Game One of the 2026 Saints Academy Tour, proudly sponsored by ASW Solicitors, saw our youngsters fall to a narrow defeat 24-18 against Balmain Tigers.
A spirited second-half fightback wasn’t quite enough to overcome the Australian opposition, but in challenging conditions, our young Saints showed plenty of character, physicality and attacking quality throughout the contest. However, handling errors and missed opportunities ultimately proved costly for the young travelling side.
The game began at a frantic pace, with both sides looking to establish physical dominance early on. Strong carries and heavy contact set the tone, while the testing conditions contributed to a number of handling errors and penalties in the opening exchanges.
Owen Schuster was particularly impressive defensively, producing some powerful tackles as Saints looked to gain control of the contest.
It was Balmain who struck first, moving the ball effectively through the hands before finding space out wide to cross in the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful, giving the hosts an early 4–0 advantage.
Saints responded positively and soon found themselves on the scoreboard. A superb kick from Fin James early in the tackle count opened up the Balmain defence, allowing Dillon Barnes to capitalise and cross for Saints’ opening try.
James added the extras to give the visitors a slender 6–4 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Saints went into the second quarter with intent, as Cal Holmes produced a strong carry to get his side on the front foot. However, despite earning successive penalties and enjoying promising field position, Saints were unable to turn their opportunities into points, with a handling error close to the Balmain line bringing an attacking set to an end.
The hosts made Saints pay, spreading the ball to the left edge to score their second try of the afternoon. With the conversion missed, Balmain regained the lead at 8–6.
Momentum continued to swing in the Tigers’ favour when a break downfield resulted in Saints’ Ollie Knox being sent to the sin bin following a professional foul. Despite further strong defensive contributions from Schuster, Balmain took advantage of their numerical superiority. A powerful line from one of the Tigers’ front-rowers saw him crash over from close range, with the successful conversion extending the hosts’ lead to 14–6.
Saints had an opportunity to respond before the half-time break after a Balmain restart went dead, but the visitors were unable to make their field position count.
The second half saw Balmain applying early pressure following an offside infringement from Saints at the restart. However, the young Saints side defended resolutely and worked their way back into the contest.
A promising attacking move almost brought an immediate reward when a well-weighted pass over the top found Schuster in space, only for the final ball to be ruled forward. Saints continued to press and were handed another opportunity following a Balmain knock-on inside their own half. This time, the visitors made no mistake. Paddy Sheppard showed tremendous strength and determination to power his way over the line, with Fin James adding the conversion to reduce the deficit to just two points at 14–12.
With the game finely balanced, Saints looked capable of completing the turnaround, but further handling errors disrupted their momentum. Balmain capitalised around the hour mark, crossing for another converted try to restore their eight-point advantage at 20–12.
Schuster continued to lead the defensive effort, finishing the quarter with another thunderous tackle as Saints refused to let the contest slip away. St.Helens started the final quarter brightly, applying excellent pressure from the kick-off to regain possession inside Balmain territory.
However, it was the hosts who struck next. A break down the left edge was followed by a clever kick back inside, allowing the supporting Balmain player to collect and score. The conversion was missed, leaving Saints trailing 24–12.
With the game threatening to get away from them, Saints produced a moment of real quality to reignite their hopes. Toby Botell broke brilliantly through the middle of the Balmain defence before finding the supporting Joe Hart, who raced away to finish underneath the posts. Hart converted his own try, bringing Saints back within six points at 24–18 and setting up a tense finish.
The visitors continued to throw everything at the Tigers. A powerful carry from Spencer Lowe, charging onto the ball at pace, helped Saints gain valuable ground and earn another penalty. However, another handling error brought the attacking opportunity to an end.
Saints got back on the front foot thanks to an excellent defensive effort from Paddy Sheppard, whose strong tackle forced a Balmain mistake and handed the visitors possession in dangerous territory. Despite completing the following set and forcing Balmain to work their way out from their own line, Saints were unable to find the decisive breakthrough. Balmain held firm to secure a hard-fought 24–18 victory.
Despite the defeat, the young travelling Saints demonstrated their ability to compete in a demanding, physical contest in difficult conditions.
A valuable learning experience for the Saints Academy, who will look to build on the positives as their Australian tour continues into its second week.
