Walters and Saints have two key weaknesses to fix for 2027

They brought in another hooker – Tom Forber – to add cover in that area and take their number 9s on the squad list to five.

He joins Sean O’Sullivan, Christian Tuipulotu, Solomona Faataape and Tom Starling as new recruits ahead of the 2027 season.

Solomona Faataape playing for Catalans against Saints (Image: Remi Vignaud/Catalans Dragons via SWpix.com)

However, there are still two areas of weakness in the team — in the centres and in their go-forward in the pack.

Although Saints have brought in Solomona Faataape from Catalans to give some genuine strike there, the retirement of Mark Percival, the release of Nene Macdonald and the switch of Harry Robertson to his more natural position in the spine has denuded their centre options.

They still have the versatile Deon Cross, who can play both centre and wing, but other than that there is no other natural first choice centres.

Christian Tuipulotu (Image: www.photosport.nz/SWpix)

Although some fans have lobbied for Jack Welsby to move up and play in the three-quarters – the position in which he famously snatched the Grand Final spoils in 2020 – liberating Tristan Sailor for the full back role, that option looks off the table.

Coach Walters has already nailed his colours to the mast on that front in declaring that Welsby will be full back – hopefully ending the dithering, indecisiveness and uncertainty that has plagued the last two seasons in the spine selection.

Although the club are remaining tight-lipped on possible future departures to make way for any incomers, we are in for another few weeks of horse trading before the season starts.

Where Saints go on the wing is also up for debate – Owen Dagnall was finding his feet there until he suffered an ACL injury and Lewis Murphy and Jacob Douglas have also played there in 2026.

NRL wing Christian Tuipulotu comes in on the other flank.

Another area that still needs attention is an addition to the pack lacking a player who can make a dent in the line, scatter defences and generate some ruck speed for new hooker Tom Starling to play off.

Tom Starling (Image: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz)

It was an area Saints were found wanting last year with a big chunk of that big carry aspect falling on Alex Walmsley in a year when the middle unit was depleted.

That job has been considerably tougher since the departure of Tommy Makinson and the injury and then now retirement of Mark Percival, whose first two carries from back play were always a godsend to Big Al.

It is a lot harder trying to make headway when on the back foot.

That is not simply a deficiency in the front row, but the Saints' attack also needs more punch from the second row – something that used to be provided by the likes of Sione Mata’utia, Joe Batchelor and – before being disrupted by injuries – Curtis Sironen.

On both fronts Saints have not helped by injuries which did not simply take those individuals out of the team, but it left an additional burden for those remaining to shoulder.

And it also proved massively disruptive to having any form of consistency with the ball and more tellingly in defence as was told by their first ever finish outside the play-offs.

Underlining that was a shocking "points for/against" which was in the negative until their comfortable win over a weakened Hull KR on the last day of the regular season saved even more blushes.

After last year’s shambles of a season, some of the deficiencies in the team needed to be corrected by bringing in new blood and shipping out players who are either not good enough, past it or the wrong fit for the team.

Head Coach Kevin Walters (Image: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)

However, there is something else that can make a difference: coaching.

Some coaching styles or, indeed, ways of playing may work for some players but not others.

Supporters may recall the impact Justin Holbrook had on players like Dom Peyroux, who never found his groove in his first two seasons in the red vee, but then brought a renewed vigour to his game to become the regular second row starter in 2018 and 2019.

Is there a player in the Saints pack that Walters’ coaching can squeeze more out of and give more direction to?

There is one other weakness, if there is no place for Tristan Sailor in the team and with Hastings gone and George Whitby recovering from his ACL, who will be doing the goalkicking?

Supporters – and more importantly the coaches – will have their own views on how the team will line up.

But here are the names on the team list that look nailed on as the squad currently stands – with gaps in the positions that are still up for grabs from the current stock and any late newcomers.

1. Jack Welsby.
2. ?
3. ?
4. Solomona Faataape.
5. Christian Tuipulotu.
6. Harry Robertson.
7. Sean O’Sullivan.
8. David Klemmer.
9. Tom Starling.
10. Matty Lees.
11. ?
12. ?
13. ?

You would expect Jacob Host or the fit-again Jake Wingfield to be in the mix to take on the loose forward role.

Wingfield, hopefully, can have a change of luck and put a solid run of games together and show what he is capable of.

Those prominent in the mix for second row at present are Curtis Sironen, Matt Whitley, Jake Davies.

Interchange hooker Daryl Clark was in top form but playing too many minutes before he suffered his season-ending injury can jump on at 9 or 13.

The two first choice props off the bench are Alex Walmsley and George Delaney.

The rest of the squad can spend the off-season jostling and impressing new assistant Ian Watson when he arrives and then the head coach Kevin Walters.

It is going to be an interesting off-season.