Despite being on track for their worst-ever season in Super League, former player Jon Wilkin believes that St Helens are still not at the bottom.
After Thursday night’s loss to Hull FC as well as victories for Hull KR and Leigh Leopards on Friday, Saints now sit four points outside the top six and whilst they do play both KR and Leigh, the prospect of making the play-offs looks bleak.
Saints have lost five of their last six, including all three games since the departure of Paul Rowley, and with an away trip to Wakefield Trinity next up, another defeat looks likely.
As such, their play-off record is near certain to end and their worst season ever set to be etched into the history books but former captain Jon Wilkin believes things can still get worse for St Helens.
Speaking after Thursday’s 32-18 loss to Hull FC, the ex-Saint said: “Quite simply, those players, this club, none of this is good enough. It never was. It never has been since I was involved at the club. It’s not acceptable.”
He’d refer back to the loss against promoted York, stating: “When you start accepting it and you start saying, we tried really hard against York and they lost. Wow. That’s language on the retreat. That’s standards on a retreat. That’s acceptance of things that’s on a retreat. An acceptance of players who aren’t good enough to come here but they’re almost at the standard. The fitting of this club is not right. None of that is right.”
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St Helens set to drop lower in 2027
As well as that loss to York, Wilkin critiqued the loss to Hull FC, even going as far as to say St Helens simply rolled over.
“The manner of this defeat is alarming. It’s un-St Helens-like in every aspect,” he said.
“There’s enough quality on the pitch. There are enough players on the pitch who’ve got enough experience to roll over and beat Hull.
“Eamonn (McManus) said, ‘you’re going to see us try really hard at the end of the year’. Well, I’m sorry, Eamonn, you’ve just watched your side roll over and have their bellies scratched for 80 minutes by a Hull FC side who were second bottom.”
As for what comes next, he emphasised just how big the turnaround has to be: “I just think the club has got a job on to turn the attitude and the atmosphere around of the club.
“The real worry for me is that this isn’t the bottom yet. It’s 2027. Recruitment, if it hasn’t happened now, where are you recruiting from? Or are you signing Suluka-Fifita and Jed Cartwright? Are you signing Shane Wright? Are you signing Joe Shorrocks? You’re getting people halfway through the year frantically.”
