Though we had some huge games last night as Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves, Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR and Huddersfield Giants and Wakefield Trinity collided, they were always going to have to go some way to topping the showing we had on Thursday night.
It was a special encounter between two superb teams and one that many felt was a Grand Final dress rehearsal as it felt like a semi-final to many spectators.
In the end Catalans came up with the win, a blow to St Helens’ hopes of sneaking top spot as they remain third now six points behind the Dragons and behind Leigh Leopards in the race for the League Leaders’ Sheild.
However, that wasn’t the only bow for the Saints.
During the game, Saints lost James Roby and Mark Percival to head injuries which rules them out of the Challenge Cup semi-final.
In a cruel twist of fate, any other year before the move to 11 days, the two could have played.
Wellens gave his thoughts: “They’re obviously two very important and influential players to us and have been for a long time.
“They have both been important to the success we have had. However, rugby league is here to test you and we will have a group of players next week who will go to Warrington next week with a big prize at stake and they will give everything they have got.”
Joey Lussick will be the man tasked with replacing James Roby in the semi-final but lately we have seen the St Helens star linked with an immediate NRL move with Parramatta Eels looking to ease their injury woes with former Hull KR star Josh Hodgson injured.
Paul Wellens has now addressed these reports on Saints TV:
“We are aware of those reports and to be honest sometimes I am quite flattered when our players do get linked with these NRL clubs because it shows that we’re doing something right over here.
“But, as I sit here now, Joey Lussick is a St Helens player and he’s contracted here to the end of 2024.”
Interestingly, Wellens admitted Lussick has been frustrated at times with the lack of game time:
“I know that he has sometimes been left frustrated with the lack of his game time there and I know myself personally I made the wrong call the other week when I left Joey out the team and I hold my hands up to that.
“But at the same time when he’s played in the last couple of weeks he has been really influential.
“I thought he was great again on the weekend. I thought him and James Roby worked well in tandem brilliantly.
“So there’s no issue there on our part – Joey is an important member of the group.”
He certainly is and this injury will only raise his stoke making the move to Parramatta Eels even more unlikely.
