St Helens head coach Paul Rowley has admitted that his side’s heavy defeat to Castleford Tigers was an ‘absolute shocker’ with no positives to be taken.
Saints scored a consolation late on through Owen Dagnall as they lost 30-10 at Wheldon Road in what was a torrid performance and Paul Rowley was well aware of that.
Speaking post-match to Sky Sports, Rowley confirmed that the players would be permitted a rest this coming week when there is no game, however, he made it clear that the actual performance today was simply unacceptable.
He admitted: “In isolation today has been an absolute shocker. There’s nothing positive about it for us but looking back on the start of the season, then the boys, like I said before, they deserve a rest.”
Rowley also admitted that he’d rather be playing next week so that his side could get out there and put right their errors, as he said: “I’d probably be rather back on the horse, if I’m being honest, but the lads have worked hard in the beginning of the season so they do deserve a rest.
“It’s been the same crop who’s been chipping away week to week. We’ve not had a lot of rotations, as you know, through the injury situation so they’re deserving of a rest.”
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St Helens forward heads to hospital as Rowley slams error-ridden performance
Assessing the actual performance, Rowley pointed to the 12 penalties, the 39% possession and the 63% completion percentage as a clear markers for why his side were so handily beaten.
On Castleford, he said: “They obviously did their fundamentals a lot better than us in terms of physicality but double-figure errors and double-figure penalties for us. If you give any team as much possession and territory than they’re going to burn you.
“I thought it was remarkable that they came in at half-time with such a close scoreline, really, and we actually give ourselves a chance if we turned it around and addressed the problem but we didn’t.
“Fair play to Castleford, they were by far the better side but like I said before, we were definitely contributors to our own downfall as well.”
As Rowley said, Saints only trailed 10-0 at the half but that deficit soon grew due to yet more errors, with the St Helens boss stating: “I just thought it was a terrible display from us in that respect. We were miles off the pace and we got what we deserved.
“I don’t think if we look back, we could prepare any differently. Every team will say the same thing. We always try and be consistent in how we prepare. Those performances, I guess, sometimes crop up but it doesn’t mean that it’s acceptable.”
St Helens also lost Noah Stephens to a failed HIA with the prop forward now expected to be sat down for an extended period as it is his second failure in two successive games, and Rowley provided an update on the prop.
“He’s gone to hospital. I think there was some concerns in and around his neck there.
“As in all cases with the medical, we take every precaution to just make sure he’s well-furnished, fit and well.”
jaybs
May 24, 2026 at 11:19 am
Always rated Jack Welsby so highly, but recently, at times, he has become a nuisance to the side, doing some stupid actions, getting him in the sin bin!