SATURDAY’S Super League Grand Final was settled by one moment of magic from Wigan talisman Bevan French – a player with real superstar quality to prise open the tightest of defences.
For the second year in a row the final saw just one try, with Wigan completely shutting out usually free-scoring Hull Kingston Rovers’ attack.
The final, as play-offs often are, was a contrast to the regular rounds where both finalists averaged nearly 27 points per game.
Saints, on the other hand, had statistically the competition’s fourth best attack behind the two finalists and Warrington with an average of 22 points.
Further analysis can break that statistic down - for good or ill - and throw up a number of factors at play throughout various stages of the season – but there is a universal acceptance that Saints need to work on their clunky attack.
Saints coach Paul Wellens admits that it was an area where they fell short in 2024 and takes the criticism on the chin – and is looking forward to a fresh start with some new personnel on board, including some added pace.
However, before moving on to the year ahead he defended departing attack coach Laurent Frayssinous against some of the barbs sent his way during the course of the year – describing him as “a very hard-working and knowledgeable coach and an extremely good person”.
But on the misfiring attack Wellens accepts improvements are necessary but there was some significant mitigation for their failings this term.
He said: “Our ability to build combinations was obviously disrupted as the season went on and for a number of different reasons, we didn't quite get it right.
“I don't think you can pinpoint any one thing though.
“I think simple things like making too many basic errors in games gave the opposition too many chances and too much field position.
“In doing that we did not allow ourselves as much ball as we'd like. And then when we did probably we lacked a cutting edge there.
“However, I would caveat that with when you are missing a lot of strike players (Mark Percival, Tommy Makinson and Konrad Hurrell etc) it does become harder to have that cutting edge.
“However, we have to brush that aside and look back at our game and how we can improve.
“There were great signs of that in the in the Warrington play-off game and that's for something for us to build on.”
Next season sees Lee Briers’ return to St Helens as attack coach – a homecoming for the former half back who left Saints as a teenager in 1997 and forged his own playing career at Warrington and then beyond as a coach.
The England assistant coach will join up at pre-season training in mid-November, but understandably Wellens has already had a series of conversations with his former near neighbour and ex-Academy half back partner.
Wellens said: “Lee is predominantly going to be running the attacking side of the game and it's something that he's done with great success over in Brisbane and at Warrington prior to that.
“He's got his own ideas and we have had a couple of conversations already around how we feel we can improve.
“But what we have to do first and foremost - and we did that well in the in the Warrington game - is be prepared to do the tough stuff; be prepared to give yourself an opportunity to play.
“And then I'm sure Lee will encourage those players – the likes of Tristan Sailor, Jonny Lomax and Jack Welsby – to play when we get those chances because we want to be a team that are attractive to watch as well.”
Saints have brought in some real strike on the edges, with the NRL's prolific try scorer Kyle Feldt joining from North Queensland Cowboys to replace Tommy Makinson and Lewis Murphy adding speed to the other flank.
With scrum half Lewis Dodd moving on to the NRL and Sailor coming in the opposite direction, Saints will have a new-look attacking spine.
There’s a presumption skipper Jonny Lomax will take on the number 7 role he took on for the majority of the 2022 title-winning campaign when Dodd was sidelined from Easter onwards although no real certainty whether he partners Sailor or Jack Welsby there, with both players adept at 1 or 6.
Wellens said: “I am pretty settled in my mind it just obviously needs just a couple of things to figure out and I need to actually sit down with the likes of Jack and Jonny.
“I purposely leave them alone for a period at the end of a season because they've heard enough of my voice throughout the course of the year.
“We will have those conversations one-on-one and will then come together as a group to see how we can best move forward together.”
As he has shown in action for Brisbane Broncos, Sailor will bring an injection of much-needed pace to the Saints attack and the potential to get fans out of their seats.
Given the impact speedsters attacking through the middle can have on tight games - the likes of French and Jai Field at Wigan, Mikey Lewis at Hull KR and Matt Dufty at Warrington - it is a signing that will add zest and a fresh dimension to the Saints attack.
“That's the reason we brought him to the club,” Wellens said.
“He speeds up our team and he's someone who I think the fans will get excited about watching whichever combination we go with.
“When you look at those three players, if they can link well together it's an exciting prospect for us.”
Dodd’s departure does leave a question mark over Saints’ last tackle go-to man with regards to kicking.
It is one of those areas that will be ironed out ahead of the off-season with the three at 1,6 and 7 all offering a different style with the boot – as does Moses Mbye when he is on the field.
Wellens said: “They can all kick the ball, even if none have ever really been a first-choice kicker.
“Lewis Dodd has been that for a number of years at the club, with Lachlan Coote and Theo Fages prior to that.
“But Jonny has shown in games this year that he can kick the ball well and Tristan and Jack can particularly use a short kicking game into the line and can be quite threatening.
“We'll figure out a way forward towards pre-season starting.”
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