Paul Wellens has discussed his selection headaches for St Helens’ game against Wakefield Trinity and given an update on off-contract Konrad Hurrell.
Hurrell signed a one-year extension with St Helens late last year, however, he’s yet to feature for the club in Super League in 2025 with the centre spending time out on loan or dual registration in the Championship.
Injuries have often kept him sidelined and his season has felt like one big bid to return to full fitness and take to the field, however, that’s not happened yet and with all of Harry Robertson, Mark Percival and Owen Dagnall firing, it’s hard to see where Hurrell would feature anyway.
He played for the reserves last week and that saw St Helens coach Paul Wellens asked if the 34-year-old was close to selection.
Wellens confirmed: “He’s closer than he was but he still needs to string some games together, and that’s the challenge for Konrad.
“He’s had a number of different opportunities, both on loan and dual-reg, and obviously in our reserves as well.
“Konrad needs game time and we’ll keep looking for those opportunities to get him some.”
What does Konrad Hurrell’s future hold?
His 2025 campaign has seen him play just shy of a dozen games with his only appearance wearing the Red Vee coming in the club’s Challenge Cup game against West Hull.
He most recently played for Swinton Lions in League One in late July and Wellens confirmed that another short-term loan could be a possibility, however, he admitted that he doesn’t want to ‘mess players around’
“Potentially, yeah,” the Saints coach said in regards to a short-term move, adding: “He has been on loan at Swinton, he has been on loan at Bradford, and obviously spent time on dual-reg with Halifax as well.
“What I want to be conscious about is that we don’t want to mess players around and send them here, there and everywhere. The most important thing for Konrad is to continue to play, and that gives himself the best chance.”
Hurrell is off-contract at the end of the year and having not played all season, and turning 34 today, it’s highly unlikely a new deal is landed. The more immediate concern could be whether he has played his final game for St Helens or not.
St Helens squad selection hints
It’s not likely he’ll feature this week with Paul Wellens confirming he doesn’t expect to make many changes, however, he has admitted that the number of returning players are applying pressure on the starting 17.
“I can’t see there being too many changes but those guys (who missed out) will be breathing down a few necks, and that’s the way we want it,” Wellens confirmed.
“We’ve been very clear to the team in-house that there’s a real, genuine competition for places at this moment in time, with a number of injured players returning or due to return.
“That quite often drives really high standards, so we’re hoping that will be the case.”
Having put in a professional performance against Castleford Tigers last week when they won 40-0, St Helens now face another West Yorkshire side though it’s expected to be a far tougher test.
Trinity will have a huge rest advantage having played in the first half of the split round, however, Wellens discounted that as making any difference.
“I don’t think there’s much in it, to be honest, we had the week off the week before, so we benefited from that. I feel that we benefited from the game we had last week.”
🎂 Happy Birthday to @konmanhurrell!
From all of us at the Saints, have a wonderful day Koni – much love!#COYS | @Breath4Healing pic.twitter.com/2dh1Iojezi
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) August 5, 2025
