SAINTS’ young guns continue to serve the club proud.
With all the injuries to senior professionals, it is homegrown academy products who have stepped up to the plate on a regular basis during 2026.
Interim head coach Eamon O’Carroll’s eyes were caught by the performance of one of their most recent debutants, 19-year-old prop forward Matty Evans, in the superb win at Wakefield.
"I was getting a little bit twitchy that, it’s great that they’re playing, but that we’re exposing them probably a bit too much," said O’Carroll.
"I don’t mean that just in terms of the minutes that they’re playing but normally you like to bring a young lad in around some senior players and we obviously haven’t got that at the moment.
"But I thought they were fantastic (against Wakefield).
"I thought Matty Evans’ work was fantastic and felt I could just leave him out there.
"He did a 30-minute stint in that first half and the quality of what he was doing was great as well.
"Such a good kid, level headed, as is Billy Keeley – we’re very lucky."
Evans has been with the club since he was 14, joining Saints’ under 16s scholarship programme and progressing to the under 18s academy.
He made three appearances for Saints Reserves last year and now the former Crosfields junior is officially one of the club’s Super League rookies.
Share