St Helens head coach Paul Wellens has discussed what options the club have in terms of replacing one of their injured stars.
Wellens spoke with the media yesterday and confirmed that star winger Kyle Feldt will miss around 12 weeks after suffering a hand injury with the veteran outside back set to undergo surgery on Friday.
Feldt played in Saints’ 22-14 win over Leeds Rhinos on Friday night but Wellens confirmed that the Australian had actually suffered the injury in the Round Four Super League defeat to Hull KR.
The St Helens boss explained: “We’ve had scans and he (Feldt) has ruptured a ligament in his hand. He did that actually against Hull KR and played again last week but it’s worsened and he’s going to need surgery on that, which he will have on Friday.”
Wellens would then confirm that surgery will likely sideline Feldt for 12 weeks meaning the Red Vee will be without both of their first-choice wingers for the foreseeable future, following Lewis Murphy’s injury in Round One.
Having suffered so many injuries in 2024, it’s not an unfamiliar position for the Saints boss and he spoke about the different options that he will call upon given the current outside back injury crisis.
St Helens boss reveals options after confirming star’s 12-week injury
Credit: Paul Currie/SWpix.com
In terms of like-for-like replacements, Saints are thin on the ground with their only healthy wingers either youth players or out on loan but those could he options that are looked at.
Having revealed that the club only learned the extent of Feldt’s injury on Monday, Wellens explained that discussions have only just began but that a number of options are on the table.
On recallin Tee Ritson, who is currently out on loan, he said: Potentially, it’s another discussion that we’ve got to have. He’s on loan at Barrow at the moment but that’s a discussion and conversation that we still need to have. It could potentially be an option.”
In terms of more immediate options, Wellens explained that a positional shift for one or two players could be needed as he spoke about Ben Davies as well as the prospect of moving full-back Harry Robertson, who has been playing centre, onto the wing.
“Ben (Davies) has been in and around the squad and he’s always done a good job when he’s called upon,” Wellens explained.
“It was only yesterday when we found out that Kyle would be needing surgery so we’re still in the infancy of looking at our options for that. What we will do is move forward as a team positively.
“We could always put Ben Davies in the centre and maybe switch Harry (Robertson) to the wing. That’s an option for us. We’ve got young Dayon Sambou as a winger who’s been playing in the reserves the last couple of weeks and not having a good job.”
One thing he did confirm is that signing a replacement is unlikely given the club’s salary cap situation, stating: “We’re pretty close to cap so again because the situation is very new, we can have discussions there, but in terms of bringing anybody in, we’re not at that point at this moment in time.”
There was some positive news in that Lewis Murphy is due to return in “three to four weeks maybe”, however, all eyes will be on how the club cope until his “timely return”, as Wellens put it.
