Paul Wellens has told his stuttering St Helens stars he will not tolerate any more complacency as they prepare to host struggling Castleford in the Betfred Super League on Friday.
Wellens’ world champions looked to have shrugged off their sluggish start to the current campaign after dazzling back-to-back wins over Wigan and Huddersfield earlier this month.
But having belatedly nudged themselves back into the play-off slots, Saints summoned an abject display in last Thursday’s 34-6 loss at Hull FC that suggests their bid for a fifth consecutive title remains very much a work-in-progress.
“I thought we were complacent at the weekend, Hull came at us with an intent and energy that we couldn’t match, and that was the most disappointing aspect,” said Wellens.
“Too many of us turned up to the game hoping for an easy night, and when you do that you make things much more difficult for yourself.
Wellens did not exclude himself from criticism last week, admitting he may have made an error in opting to rest captain James Roby and hand Morgan Knowles a rare start at number nine.
So ineffective was the formation – though no particular blame could be attached to Knowles – that Roby emerged off the bench for the second half and immediately made a difference in his side’s bid to claw their way back into the match.
Insisting he is relaxed about the prospect of having to fill such a huge hole in his line-up, Wellens referenced Roby’s ability to make the position his own in the wake of the departure of the previous incumbent, Keiron Cunningham, in 2010.
“As a club we will be really smart about how we go about bringing in a replacement, and I will bring in a player of real quality who can add to this team,” said Wellens.
“When Keiron retired, James Roby came in and was true to himself, and we expect the same from James Roby’s replacement. James Roby is going to retire and we will move forward as a club and deal with that.”
