St.Helens Head Coach Paul Wellens has penned his regular match programme column for Saints & Proud ahead of our Thursday night home clash with Catalans Dragons.
Paul Wellens is proudly sponsored by JC Kitchens & Bedrooms.
I understand the disappointment when our team is not winning games. I am a St Helens boy myself, and I know how much this team means to the town.
Something I would never do is tell supporters how to behave, react or how to feel. I will simply say this; we are all in this together.
What I would want from fans would be to get behind the team after a run of poor results, because they need the support more than they have ever done. We have men who have been part of some special days for the Club, and I would love it if our supporters backed the team through what has been a tough moment.
I knew when I took on this role of Head Coach in late 2022 that there would always be huge amounts of pressure in the job, and that ultimately results stop with me. That has not changed since day one, to where we are now. I know my responsibility is to get the team performing and winning, and all my focus and determination is to do exactly that.
In the week with no fixture, we have put in some really productive work into our training sessions on the field. I feel we have benefited from those sessions immensely, and the energy within the group is strong; we want to put things right, but we must put it into matches now.
We know that Catalans will be coming to our home fired up after their Cup disappointment last weekend, and how they channel it is a challenge for us to manage, to ensure they do not get the result, and we do. It is an important game for us on the back of a string of results that have not gone our way – we need to rectify that, and the sooner the better.
Catalans are a team who we expect to be tough, uncompromising, and competitive, because our matches against them in recent years has never been anything but that. Proper battles and two teams giving each other what for as much as they can.
Since my last home match column, we welcomed Deon Cross into the club, and it has been wonderful to have a St Helens boy settle in and bring his energy and enthusiasm. His attitude has been brilliant in training and around the place. We are delighted to have him on board, and the longer he is with us, the better he will get.
I would like to congratulate our Women’s team on reaching Wembley for a third straight year, and a fifth Women’s Challenge Cup Final in a row. Everyone at the Club is proud of you and will be cheering you on as you hopefully make it five Cup trophies in succession.
Take care and enjoy our game at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Wello
