St Helens boss Paul Wellens is enjoying life at the start of the 2025 Super League season.
His side has three wins from three games, sitting top of the table and the Saints have a points difference of +142 already.
Facing a match-up with Hull KR on Friday night, Wellens spoke to the press about a potential Las Vegas game next year and talked about both one of his most experienced players and a young player who he’s challenged to keep improving.
Wellens said that they haven’t formally put forward any plans but he was looking forward to those conversations if and when they arise.
On the opportunity to play in Vegas, he said: “I think I would say from our perspective if it’s looking like it would be happening again, then we’d like to be involved in the conversation.
“I think that’s all we can say at this stage. I would imagine there are a number of other clubs who are thinking very similar so if we could be part of the conversation, it would be great.
“Obviously, I watched the event like everybody else, I thought it was great to see rugby league played over in the United States.
“It seemed like there was a wonderful following of not just Warrington and Wigan fans but just rugby league fans in general so that made for what looked like a really good spectacle.”
When it came to his current squad, he was pleased with how the season’s gone so far but challenged a couple of players to keep on improving.
He noted that forward Alex Walmsley has been strong in 2025 and was pleased for him to get some much-needed game time, following his injury last season.
On Walmsley, St Helens boss Wellens said: “What Al was in need of was a really strong pre-season after that disruption mid-year with the injury but he’s been really strong in pre-season.
“He’s trained so well and and he looks like a very motivated individual at this moment in time and I think that’s reflected in his performances.”
At the other end of the experience spectrum sits young player Harry Robertson.
Having only made his debut in July 2024, this is his first year having a full pre-season under his belt, joining the first team.
The St Helens boss has been impressed with his season but admitted there’s still much more from him.
He said: “He’s quite clearly a talented player, he started the season really strongly but his challenge is to maintain that and that’s something that’s easy to say but particularly for young players, it’s something that’s not easy to do.
“So the challenge is for Harry to just keep his head down, keep working hard, keep his feet on the ground and keep performing consistently well.”
With St Helens’ current squad at close to full fitness, Wellens admitted that he might have to loan out some players to get some game time.
He finished: “It’s not something that we rule out because what we want to do and we always try and do as a club is maximise playing opportunity.
“We’ve got our first reserves game on the weekend which is great to get a lot of players their first run of the year. We’d never rule out loans but when we do that it’s got to be something that works for all parties.”
St Helens boss Wellens will be hoping for a solid game from both Walmsley and Robertson as they host Hull KR, live on Sky Sports Action.
