PAUL Wellens says he is enjoying the extra responsibility placed on him by Royce Simmons.
The full back has been utilised as an additional half-back during the last couple of weeks to take pressure off Lee Gaskell and Jonny Lomax.
“I have moved into the backs a little more and I’m enjoying the responsibility,” he said. “I am benefitting from it in my own performance and it’s keeping me on my toes a little bit too. The full-back role is changing and you are almost an extra half-back now anyway.
“As well as the defensive game, a lot of full-backs have a strong kicking game too. I have always stuck to the core values that have got me to where I am; I play physically and try not to over complicate things.
“I want to continue that and continue to improve. It is a long season and people do have fluctuation in form. I have always been consistent and my role now is to keep that going.”
Wellens finished last season with a rib injury and played a couple of games of this campaign with pain relief.
But he says over the last few weeks he hasn’t felt any adverse effects.
“It’s been good,” he continued. “At the beginning of the season we were talking about surgery but it has now mproved. I have put in a lot of extra work on the treatment table and it is paying off.
“I knew from the off I would get physical challenges and plenty of high balls, but that doesn’t bother me.”
Saints take on Hull KR this Friday and will no doubt face a tough test.
“They may have struggled for form with Michael Dobson out of the side, but they have been very competitive. Perhaps they haven’t been as clinical as they would have liked to be and I’m sure they have a big performance around the corner.
“I have played against Willie Mason once – in the 2004 Tri-Nations and he left me flat on my back facing the other way down the field.
“Willie is a big strong player; but Hull KR have a big pack so we can’t just focus on him”
Tickets for the game on Friday April 1 at 8pm are now on sale and supporters can save £3 by buying their ticket by 5pm on Wednesday.
You can buy at the Saints Ticket Office in St Helens Town Centre, online, or by calling 01744 455 050.
You can also buy a ticket for a mate for £10 if you buy yours in advance or are a season ticket holder.
