St Helens head coach Paul Rowley spoke with beaming pride about the courage of his young side as they bounced back from last week’s shocking result to beat Catalans Dragons.
A response was all that Rowley was after and he got all of that and more as St Helens came from behind to win 34-18 and it was their young players who were at the heart of the victory.
Debutant Jack Campbell scored a brace whilst Harry Robertson, who it’s easy to forget is still only 20-years-old and just 48 games into his Super League career, also scored two with his last-minute try crowning what was an incredible victory.
Campbell only learned that he’d be debuting at 11:30 am with Nene Macdonald pulling out due to injury, however, the under-18s full-back shone and Rowley was eager to express his pride that the youngster had been named Man of the Match.
“You used the word courageous and it was a word that was used quite a lot before the game and I totally agree, I think it was courageous, right from the start,” Rowley told Sky Sports.
“I love you giving Man of the Match there to young Campbell. I thought he was fantastic. That is courage epitomised right there.
“You ring these young lads and you think they’re going to be nervous and stuck for words but I was probably more nervous speaking to him than he was receiving the phone call… He was fantastis, so brave.”
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Paul Rowley hails St Helens heroes for courage
Campbell wasn’t the only young player to come in for praise, though Rowley did admit that he could have, and he almost did, name every single player for their efforts.
Hooker Tom Humphreys was another standout, assisting two tries and Rowley said: “I think Tom there at nine, he’s just kept growing and growing and growing.
“It was a team effort, so it was like the two extremes, the experienced players and then the really young players, so I think there were eight boys out there today who started in the reserves at the beginning of the year, but the likes of Jack Welsby, Siro (Curtis Sironen), Jed Cartwright, Hosty (Jacob Host), Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Shoz (Joe Shorrocks), they were really, really good.
“Jacko (Jackson Hastings), Tris (Tristan Sailor), they were protective of the young lads, and the young lads responded, they brought the energy, the enthusiasm.
“Matty Evans is another, I really should go through with the whole team, because it was a team performance, so I’m really pleased for them.”
Rowley even admitted that Catalans may have seen the St Helens’ teamsheet and underestimated players, as he said that whilst it’s just two points, the win felt like more.
“It’s just one game, it’s just two points, but sometimes it just feels a little bit more than that, and I think coming into the ground, being around the ground, the crowd responded to the effort and the courage.
“I’m very, very proud and really delighted for the players, really, and the staff, who’ve worked extremely hard as well, there’s a lot of belief in the camp.”
As for going forward, he said: “We’ll be humble, we won’t get carried away, we understand that, but some really good, promising careers have started the journey today, and that’s really a privilege to be a part of it.”
