A derby between fierce rivals St Helens and Wigan Warriors is one of the highlights of this year's Betfred Super League Magic Weekend at Elland Road; watch every match of Magic Weekend 2024 live on Sky Sports Action on Saturday August 17 and Sunday August 18
Friday 16 August 2024 10:30, UK
In his 26 years and counting with St Helens as a player and a coach, Paul Wellens has been there for all of the highs over the last quarter of a century. He has been there through the lows as well.
One of those came last month, where his Saints team became the first for 38 years to suffer five league defeats in a row and also the first to lose five consecutive games in all competitions since 2013, when Wellens was captain.
Back-to-back wins over struggling Hull FC and fellow play-off contenders Salford Red Devils have taken the 10-time Betfred Super League champions back up to fourth heading into Magic Weekend though, and the head coach knows as well as anyone what is required from the players.
"We want to finish as high as possible, but when I've spoken to the players, I don't want to put too much pressure on them," Wellens told Sky Sports.
"This has been a very different year to what we have been used to. We've been through some adversity and some challenges, but the win over Salford was all about character.
"it's got to remain the same until the end of the year, we've just got to keep turning up and find our best effort."
One of the biggest challenges for St Helens this year has been dealing with injuries to key players, and that situation has not eased with Lewis Dodd, Daryl Clark and Mark Percival all being ruled out for between four to six weeks following the 17-16 golden-point win over Salford.
They join 2023 Man of Steel nominee Jack Welsby on the sidelines and the lack of experience in St Helens' 21-man squad for Super League's gathering at Elland Road this weekend underlined by the fact half-back Will Roberts and forward Leon Cowen would make their debuts if named in the matchday 17.
Added to the task is the fact Saints are up against fierce rivals Wigan Warriors in the second game of the day on Saturday, live on Sky Sports (5pm kick-off), with the reigning champions still smarting from their surprise 30-4 defeat away to Leeds Rhinos in Round 21.
It stands at one win apiece between St Helens and Wigan this year, with the former edging March's Good Friday derby at Totally Wicked Stadium 12-4 and the latter responding with a 16-12 victory at the Brick Community Stadium last month.
A derby clash would be the perfect occasion for a triumph against adversity as well, along with being the perfect way for goal-kicking winger Tommy Makinson to mark his 300th Super League appearance for the club he will be departing at the end of the year.
"It's going to be a hell of a spectacle come Saturday and it's going to be a great weekend of rugby," Makinson, whose 28-point haul in last year's 48-6 win over Huddersfield Giants in Newcastle broke the record for points scored by an individual at Magic Weekend, told Sky Sports News.
"This just sets you up for the play-offs. That big-game feeling gets you used to the crowds and the atmospheres.
"Especially playing against your local rivals as well. It's going to be jam-packed full of people enjoying themselves and, come 5pm on Saturday, it's going to be great one."
Even with results not matching the always-high expectations of St Helens and rumblings of discontent amongst some supporters in 2024, there have been positives Wellens can point to in terms of the overall performances.
For starters, Saints have the second-best defensive record in Super League with six games of the regular season remaining and even then, their 274 points conceded is only 14 more than the side with the best record, that being league leaders Hull KR.
St Helens' 518 points scored, albeit boosted by 50-plus-point hauls against the bottom three sides of Hull FC, Castleford Tigers and London Broncos, is the fourth-best in the competition too and only Hull KR have scored more than their 93 tries.
Those running the club are clearly happy with the job Wellens is doing too, activating the one-year option which extends his contract as head coach to the end of 2025 earlier this week, and the 44-year-old is relishing another clash with the old enemy on one of rugby league's big stages.
"We're looking forward to it - we always look forward to those type of games," Wellens said.
"From a coaching perspective, these weeks are usually pretty easy because the motivation is there already."
Watch every match of the Betfred Super League's 2024 Magic Weekend live on Sky Sports on August 17 and 18. Also stream with NOW.
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