St Helens notebook: The next George Delaney identified, Curtis Sironen influence and more

St Helens coach Paul Wellens met with the media on Monday at Elland Road ahead of their derby clash with Wigan Warriors at Magic Weekend, discussing several talking points.

Wellens discussed their confidence-boosting win over Salford, the senior players stepping up in recent weeks and the emergence of promising prop Noah Stephens.

Here’s the review and rundown of everything that Wellens told Love Rugby League at in the pre-Magic Weekend press event at Elland Road..

A lift in confidence from win over Salford Red Devils

St Helens followed up their impressive 46-6 win over Hull FC a fortnight ago with a 17-16 victory over play-off rivals Salford Red Devils last week: and Wellens admitted that has been a lift in confidence in the playing group over the last two weeks following that five-game losing streak.

“There has been a lift and there’s a bit more confidence amongst the playing group,” Wellens said.

“Winning a tight game like that can certainly lift you but I was really impressed with the way we handled the back end of the game when we were under the pump, particularly when we were down to 11 men and also the way we handled golden point.

“We were very patient, we waited for an opportunity to get us into good field position and Moses got it done for us. It’s given the team a real boost, winning a tight game like that.”

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Senior players leading from the front, including ‘leader’ Curtis Sironen

Wellens shared praise on some of the elder statesmen within his squad for how they have turned around their fortunes following a grim five-match losing streak, including Australian forward Curtis Sironen, who has been one of the premiere back-rowers in Super League this season.

“Curtis Sironen has been incredible for us throughout the course of the year,” Wellens said. “He has really developed into a strong leader within the group and that’s showing not just on the field, but off the field as well.

“Matty Lees has been incredible, I’ve asked so much of Matty and he’s been playing long minutes in the middle of the field but he has led from the front.

“Moses Mbye has been a real calming influence on the team so you need those experienced players to step up.

“Tommy Makinson on the wing is another one whose return to the team has given everyone a boost. We have been really reliant on a lot of young players but the young players feel a lot more comfortable going into a team with senior players who are a real calming influence on them.”

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The emergence of promising prop Noah Stephens

There has been a number of green shoots to emerge from an injury-hit season for Saints, including the rise of homegrown talent such as Harry Robertson, Jake Burns, Jonny Vaughan and Noah Stephens.

Stephens, a no-nonsense front-rower who hails from Crosby, just north of Liverpool, has made 10 appearances for Wellens’ outfit since making his first team debut back in May.

“He’s been great,” Wellens said of Stephens. “If you’d have said to me at the start of the year that Noah would play as many games as he has this year, then I probably wouldn’t have believed you.

“I think we envisaged this would be a year where he is in and around the first-team environment, maybe giving him one or two games and play him on dual-reg but, as circumstances with injuries transpired, Noah got his opportunity.

“And like a number of other young players, he’s shown he can compete at this level and the beauty of it with Noah is that there’s still plenty of improvement in him as well. You only have to look at someone like George Delaney who got opportunities in similar circumstances.. Noah is following a very similar path.”

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