St Helens new recruit Travis Burns already knows that 2015 will feel like a disappointing year if the club fails to build on last season and doesn’t bring more silverware back to Langtree Park.
The stand-off, who joins the current champions from Hull KR, saw St Helens overcome huge injury setbacks in the later stages of last season to beat Wigan Warriors 14-6 in last month’s Grand Final. And he appreciates that even bigger things will be expected from a fully fit St Helens squad in 2015.
“I came over to St Helens to win silverware and I can’t see why we can’t do that again in the coming season,” Burns told League Express.
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“We’re confident that with the players we have coming back that we can do even better than last season. But that adds pressure as well.
“There is always pressure to perform at a club like St Helens, and with the squad we have assembled for next season if we don’t win some silverware it will probably be seen as a failure, so that adds more pressure.
“But that is good for us, because everyone knows that they have to perform on the field or they will miss out because of the depth we have here. Saints won the competition with three of their biggest names out for a large part of the year, but the players that came in proved themselves and showed the depth and quality the club has.
“It is going to be a good season and I am excited about getting started.”
Burns finished third behind Danny Brough and Kevin Brown in last season’s Albert Goldthorpe Medal table thanks, in part, to being the main playmaker in the Robins’ side. But with leaders across the park at St Helens he believes this could mean supporters see a different side of his game as he re-creates a partnership with his old friend Luke Walsh.
“Luke is a good friend of mine and we played a lot of NRL together back home,” added Burns.
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“His rehab is going well and there is a chance he might be there for the start of the season. I’m really looking forward to linking up with him again.
“He showed when he was fit what a quality player he is and we know each other’s game inside out.
“We had three years in Australia together. I like to sit back a little and play off the back of what Luke creates. He’s an out-and-out halfback and steers the team round.
“Not having to lead the team around as much will take a bit of pressure off me and will allow me to play a bit more off the cuff, which I like to do.”
