Page 27 - Rugby League World (February 2020)

PREVIEW

ST HELENS

RLW PREDICTS: 1st

In an usual situation, St Helens are the In that situation, the Saints would have
only side to head into the new season to call on a young player to fill the gap.
with a new coach at the helm and they Both Luke Douglas and Ryan Morgan have
won the competition last year. been released by the club after their loan
Justin Holbrook’s coaching of the Saints spells at Leigh Centurions and London
over the last few years attracted interest Broncos respectively expired.
from the NRL’s bottom club Gold Coast Meanwhile Liam Cooper and Adam Swift
Titans and that has led to Kristian have also moved on.
Woolf taking over at the Totally Wicked It’s hard to see how St Helens could be
Stadium. more imperious than they were last year.
He’ll obviously want to be putting his own We’re still expecting them to top the
stamp on the team but won’t be making table but also expecting the gap between
changes for the sake of it. After all, if it them and their challengers to be a lot
ain’t broke. smaller than it was last year.
St Helens were by far and away the St Helens’ obvious potential
best side last year and fully deserved improvement is winning the Challenge
to take home the Super League trophy Cup. They never turned up in the Final
after defeating Salford Red Devils at Old against Warrington. But in the League,
Trafford. both the Wolves and Wigan Warriors have
Their success has been reflected in their realistic hopes of topping the table in
transfer dealings. They haven’t brought front of their local rivals.
anyone in at all. Their side will be identical It’s very hard to pinpoint a weakness in
to 2019 throughout 2020 as the players this St Helens squad. Perhaps the lack
that have departed played only small of a halfback backup is the only one. 2020 SQUAD:
parts last year. Elsewhere, they have some excellent 1 Lachlan Coote
Danny Richardson is probably the biggest young players coming through in a variety 2 Tommy Makinson
loss for the club but only because his of different positions. Jack Welsby, Aaron
departure leaves them a bit short if Smith and Matthew Costello all played 3 Kevin Naiqama
either Jonny Lomax or Theo Fages suffer their part last year and could well be in for 4 Mark Percival
a long-term injury. more of a role this year. 5 Regan Grace
6 Jonny Lomax
STAR PLAYER COACH 7 Theo Fages
8 Alex Walmsley
9 James Roby
10 Luke Thompson
11 Zeb Taia
12 Dominique Peyroux
13 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
14 Morgan Knowles
15 Matty Lees
16 Kyle Amor
17 Jack Ashworth
18 Joseph Paulo
19 Aaron Smith
20 James Bentley
Jonny Lomax’s move to stand off has St Helens were forced to say farewell to 21 Matthew Costello
been a superb one. their Grand Final-winning coach Justin 22 Jack Welsby
When Ben Barba arrived at the Totally Holbrook at the end of the season. 23 Joe Batchelor
Wicked Stadium, Lomax moved up into the Kristian Woolf has stepped into the fold 24 Josh Eaves
defensive line and his speed and skill on as Holbrook’s replacement.
the ball has seen him excel in the position. Woolf masterminded Tonga’s surprise 25 Callum Hazzard
So good was his form, Lomax was victory over Australia during the autumn 26 Josh Simm
awarded the Albert Goldthorpe Medal in and can take a great amount of credit for 27 Lewis Dodd
2019 and is considered one of the top Tonga’s general rise starting with their 28 Nico Rizzelli
players in the country. successful World Cup campaign in which 29 Matthew Foster
With Danny Richardson leaving the they reached the semi-final in 2017. 30 Tom Nisbet
club, St Helens are short of halfbacks Last year, Woolf took temporary charge 31 Jake Wingfield
so Lomax’s fitness is key to the Saints’ of Newcastle Knights for two games
success in 2020. when Nathan Brown stepped down.

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