Men

2024 Season Review: St Helens

3 hrs

Serial winners St Helens fall short of past glories but have hope for the future.

In Saints coach Paul Wellens’ own words, the 2024 season was a “challenging” one for the 10-times Betfred Super League title winners.

Saints only secured a Play-Offs place on points difference on the final weekend of the season, having uncharacteristically struggled for consistency and fluidity throughout the second half of the campaign.

Wellens - a club legend through his considerable achievements as a player - was dealt a tough hand with injuries to some key figures and found himself criticised for the side’s performances and results.

But for a few fleeting minutes in their iconic Play-Offs clash at Warrington, it looked as though Saints could still push for Old Trafford, after Mark Percival’s last gasp touchline conversion sent the game into golden point extra-time.

Ultimately, George Williams would break St Helens hearts with his decisive one pointer, but it still offered Wellens some hope for a more positive year in 2025.

“We can’t get away from it – both personally and collectively as a team, it’s been a really challenging 2024,” Wellens said after the Wolves defeat.

“We’ve been challenged this year more than we’ve ever been challenged and we’ve been criticised more than we’ve ever been criticised.

“That’s tough at times, but what we showed tonight is who we are as a club and what we’re about as a club and there’s a lot to be proud of there.”

The season didn’t start in such trying circumstances - after beating rivals Wigan 12-4 in a tense Good Friday clash, Saints sat top courtesy of five wins from six and were still in the Betfred Challenge Cup after easing past Leeds.

Big Al's carry ? Makinson's leap ?

The defining @Saints1890 score on Good Friday ?#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/BMNb0RduDh
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) March 29, 2024

Even a disappointing home loss to Warrington in the quarter-finals didn’t derail the league campaign, and at the start of June Saints had lost just three times and looked well placed for a top two finish.

Then came a barely heard of - in recent years at least - run of five straight defeats, and come the end of the campaign Saints were clinging onto their top six spot.

Jack Welsby again stood tall amid the turbulence, making more linebreaks and metres than any other Saint and just one fewer assist than skipper Jonny Lomax.

Tommy Makinson finished as top try scorer in his final season at the club before heading for Catalans, while Matty Lees made the Dream Team after a year of industry in a pack that badly missed Alex Walmsley for almost two-thirds of the campaign.

7th all-time top try-scorer in #SuperLeague ?@TommyMak21 is over for @Saints1890 ? pic.twitter.com/yd2siCbHam
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) August 8, 2024

James Bell, Moses Mbye and Sione Mata’utia were among those to maintain their efforts in trying circumstances, and there was certainly promise too in the latest cluster of homegrown players to emerge onto the first team scene.

Full-back Harry Robertson, prop Noah Stephens, centre Jonny Vaughan and hooker Jake Burns all took their chances with both hands, joining the likes of George Delaney and Jon Bennison in Wellens’ side.

Making your impact on #SuperLeague ?@Saints1890's Jake Burns scored twice off the bench on his second Super League appearance 2? pic.twitter.com/di05BusYMr
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) August 5, 2024

Next season will see the Saints coach assisted by the highly rated Lee Briers and with new signings including NRL trio Tristan Sailor, Kyle Feldt and Lewis Murphy.

Wellens will be hopeful that helps to signal a return to competing at the very top of the Betfred Super League in 2025.

Key Man

Matty Lees became the senior figure in the front row for much of the season, topped the tackle count, carried the ball strongly and was the sole Saints player to be selected in the 2024 Betfred Super League Dream Team.

Rising Star

Versatile teenager Harry Robertson played more matches (nine) than most would have expected before the start of the campaign and readily took his chance, boding well for his long-term future.

Season Highlight

It sounds strange to cite a defeat. But when Mark Percival kicked his touchline conversion to level the scores in the final minute of the thrilling Play-Offs game at Warrington, Saints supporters had brief hope that a tough year could yet finish on a high.