St Helens look set to miss the Super League play-offs for the second time in their history after a fifth loss in their last six games.
That run of form has seen them tumble out of the play-offs with tonight’s 32-18 loss to Hull FC the latest in a torrid run of form.
For Hull FC, victory means that they will likely avoid the wooden spoon, whereas the loss for Saints is devastating and it came on a night when they started so fast with Lewis Murphy scoring after just two minutes.
A major problem was that his counterpart Harvey Barron had the better of him as he scored a hat-trick with the third of those putting Hull FC 20-14 up early in the second half, before a Cade Cust try condemned Saints even more.
Harry Robertson would pull one back late on to offer hope but James Bell put the nail in the coffin with a 79th-minute try against his former team to put the game beyond all doubt, and with it put Saints’ play-off hopes in serious doubt.
Here are all the talking points from Hull FC’s victory over Saints as we saw it.
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St Helens versus Hull FC talking points
64-year record set to snap
St Helens have made the play-offs in every single season of Super League but as chairman Eamonn McManus was quite keen to point out pre-match, Saints have actually made the play-offs in every season since 1962.
Based on their first 22 games of the season, and more specifically this performance tonight, that record will soon come to an end. Should Leeds Rhinos win tomorrow night then they will be mathematically qualified for the play-offs – a Leeds side that Saints beat in the play-offs last year yet this team is near unrecognisable and it can’t be said that 2025 was vintage St Helens.
Two points adrift, possibly four by the end of this round, Saints just don’t inspire any hope that they can make the six and when they’re losing to a team fighting to avoid the wooden spoon, what hope do they have of beating their fellow play-off contenders?
Hull FC break torrid streak
For the first time since June 13th, Hull FC scored more than four tries and it’s no coincidence that for the first time since June 13th, Hull FC have won a game. The last time before that they scored more than four tries came in late April, which marked their second-most recent win.
It’s been no secret just how poor the Hull FC attack was and whether it was fully firing tonight or whether Saints crumbled under the pressure, the Airlie Birds will not care as they have snapped a seven-game losing streak.
They’ve also won just their third game in 14 under Andy Last and they could have had more points tonight with the Black and Whites having one controversially ruled out.
Saints’ bright spark sees night end in tears
On a night where their play-off hopes almost certainly crumbled, there was initially one positive for St Helens and that was George Whitby’s return, but it would quickly turn to a negative as he left the field through injury.
Given that he was returning after having knee surgery, that is a major concern with the youngster leaving the field with around 15 minutes to go with what was reported as a knee issue.
Before that, he had played off the bench and there was a marked improvement when he entered the field as Eamon O’Carroll oversaw a reshuffle of his spine.
Joe Shorrocks moved to hooker, Jackson Hastings to loose forward and Saints fans got to see what they’ve been begging for, a halves pairing of Harry Robertson and George Whitby with the latter’s assist for Jack Welsby a thing of beauty. However, the fear now will be that Whitby’s season is done and if it’s the same knee, then it could be even more worrying.
Ese’ese no try
As mentioned above, Hull FC had a very questionable video referee decision go against them as Herman Ese’ese’s seemingly obvious try was ruled out.
The powerhouse prop was in fine form in the first half and he powered over close to the line taking plenty of bodies with him. He’d manage to free an arm and appeared to ground the ball, though Liam Rush disagreed with the verdict going to the video referee who agreed that the ball fell short.
However, a key angle was not available, and upon seeing that, Sky’s Jon Wilkin ripped into the decision: “It’s a try. They’ve got that wrong, it’s just a try. Herman Ese’ese is right to shake his head as he does because that’s on the line… he was clearly fuming and rightly so because they’ve got that one wrong, the ball was on the line.”
Dublin day two locked in
A day after Warrington and Wigan announced that they were going to Dublin, St Helens have followed suit with the club confirming that they will play a game on the Sunday after that match on Saturday.
Their opponents will be Hull FC and fans of both clubs, as well as neutrals, will be hoping that game has more quality than tonight’s display with this being an instance of two teams well off the pace.
⏹️ Full time in Round 22.#COYS | @LPL_Airport pic.twitter.com/NStKS5Gsa7
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) August 6, 2026
