WHILE Wigan coach Adrian Lam is still haunted by flashbacks to last year’s Grand Final in Hull, those dying seconds only bring a big smile to the man of that moment.
Match-winner Jack Welsby still beams as he relives that final chase and touchdown to clinch the 2020 Grand Final – and yet the teenager is level-headed enough to recognise that moment cannot define the rest of his career.
Welsby, who joined Saints youth via Shevington and then Blackbrook, wants moments like that match-winner to push him on to even more successes.
The 19-year-old summed it up when he declared: “I want that to be just one of the highlights in my highlight reel and be remembered for many more special moments.”
As an added twist, Welsby grew up as a Wigan supporter and still lives in Shevington with his Saints supporting mum and an erstwhile Warrior supporting dad.
Welsby said: “It is a bit of a blur, but the overwhelming feeling of elation when the big screen came up with TRY is a moment I will never forget. It will always be a good memory that I will have.
“It could have been a career defining moment but because I am so you it has only been a small step so far.
“I am only 19 and looking forward to spending many more years here and winning more comps.”
It was such a dramatic moment – no wonder he has relived it over again since last November, whether that is ribbing he has got from the usual suspects on the training pitch, the pop ups on Social media and constantly catching his mum and dad watching the recording at home.
“It has been brought up in training a few times by Tommy and Louie especially.
“It is everywhere you go on Twitter and I can’t lie if it pops up I will click on it.
“I think my mum and dad have probably seen it about 300 times. Every time I come down they are on the couch watching it,” he said.
As successes go, it has not been one that he and the team could milk and celebrate in the usual manner with the fans due to the Covid lockdown.
That and it not being in front of the fans at Old Trafford were the only downsides of that most memorable of moments.
“Usually we go on Mad Monday after the season and go absolutely mental but we did not have the chance to do that and celebrate which was another regret on top of the fans not being there.
“I wish we could have done it properly with fans – but then again, it may not have been a try at Old Trafford with the tight in-goal there!” he said.
Welsby had played full back, wing, stand off and centre in 2020, and won his place in the line-up after Mark Percival was ruled out for the year.
But that try inevitably came up in Welsby’s end of year with the coaching staff.
He said: “After the Grand Final we had our end of season talk and our reflection of the year with Woolfy and Wello.
“We really want to kick on for next year and all the attention turns to that and being the best player I can be in every way shape or form.
“That try is not the end, it is only the start for me with what I want to achieve.
“I have a lot of rugby ahead of me and want that to be just one of the highlights in my highlight reel and be remembered for many more special moments.”
Pictures: SWpix.com
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