Tuesday 7 October 2014 10:28, UK
St Helens captain Paul Wellens insists he has a great deal of respect for Wigan Warriors, but is determined to use Saturday’s Super League Grand Final as the catalyst for a new era of success.
Saints travel to Old Trafford having lost all five of their Grand Final appearances since they last lifted the Super League crown back in 2006.
However, Wellens insists Saints are looking to the future and believes they have a squad capable of bucking the losing trend.
Wellens will line up opposite former international colleague Sean O’Loughlin in the Old Trafford tunnel and while admitting there is reverence between the sides, the Saints skipper claims there is something unique about their rivalry.
“The two clubs have a huge amount of respect for each other but there’s something really different about this rivalry than there is with any other,” Wellens to Sky Sports.
“Myself and Sean O’Loughlin have grown up on opposite sides of Billinge Hill but that rivalry is there on both sides, even at 11 years old playing a town-team game for St Helens against Wigan the rivalry is there and that continues right through to the first team at both clubs.
“They’re an excellent side, they have an excellent coach in Shaun Wane and Sean O’Loughlin as a leader knows exactly how to get the best out of his troops so we’re preparing for Wigan at their best.”
St Helens’ recent record in English rugby league’s showpiece event makes dark reading, but Wellens claims the club are fully focussed on building a successful future rather than lamenting what has been.
“It’s not something I like to dwell on and as a club in recent years, moving into a new stadium at Langtree Park, we are very much looking forward to the future,” he added.
“The focus is purely on this weekend and hopefully it can kick-start a new era of success for St Helens.
“I have experienced both sides of it and I can tell you it’s not very nice when you lose, but on the flipside, when you win it’s one of the most memorable experiences of your career.
“Hopefully, come Saturday evening, we will be able to perform to make sure it is a memorable one again.”
Saints, 12-time winners of the competition, successfully negotiated a series of injuries to clinch the League Leaders’ Shield for the first time since 2008 and Wellens was quick to lavish praise on coach Nathan Brown for his tactical acumen.
“One thing I’m really proud of is the way we’ve battled through some adverse situations, losing a number of key players certainly hasn’t helped, but the way the guys have worked for each other is the reason we are able to play in this Grand Final on Saturday,” he said.
“I think a fair bit of credit has to go to Nathan Brown, when we lost key players he devised a new way for us to play which was more suited to the players we had available.”
Brown announced prior to St Helens’ semi-final victory over Catalan Dragons that he would be returning to his native Australia at the end of the season, a decision which came as a shock to Wellens.
“We were under the impression that he would be here for next season as well, but what is part and parcel of rugby league is that coaches come and go,” he claimed.
“Nathan has done a great job transforming this squad and he goes back to Australia leaving the squad in a really good position.”
