Penrith Panthers 12-13 St Helens: Player ratings and talking points

St Helens are Champions of the World after they stunned Penrith Panthers to win the title.

Talking Points:

Super League shows it can compete with NRL
For years Super League has been branded as the secondary competition when compared to the NRL but tonight St Helens, the best of Super League, showed that they can compete with the very best of the NRL in the shape of the Penrith Panthers.

Worry for Saints
Tonight was a great performance from St Helens and a real pride day for the club but a worry for them is that the performance of Jack Welsby will only make a move to the NRL more likely. His performance last week against against St George Illawarra Dragons intensified the interest from NRL clubs and now it will be almost impossible for the Saints in the years to come. Even more concerning is the same might happen with match winner Lewis Dodd.

The best Super League side ever?
Based on tonight, there is even more value to the argument that this St Helens side is the best Super League side ever. They may have won four Grand Finals in a row but there have been doubts but the way they bossed things today perhaps shows that they are in a league of their own especially with the way they held their nerve to win the game.

Dodd could have won the World Cup
If the Saints halfbacks and a few others in their side had been available for the World Cup, based on today it could have been a different story. This Saints side know how to win the big games.

St Helens Player Ratings:

1 Jack Welsby – 9
2 Tommy Makinson – 7
23 Konrad Hurrell – 8
4 Mark Percival – 8
3 Will Hopoate – 7
6 Jonny Lomax – 8
7 Lewis Dodd – 9
8 Alex Walmsley – 8
9 James Roby – 8
10 Matty Lees – 8
11 Sione Mata’utia – 9
16 Curtis Sirnonen – 8
13 Morgan Knowles – 8
Substitutes
14 Joey Lussick – 7
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook – 7
17 Agnatius Paasi – 7
18 Jake Wingfield – 8
19 James Bell – 7