St Helens have made changes on and off the field as they approach the start of new Super League season. The Merseyside outfit have made three signings over the off-season with Kyle Feldt, Lewis Murphy and Tristan Sailor all coming in from the NRL.
Feldt was a regular with North Queensland Cowboys last season and comes into the side to replace Tommy Makinson, who has joined Catalans Dragons. Sailor makes the switch from Brisbane Broncos after struggling to nail down a full-time spot within the NRL line-up and after taking the number six shirt, he looks destined to play in the halves.
Lewis Murphy joins from Sydney Roosters having failed to make a first grade appearance down under and he’ll certainly be keen to pick up where he left off in Super League after emerging through the Wakefield Trinity academy.
Off the field, Eamon O’Carroll and Lee Briers have been added to Paul Wellens’ coaching staff and the pair have already come in for praise.
The hope is then that St Helens can bounce back after last season’s disappointing sixth placed finish and challenge Wigan Warriors at the top of the tree once more.
The Saints get their season underway against Salford Red Devils on February 15 and it’s fair to say that Wellens will already be mulling over his line-up. With that in mind, here’s how we think St Helens will line up in round one.
Jack Welsby spent periods of last season playing in the halves and that suggested he could be a stand-off option for 2025, but Sailor’s squad number of six seems to put that debate to bed for the time being. Albeit squad numbers are not the be all and end all, but Welsby at full-back with Sailor and Lomax in the halves certainly seems to make sense.
Kyle Feldt, Konrad Hurrell and Mark Percival appear to be obvious choices in the back line while it seems Wellens has a choice to make between Murphy and Jon Bennison for the other wing spot. Both have their strengths and weaknesses and selection might depend on what they do over pre-season.
The pack looks set to remain relatively unchanged at the Totally Wicked Stadium. Sione Mata’utia’s exit ensures Wellens has one less senior option but in Curtis Sironen and Joe Batchelor he has two very able back-rowers, with Matt Whitley around as back-up, while Alex Walmsley, Matty Lees and Daryl Clark will make up the front-row, with Agnatius Paasi, George Delaney and Moses Mbye there for support off the bench.
Morgan Knowles obviously gets the nod in what his his testimonial year, with James Bell serving to underline the sheer amount of depth the club have in the forwards.
Predicted St Helens round one line-up: Jack Welsby; Kyle Feldt, Konrad Hurrell, Mark Percival, Lewis Murphy; Tristan Sailor, Jonny Lomax; Alex Walmsley, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees; Curtis Sironen, Joe Batchelor; Morgan Knowles.
Bench: Moses Mbye, Agnatius Paasi, George Delaney, James Bell.
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