Paul Rowley is fresh in at St Helens but there are some clear priorities that the ex-Salford boss will have to address.
Rowley has been appointed on a three-year contract, replacing club legend Paul Wellens who took on the coaching role ahead of the 2023 season.
Whilst Wellens claimed the World Club Challenge trophy in his first competitive game in charge, he was unable to deliver any more silverware to a club that had previously won four Super League titles in a row.
As for Rowley, his final year in charge of Salford was ruined by the club’s off-field financial woes, something which has also scuppered plans for him to become the Red Devils’ director of rugby.
Instead, he’s left and taken the mantle at St Helens where he faces a number of key problems that need addressing during the off-season.
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What Paul Rowley must do at St Helens
Settle the spine
There are probably a number of reasons why Paul Wellens didn’t have any major success in his final year at the club but the lack of a settled spine is the most glaring one and that is what Paul Rowley must address.
Saints went into the play-offs with Jonny Lomax and Jack Welsby as their halves, a pairing that had first played together this season in round 27. Welsby, who missed a large portion of the season injured, was effectively shoe-horned into the halves due to Tristan Sailor not delivering in that position, despite being signed as a six.
Sailor was signed under Paul Wellens’ tenure, whether by Wellens or by those above him, but Paul Rowley likely won’t feel as compelled to force him into the team if he doesn’t think it works.
That could see Jack Welsby return to full-back and young half George Whitby potentially come through to get regular game time. These decisions will be made in due course when the full squad is together for pre-season, but spine uncertainty has to be solved by round one of Super League.
Sign stars
St Helens are one of the clubs in Super League who have a philosophy of bringing talent through as opposed to signing it but they may have to break that as recent recruitment windows have let them down and they’ve lost some true star power.
Morgan Knowles is arguably irreplaceable but the club will have to find someone to play at loose forward and try replicate Knowles’ output as there’s a clear lack of depth at the position.
Jacob Host has been signed to the pack and Shane Wright, who joined on loan, has been confirmed as a signing but that pair only really help to replace Hull FC-bound pair James Bell and Joe Batchelor.
A loose forward is definitely needed. Another prop would be desired and then more outside back options should be considered given the fact Lewis Murphy may be injury prone and they remain unclear on Harry Robertson’s best position, which could well be in the spine.
Keep promoting youth
Almost counter-intuitive to the previous point but the two directives are not mutually exclusive and can co-exist. Star signings are needed to strengthen the squad, namely loose forward, but youth needs to keep being pushed because there is a gold mine at the club’s academy.
This could be as simple as declaring George Whitby your starting seven, Owen Dagnall one of the starting centres, and then finding a positional home for Harry Robertson.
It also extends to ensuring that Noah Stephens gets more game time, George Delaney keeps his minutes up, and then beneath all of these current first-team players, the next crop of two or three are integrated into the squad.
Paul Rowley showed what he could do with a bit-part squad of loanees and youngsters in 2025 at Salford. Granted they only won three times all season and were beaten handily most weeks, but those young players came on leaps and bounds. With a youth system as good as St Helens, the possibilities are endless.
