Everyone involved at the Club would like to wish all our supporters, partners, sponsors and staff around the world a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
At this time of year it always good to reflect on the year that has been, and the Saints wish to say a big thank you to all our fans for your ongoing, fantastic support in 2024!
Plenty of great memories have been made across all our teams in the last twelve months.
Our First Team had a tough season which saw a number of youngsters begin to be blooded in, and the excitement for the new campaign continues to build. Three new recruits have joined Paul Wellens’ talented squad in Kyle Feldt, Tristan Sailor and Lewis Murphy, and they joined a squad whose aim will be finish 2025 with more silverware brought home to the Totally Wicked Stadium.
The Saints Reserves finished top of the regular season table to earn a home Grand Final against old rivals Wigan in September, a game they would win to end the Warriors’ two-year reign and crown the Red V as Reserves Champions in 2024. That match would prove to be Derek Hardman’s last match as St.Helens Reserves Head Coach as he and Craig Richards re-joined the Saints Women from the 2025 season.
In another remarkable year, our Women’s team did our club proud and made even more history. For a fourth straight year the Saints won the Women’s Challenge Cup and earned a second victory at Wembley Stadium against Leeds Rhinos in back-to-back years. Securing the Women’s League Leaders’ Shield too, our team came oh so close to achieving an historic treble of trophies but fell to a heartbreaking loss in the Grand Final. Boosted by the retention of Woman of Steel nominee Faye Gaskin, the returns of England stars Shona Hoyle and Amy Hardcastle, as well as the addition of highly promising Caitlin Casey, Hardman & Richards will be gunning for more success for Saints Women next year.
Our Academy proudly produced four graduates that made their senior First Team debuts in 2024; Noah Stephens, Jonny Vaughan, Harry Robertson and George Whitby. Adding even more homegrown talent from our ranks into the elite fold.
The Saints Under 18s team themselves performed valiantly throughout the year to top the regular Academy Championship table for a third successive season! It is a testament to the hard work of all involved in our youth ranks, from our scouts, Scholarship staff up to our Academy Head Coach Derek Traynor – all play their part in developing future players for our club. The same goes for our women’s ranks too, with Jodie Cunningham nearly a year into working with at the Club, and our Women’s Academy programme continuing to go from strength to strength.
St.Helens R.F.C. is proud to be at the heart of our local community, and every day the Saints Community Development Foundation is serving and working with the people in our town across a whole host of health, wellbeing and support programmes.
Our home the Totally Wicked Stadium continues to shine and be THE premier event venue in our region, evidenced by another strong year and closed out this past month with sold out Christmas nights throughout the month.
We hope that all who support the Saints around the globe, and everyone attached to our community, has a happy and safe festive period, and that you are just as excited as we all are at the Club for 2025!
Merry Christmas!
