Despite their heavily depleted squad, St Helens head coach Paul Rowley has confirmed that his side could well send players on loan to Halifax Panthers.
It was confirmed early Tuesday afternoon that the RFL had reinstated Halifax’s membership and place in the 2026 Championship, however, the club are thought to only have 14 players left following last month’s liquidation.
St Helens sent numerous players out on loan to Fax in 2025 whilst Leon Cowen had joined the club on a season-long deal for 2026, which obviously ended upon the Panthers’ liquidation.
Whilst Saints have, in Paul Rowley’s eyes, one of the most depleted squads in Super League alongside Huddersfield Giants, he confirmed that they would be open to making loans work and helping the Panthers out,
Rowley told Serious About Rugby League: “If we can help Halifax we will. There’s potential that we might send one or two players to Halifax. If we can, we will.”
St Helens boss explains need to be versatile amid injury test
In respect to Saints’ major injuries, of which Alex Walmsley is the latest addition after suffering a foot injury that will rule him out for six weeks, Paul Rowley called on his side to remain consistent in how they’re playing, no matter which individuals are playing.
Jack Welsby’s shoulder injury has seen Harry Robertson deployed at full-back in rounds two and three, but when asked if the youngster is locked in at that role, Rowley responded: “Not necessarily, no.”
However, he also wouldn’t confirm if Robertson would be moving back to the centres, instead explaining that with so many top-line players out St Helens have to adapt.
Rowley explained: “We think about all things. Again, as I mentioned with depleted squads. I think ourselves and maybe Huddersfield are probably suffering the worst in that respect.
“I think if we come to a consistent way of playing, then it shouldn’t matter where people play, so to speak and that’s what we’re trying to do but we’re really being tested at the minute.”
Last week’s win over Catalans Dragons saw Robertson play at full-back in a spine comprised of Tristan Sailor, Jackson Hastings and Daryl Clark, with George Whitby named on the bench in the utility role that Jonny Lomax occupied before his wrist injury.
On Whitby’s prospects for more minutes, Rowley said: “He got his opportunity at the weekend, it’s only game three. He got around 20 minutes I think, something like that so again it’s when the opportunity arises.
“He’s training hard and he’s learning and we’ll use him when we see fit.”
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