St Helens boss Paul Wellens insists a decision hasn’t been made just yet on the future of Konrad Hurrell. Hurrell is approaching the end of what has been an extremely tough season on a personal perspective, with the outside back failing to force himself in Wellens’ first-team plans.
The Tongan’s sole appearance for the Saints this season came in their first competitive game of the season away at West Hull in the Challenge Cup. Since then, he has hardly had a look in, with his only first-team game time coming during dual-reg or loan spells with Halifax Panthers, Bradford Bulls and Swinton Lions.
However, his most recent outing came with Saints’ reserves, who lost 32-18 to Bradford Bulls last week. Hurrell did manage to score two tries in the game, though, and Wellens was delighted to see the veteran send out a reminder of his capabilities.
St Helens head coach on Konrad Hurrell
“It’s a positive sign that he’s going out there and helping the team,” Wellens said of Hurrell’s efforts. “Konrad is a player with a wealth of experience who has been around the game a long time.
“He’s played in Grand Finals and won Grand Finals. As you can imagine, quite naturally players who have done a lot in the game don’t want to be playing reserves, but it’s a great sign of him as a person that he’s willing to lace up his boots, he’s willing to go and put his best foot forward and he’s willing to help young players in the reserves despite achieving so much in the game. With that he’s improving week on week.”
On Hurrell’s competition for a spot, Wellens added: “That’s also what I’ve got to factor in. We’ve got a team at the moment who is playing well, the centre spots at this moment are being taken up by Harry Robertson and Mark Percival who are both playing exceptional.
“We have a returning Deon Cross soon as well. It’s just the nature of professional sport at the top end that when there’s competition for places somebody has to be miss out. Unfortunately for Konrad it’s him at this moment in time. He’s not on his own there, there’s other players in other positions, and good players at that, who are not in the team and would love to be. That’s just the nature of the game.”
Hurrell is in his final year of his contract at the Totally Wicked Stadium and given the season he’s had, it’s hard to envisage the club offering the centre renewed terms. However, Wellens was quick to state that his future has not been finalised.
“There’s still a decision to be made,” he added. “We’re in no rush to make that decision. We’ll sit down with Konrad very soon and thrash out those chats and let you guys know when a decision has been made.”
