
With my tip Warrington as well as Hull KR both improving this season and Wigan still being Wigan, the title chase is tough to call, but Saints certainly can’t be ruled out.
Hopefully Leeds will be back amongst it in 2025, Catalans will sort out their issues with inconsistency and Salford and Leigh will both be up there, and we’ll have a vibrant competition with real unpredictability.
As for the next set of matches, like I said earlier, I think Hull KR will win at Saints (by twelve), while Warrington will triumph by 18 at Castleford and Wigan by 44 at home to Hull, whose Magic Weekend defeat by London Broncos shows what turmoil that club is in.
If the Broncos manage to finish above them in the final table, it’s going to make life very awkward indeed for IMG and the RFL.
Elsewhere, I’m predicting Leeds by 14 at home to Catalans, Salford by 16 at home to Huddersfield and Leigh by 16 at London Broncos.
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