PAUL Wellens says hard work and the determination to improve is the only way Saints will bounceback on Sunday when they take on Castleford.
Speaking to City Talk 105.9’s In Touch show – the station which partners our Official In Touch podcasts – he admitted last week’s performance just wasn’t good enough.
“We were really disappointed with it,” he said. “The Chairman’s statement said it was sub-par – I think he was being polite there to be honest. We recognise we can perform much better and have to do moving forward.
“In training this week our determination to improve is still there and we will continue to work hard for each other. But we do recognise and understand the disappointment of our supporters.
“I have been fortunate enough to be part of teams who have been successful. We have taken the adulation of the fans and paraded trophies in front of them.
“That is the great side of being a player but we need to recognise in the good times you get the adulation and therefore when things don’t go right you get the criticism as well.
“As players we don’t shy away from that and quite simply the performance on Friday wasn’t good enough.”
Saints recorded a 48-18 home win over Castleford last time out and have beaten the Tigers on their last 10 meetings.
“We know things will be ok if we work hard for each other, have the right mentality and strive to get better,” he continued. “We have every confidence we can do that. It will be a tough game on Sunday and we are under no illusions about how tough it will be. Castleford are a different team than they were a couple of months ago.
“When people say ‘will St Helens make the eight’ that doesn’t sit right with me. We should be higher in the table but that is the situation we are in.
“We have to start winning games as the teams around us are in similar positions. It is an important couple of months for us. We have to get our form right, pick up victories and take some momentum into the playoffs.”
