SAINTS boss Keiron Cunningham saw plenty of positives from the return of Mark Percival and the first start from Luke Walsh.

The Star’s Mike Critchley caught up with him at the Cowley Training ground.

MC: Any further reflections on Friday’s win?

KC: The boys did really well. Some expect every game to be a walk in the park, but Widnes came and played. They wanted the points as much as we did and that made for a good old derby game.

MC: You talked about the players being anxious during the first half, but that sounded the same on the terraces – probably as a result of the last two home losses.

KC: There is such huge expectation at this club, for me, the players for everyone. I was brought up here and watched this game since I was very young – and from that time you expect them to win things.

MC: The fans were certainly out of their seats for the second half – some nice football there too?

KC: The combination that is building between Travis and Luke is exceptionally good and then there is Wilko on that left edge who is like another half anyway.

He was exceptional – for Jon to be playing in the halves for a number of weeks and then to drop back into the back row and play with energy for 80 minutes really gave us a lift.

Of course, he was absolutely gassed at times.

I sent the message on and asked if he needed a break, but he just pushed through and that’s what he does for the club.

You have to thank Wilko for what he has done during this past few months. He has got us through a sticky patch and now he is back to his best position.

We would like to think Walsh is going to stay there for an extended period of time. If we can keep Walshy and Burnsy fit we will be in a good spot.

MC: It makes a huge difference having a 6 and 7 knitting together again?

KC: It is the first time we have had two genuine halves since Sean Long and Tommy Martyn played together.

When Leon played six he was more of a full back – a running type player – whereas Travis is a ball player.

What Luke does for the team is just immense; you cannot over estimate what having a real genuine seven can do for a side. We have not had one since we lost Sean.

MC: I bet he was sore on Saturday?

KC: Oh yes. He got a bump on his leg on Friday, which scared him a bit. It felt like when he first broke it and said he looked down and expected his leg to be bent the wrong way.

Then he just carried on running. That is going to happen for the next 12 months until it goes out of his mind and he forgets about the trauma.

MC: The other big bonus was having Mark Percival back.

KC: You forget how good Percy is because we have not seen him for a few weeks. Likewise with Joe Greenwood and Atelea Vea – people who are out for an extended period.

I was watching a game from the start of the year, with Percy, Tils and Joe all playing and could understand why we were going so well. If we can throw that combination back together – but with Luke Walsh – it is scary where we can go as a team.

MC: If you look at the team’s young stars who have pushed through the junior ranks here – Joe Greenwood, Percy, Greg Richards and Andre Savelio– many of them are out of towners. Who spots them at that early age to get them into the system here?

KC: Derek Traynor is out there all the time and we have a number of people who work with him in places like Cumbria and Oldham who put these kids towards us.

Derek is one of those very unassuming people who has such a good eye for a player. When he has let players go in the past some people have scratched their heads and asked why, but not many have gone on to hurt us.

MC: It has certainly saved the club a few hundred thousand pounds in transfer fees?

KC: Well if Percy, Joe and Andre were at other clubs you would want to buy them and spend a lot of money to get them.

MC: We have seen a response from Andre Savelio after a slight dip a couple of weeks back.

KC: He has been outstanding and all credit to him. We have put a lot of work into Andre and we challenged him to improve and that is what he has done. He has been one of our best forwards in the last two weeks.

Andre has a lot of potential and could go on to be something really special.

He is a talented individual, he’s a big kid and has a good engine with it. If they reduce the substitutions, people like him are going to be very useful over a period of time. It will be interesting to see where it takes him.

MC: There were suggestions last year that he may want to head to the NRL?

KC: I’d be disappointed as a coach if he left. I have a good relationship with him and his family.

Andre enjoys playing rugby for me and I’d like to keep him around for as long as I’m around. He is an exceptional talent who could do well for the club.

An offer has gone across to his agent already and we would like to think something will be done in the not too distant future.

I don’t want Andre to move on to another club – in Australia or anywhere else – and people not understand him and that could injure his development. I feel like a father figure over some of these players and want them to make the right choices – some you can help others you can’t.

Andre is one who could have a fruitful career at the club for the next few years and make himself an established St Helens player before he considers doing anything in the NRL.

MC: Wakefield are struggling a bit – but no team can be taken lightly.

KC: They have hit the skids a bit and they are doing it tough – some weeks they can’t get on a training field because of injuries.

That said, they are not going to be an easy team to play against no matter who they have playing.

Our biggest issue is going to be us.

If we turn up with the right attitude, on both sides of the ball, defence and attack, then we will be tough to beat.

MC: Wigan went to Wakefield in the aftermath of Wolves beating Trinity 80-0 and the game became something of a mess.

KC: Yes, it was a really messy game and like touch and pass at times. That’s what Wakefield are good at.

If the ruck is quick and they are playing on the front foot Tim Smith is a super player and they enjoy having the ball in their hands.

We have to make everything uncomfortable for Wakefield in attack and defence and make it a really physical game.

We have been sharp in training this week, both edges looked sharp – I am confident that the boys are going to go in with right attitude.

MC: Are you looking at the same 17 – with Mark Percival starting?

KC: Pretty much so, so that gives me something of a selection headache but I would prefer that than scraping around.

MC: I noticed Duggie Charnock was in the 19 last week – do you envisage getting him some time at nine soon?

KC: If James Roby goes down there are not that many nines left at the club who can a sufficient job anywhere close to what Robes can do. I am not a big fan of moving someone in order to move someone, to move someone else – I would rather go like for like because the less changes and the more stability the better. The edges rely on being stable so if you can keep this four and that four together for a long period and do a lot of practice with it, it helps you to forge relationships with the people around you. That helps you defensively and in attack. So if you can just change one person, that definitely does help.

MC: So would you consider giving Duggie some minutes this week – or are you thinking more of York in a couple of weeks?

KC: At some point I am sure there will be a change with Robes, not sure it will be this week and I may have to do something else in the short term with him – at some point we will have to have a look at the young nines and see where they are at because if we have got to move on, we will have to have some form of Plan B in case Plan A does not work.

MC: Anthony Walker had a run at Rochdale – he’s going to find it tough getting past those lads that have gone past him in his absence?

KC: He did some really good stuff at the start of last year, but then got that really severe injury. Rugby league is vicious and so generally when you are standing still other people go past you.

Unfortunately for Walks, Andre and all these other people have done that and left him with a bit of a mountain to climb.

I’d put my money on him to come good – he’s gone to Rochdale to get some game time and he has got to try and get a bit of form and knock on the door again of my office to get himself a shirt.

It is going to be tough for him, but he is working really hard and looking good in training so if he gets it together at Rochdale he will definitely be in with a shout.