What is St Helens' best spine?

Serious About Rugby League

Paul Wellens fielded his 10th St Helens half-back pairing on Friday night at Leigh Leopards and asked after the game what his best spine was, he opted not to answer. With that in mind, Will Jackson, Sam Cook, Sam Brocksom and Peter Smith discuss the Saints' spine woes.

Transcript

00:00Paul Wallens was asked after the game

00:07what he felt his best spine was

00:09and he just said

00:10I prefer to keep that in-house

00:12but I think I agree with it

00:14I don't think he knows

00:15the 10th combination in the halves

00:17was pretty telling

00:18and with George Whitby sat on the sidelines

00:20you're just sort of thinking

00:21I don't think he knows

00:23which way to go

00:24and you know

00:25penultimate round of the season that was

00:28that's pretty alarming isn't it

00:29it's worth noting as well

00:31there are 10 combinations

00:32but they've not necessarily

00:34it's not been through injuries

00:36they've not had like

00:37you look at Huddersfield

00:38who've had like

00:39half of their spine out all season

00:41and then they'll get one back

00:42and then they'll lose it

00:43and they've had to make changes

00:45because of that

00:45since obviously

00:47Walesby was out for a period

00:48but they haven't had

00:49like loads of injuries in there

00:52it's just kind of been

00:53just changing up almost

00:55for the sake of

00:56well this might work this week

00:58it might not work

00:58I think it's

00:59it does look a bit

01:01directionless

01:03which

01:03feels quite harsh to say

01:05but I think it's probably true

01:06yeah for me

01:08you mentioned

01:09M. By going to the Q Cup as well

01:11I think he might be the man

01:12to come out this week

01:13you throw George Whitby in

01:15just to play that

01:16just to play more of that

01:18scrum half role

01:18you know

01:19personally I'd put

01:21Jack Wellsby back

01:22to full back

01:23I'd play

01:23Wells

01:24I'd play

01:25Whitby and Lomax in the halves

01:27and Clark at nine

01:28and I'd bring

01:29Tristan Saylor off the bench

01:31as I've said before

01:32I really like him coming off the bench

01:33as that impact player

01:34but also

01:35he's played it a couple of times

01:37this season

01:37playing hooker

01:38yeah

01:39Saylor off the bench

01:41reminds me a little bit

01:42of when Mikey Lewis

01:43came off the bench

01:44in the series

01:46international series

01:47at the end of last year

01:48obviously

01:48I'm not sure

01:50it might have been 2023

01:51but

01:51Lewis kind of

01:52he came on at hooker

01:53and he did have

01:54a lot of impact

01:55and he's kind of that

01:56X factor

01:57Saylor does that

01:57he brings the running threat

01:58and I think

01:59you can't

02:01you can't play him

02:02at full back

02:02because Wellsby's the better player

02:03and he's not a half

02:04you also can't really

02:06put him on the wing

02:06so I think if you want to use him

02:09you've got to use him

02:09in that impact role

02:11and when

02:12Wellsby came back

02:13from his injury

02:14against Huddersfield

02:15that was where they played him

02:16and yeah

02:17it's Huddersfield

02:18they were already losing

02:19by 30-40 points

02:20but he looked really sharp there

02:22and I think

02:23you've got a game

02:24against a team

02:25that you should beat

02:26I mean Casford looked defeated

02:27their grand final

02:28was against Wakefield

02:30they won that

02:30and then

02:31last week

02:32on Friday

02:32they were terrible

02:33and I think they're probably

02:34going to be terrible again

02:35I think Chris Chester knows

02:36that so many players

02:38leaving that team

02:39and you can't really

02:40get a tune out of it

02:41so

02:41yeah

02:42like you said

02:42throw in Whitby

02:43give him some confidence

02:44because you're probably

02:45going to have to call him

02:46in the playoffs

02:46because he may well

02:48be the answer

02:48and Saylor playing at nine

02:50against a tired Castleford

02:52when he comes off the bench

02:53I think

02:53that spells points for me

02:55so I'd agree with

02:56what you're saying

03:05and he's both

03:10and he's pushing

03:11out

03:12so

03:12that's

03:12why

03:12to be

03:13good

03:14than

03:16I think

03:16could be

03:17he'll be

03:18I'm

03:18and he'll be

03:19all want

03:20and he'll be

03:22with me

03:26man

03:27and

03:28we're

03:29he'll see you

03:30and

03:30but

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