SAINTS skipper Paul Wellens is one of the great survivors of British rugby league – and his powers of endurance were needed on Monday when during press day he had to say the same things, albeit in a slightly different form, to 25 different interviewers.

At 34 Wellens will be running out for a record equalling tenth time, joining Jamie Peacock in that roll of honour.

And Saturday will present the hometown hero with the opportunity to add some symmetry to his win loss ratio after his first

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four winners rings have been followed by five consecutive losses.

But those losses may have scarred a generation of fans – and may go some way to explain why Saints’ uptake of the ticket allocation has been outstripped by Wigan’s – but they do not show in the positive demeanour of the Saints full back.

Significantly Wellens, who came off the bench as a 19-year-old to take his first winner’s ring in the gutsy win over Bradford Bulls in 1999, said success on Saturday would be the best yet.

Wellens said: “This would go right to the very top for me.
“To captain my hometown team in the Grand Final is such an honour.

“And then if we can come to Old Trafford and perform well and pull it off and then sit in the dressing room after the game and see the smiles on the other lads faces, like what I experienced all those years ago, that would be enough for me.”

Not weighed down by the baggage of previous losses, Wellens’ focus is on leading the new breed of Saints who have not tasted this experience before.

Wellens said: “The mixture between youth and experience very much reminds me of when I came into the side in the late 90s, playing with the Newloves, Joynts and Iros but there were also a good smattering of young lads.

“It was very similar in that regard, so let’s hope we get similar results.

“As for the losses, they are not something I dwell on – they are in history books but so are four Grand Final wins.

“I am very proud of what I have achieved at this club.”