“No-brainer” – St Helens star faces calls to be dropped as pundits debate Jonny Lomax return

After St Helens poor performance in defeat to Warrington Wolves, one star player has faced calls to be dropped from the team.

In the third meeting between Warrington and St Helens over the past few weeks, it was once again Sam Burgess’ side who came out with the spoils as he extended his record to seven wins and zero losses against the Red Vee with the 32-18 win.

For a second week in a row, St Helens made it difficult for themselves as they gave away easy errors which led to easy points for Warrington, and that saw plenty of debate post-match about Paul Wellens’ selection.

George Whitby was selected over Jonny Lomax once again and whilst the teenage talent fared fine, the absence of Lomax was clear for pundit Kevin Brown to see.

Speaking post-mach on Sky Sports, he said: “I think Jonny Lomax is a fantastic defender, so he would have locked that edge down and then off the back of that, I thought they lacked leadership out there tonight and that’s what Jonny Lomax is paid the big money for.”

St Helens signing Tristan Sailor faces calls to be dropped

Lomax initially missed out against Wakefield Trinity in Round Seven due to an ankle injury but Whitby’s strong performance in his place saw Paul Wellens back the 18-year-old.

Continuing his support of Lomax starting, Brown added: “I think it would bring George Whitby into the game and Jack Welsby, he didn’t look like a Jack Welsby that we’ve seen before. At six he’s still trying, he’s full of effort, but the quality just wasn’t there for me.

“I think if Jonny’s on that field, I’m not saying they’re going to win the game, but it’s going to be a closer result at the very worst.”

With young George Whitby and Jack Welsby seemingly locks in two of those three spine positions, it creates a toss-up between NRL signing Tristan Sailor and veteran Jonny Lomax, and Jon Wilkin has ruled that it should be the NRL recruit who drops out.

Following Kevin Brown’s assertion that playing Lomax at Magic Weekend was a “no-brainer”, Jon Wilkin surmised the major problem that Paul Wellens has.

The former St Helens captain responded: “I’m all for that as well, but I’m all for rewarding people like Whitby.

“Tristan Sailor should be out of the team, but you’ve got a guy on a lucrative three-year contract. Are you going to say to him, by the way you’re not playing and put his head in the shed? Might as well send him back to Australia if you do that.”

Paul Wellens faces a major call ahead of St Helens clash with Leeds Rhinos at Magic Weekend.

⏹ The Saints fall to a defeat in Round 9 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.#COYS | @LPL_Airport pic.twitter.com/p0Gbwbb6cj

— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 24, 2025