Official E-Programme

OFFICIAL E-PROGRAMME

Versus Wakefield Trinity | 15 October 2020 Kick-off 7.45pm Halliwell Jones Stadium BETFRED WHERE YOU SEE AN CONTENTS ARROW - CLICK ME!

04 06 10

View from the Club Josh Simm Interview Top News

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Opposition Heritage Squads

SUPER LEAGUE HONOURS: PRE–SUPER LEAGUE HONOURS: Editor: Jamie Allen

Super League Winners: 1996, 1999, Championship: 1931–32, 1952–53, Contributors: Alex Service, Bill Bates, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2019 1958–59, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, Steve Manning, Liam Platt, Gary World Club Challenge Honours: 1974–75 Wilton, Adam Cotham, Mark Onion, St. Helens R.F.C. Ltd 2001, 2007 Challenge Cup: 1955–56, 1960–61, Conor Cockroft. Totally Wicked Stadium, Challenge Cup Honours: 1996, 1997, 1965–66, 1971–72, 1975–76 McManus Drive, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 Leaders’ Shield: 1964–65, 1965–66 Photography: Bernard Platt, Liam St Helens, WA9 3AL BBC Sports Team Of The Year: 2006 Regal Trophy: 1987–88 Platt, SW Pix. League Leaders’ Shield: 2005, 2006, Premiership: 1975–76, 1976–77, Tel: 01744 455 050 2007, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2019 1984–85, 1992–93 Fax: 01744 455 055 Lancashire Cup: 1926–27, 1953–54, Ticket Hotline: 01744 455 052 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, Email: [email protected] 1964–65, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1984–85, Web: www.saintsrlfc.com 1991–92 Lancashire League: 1929–30, Founded 1873 1931–32, 1952–53, 1959–60, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69 Charity Shield: 1992–93 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy: 1971–72, 1975–76

3 VIEW FROM THE CLUB... JAMES ROBY

The objective last week against Wakefield was I was told after the game I got through 60 tackles to obviously get the two points. We weren’t too last week, but I feel fine! I haven’t been playing pleased with the way we played and we know there 80 minutes much this year with Kristian giving me is a lot of improvement in us. We need to fix up a breather in the last 20 minutes of games with a few things this week and it is almost better we young Aaron Smith and Lewis Dodd getting their are playing Wakefield again because we can right chances and it was one of the only times this year those wrongs quickly this time around. I played the full 80. With that comes more tackles and I suppose that is just my job! I felt better on the back of 80 minutes as it shows I have still got it in my legs. It’s good for your confidence.

We are heading towards the business end of the season where we will play two or sometimes three games in a week which will be tough, but it is what it is this year. It is the same across the world, things are different and we have just got to get on with it. The games will come thick and fast and a lot of big games towards the back end of the year too. It doesn’t change our role. We must win as many games as we can, make the playoffs and ultimately go on and win the Grand Final. If that’s the way we have got to do it this year then so be it. I am looking forward to the challenge of it and some teams might use this year as some sort of excuse, but from our point of view we will get on with our job and see where we end up. It is a great challenge both on the field and off it, in terms of managing the protocols. There are a lot more factors that come into play this year and we are all for it.

“WE MUST WIN AS MANY GAMES AS WE CAN, MAKE Subconsciously, we were aware Wakefield had a few players out and where they sat in the table, THE PLAYOFFS AND but we have an obligation to be professional and approach every game in the same manner ULTIMATELY GO ON AND regardless of the situation. We were maybe guilty of underestimating them a little bit and the first 20 WIN THE GRAND FINAL.” minutes proved that as we were terrible with the ball. All those negatives make us more accountable and we will look to put this right on Thursday.

4 TOTALLY WICKED ST. HELENS IS MOVING HOME, SOON.

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In the coming weeks In the meantime we are still Totally Wicked St. Helens open as usual at 48 Church will be relocating to: St, St. Helens, WA10 1AD 18 Church Street, with all the Covid-19 safety St. Helens, WA10 1BD. measures in place.

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TW_Saints_Ad_160720.indd 1 12/08/2020 15:44 JOSH SIMM

AFTER BREAKING INTO THE SAINTS FIRST TEAM, CENTRE JOSH SIMM IS HOPING HE GETS MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOW WHAT HE CAN DO…

6 You’re enjoying a good run of games in the first Yes [laughs]. At times this season, it looked like it team at the moment? may happen, but it hasn’t just yet. Hopefully it will come over the coming weeks, but the main thing I am loving it! When we came back from the is to help the team. COVID break, I was waiting for my chance and it was sad Percy [Mark Percival] got injured, but it We weren’t at our best against Wakefield last has given me a chance to get into the team. I am week, but we got the two points which is the now looking forward to hopefully playing my part most important thing isn’t it? in helping get this team to a Grand Final!

How much are you learning playing first team Yes definitely. That is the sign of a good team, rugby league in comparison to Academy level? you can win when you’re not playing well. We are all switching on this week and hopefully we can I am learning a lot. Kristian is a top coach and he show what we can do this time around against a is helping me a lot, especially on my defensive good Wakefield side. side of my game. I feel I am improving each game and hopefully that can continue. A busy few weeks ahead – something you must be looking forward to playing a part in as a Is the defensive side of your game the area you player? have been working on most since you joined the first team set up? Yes, hopefully I can get a few more chances and showcase what I can do on the big stage. I am Yes definitely. It’s harder to defend than attack, especially against the bigger blokes in Super looking forward to any opportunities that come League, so getting used to that physicality and my way. the pace of the game is what is important. If I can improve my defence, I will become an all- What is your long-term aim? round better player. There are a lot of games in a short period this I bet you’re hoping you can finally land that season so there is bound to be a few rotations first Saints senior try? and hopefully I can play as many games as I can.

7 8 PREVIEWING TONIGHT’S MATCH!

WOOLF SAYS SAINTS MUST LEARN LESSONS THIS TIME AROUND

MAKINSON DELIGHTED TO BE BACK!

9 TOP NEWS THIS MONTH

1 YEAR ON FROM GRAND FINAL SUCCESS! Monday marked a special day in the history of our wonderful club - it was exactly 1 year to the day since we brought home that famous Super League trophy at Old Trafford!

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CLUB STATEMENT: MATCH TICKETS The Club has released information in regard to match tickets purchased

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WOOLF EXPLAINS GRAHAM ABSENCE Kristian Woolf has revealed that James Graham will be out of action for 14 days after coming into contact with someone with COVID-19.

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SAINTS EDGE OUT RESILIENT WAKEFIELD TO MAINTAIN WINNING RUN Saints had to battle from 12 points behind to defeat a gutsy Wakefield Trinity side 16-20 at Emerald Headingley Stadium last week to make it eight from eight in Super League since the restart.

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WOOLF OUTLINES HOW HE PLANS TO USE SAINTS YOUNGSTERS Hear how Head Coach Kristian Woolf plans on ensuring his talented Saints’ youngsters all get game time with a busy schedule and a near-fully fit squad to choose from.

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OPPOSITION

A WELCOME TO... WAKEFIELD TRINITY

It’s Round 15 of Super League XXV and this coaching staff were asked to isolate to try clear round of fixtures takes place at the Halliwell things up. Then, just as it appeared that this had Jones Stadium in Warrington. It’s a Saints worked, following their trip to Perpignan, in a ‘home’ match and for the second time in a private plane, a fortnight ago, they had a fresh week, we face Wakefield Trinity. This match positive Covid test result and he and a further was originally scheduled for Round 9, but the seven players had to stand down ahead of last season’s first positive Covid 19 cases at Hull week’s match versus Saints. FC saw that round of fixtures rearranged and Saints ended up playing Castleford Tigers, But Trinity are still standing and in this craziest whilst Wakefield faced the Catalans. of seasons they are, to their credit continuing to fulfil their fixtures and give their best. They gave Saints are currently top of the Super League St. Helens a real fright, last Friday, and came so table having won 10 of our 13 matches whereas close to defeating the league leaders. As they Trinity are bottom of the pile having won just two. battle to avoid the ‘wooden spoon’, one good Both of those wins were pre lockdown against thing in their favour has been the decision to Warrington Wolves and Salford Red Devils. scrap relegation in 2020, thus guaranteeing their Wakefield have assembled a squad that play Super League status ahead of 2021. open attractive rugby and they are a great team Since the advent of Super League, Saints have to watch. And in young winger, Tom Johnstone faced Wakefield on 49 occasions, winning 40 they have one of our sports most exciting matches to Wakefield’s nine. At Knowsley Road, players. He is a prolific try scorer and he has crossed the whitewash seven times in his ten St. Helens won 12 of their 14 meetings; including appearances in 2020. Trinity’s first choice 17 are a 64-16 win and a 60 points to 4 victory (both more than a match for any other team but Chris in 2005), with Wakefield’s ‘away’ successes Chester’s main problem has been the fitness and being a 16 points to 10 triumph in 2003 and a 22 availability of his players. points to 20 win in 2009. Since Saints moved out of Knowsley Road in 2010, they have beaten What started as just two Wakefield players that Trinity 52-6 at the Halton Stadium, in Widnes, in had to stay away from the squad and another 2011 and enjoyed nine wins in their 10 matches one the following week; eventually mushroomed at the Totally Wicked Stadium (if you include into a further seven players forced to sit out by last season’s Challenge Cup tie triumph) - with the end of the month. At times Wakefield have Wakefield’s only success coming in 2017 when struggled to have 17 players available to play they defeated Saints 16-12. and, after their second match versus Wigan, the club had a five day period when all playing and Bill Bates

13 SUBSCRIBE NOW AT TV.SAINTSRLFC.COM

Our NEW on-demand HD Pricing streaming platform brings you all * the latest match action, interviews, £1.99 £5.99 £69.99 features and behind-the-scenes Day Pass Monthly Pass Annual Pass content from the club straight to Subscribe with an Annual Pass today and your computer or mobile device. enjoy a 30-day free trial.

*Members receive a discounted annual subscription price of £49.99 per year. 5 TO WATCH TOM JOHNSTONE REECE LYNE DAVID FIFITA MATTY ASHURST JOE WESTERMAN Tom is product of Trinity’s youth The former Hull and David is a product of the St. Matty Ashurst is a 2nd Row Joe originally joined Castleford system, and he made his debut Great Britain Academy Patricks Blacktown Community forward who began his Super Tigers and made his first team in the defeat at Wigan in 2015. winger has now Rugby Club in Australia. He League career at St. Helens. debut in 2007 and went on to The winger went on to make established himself as joined the Cronulla Sharks He made his Saints’ debut win both the Club and League 12 Super League appearances one of the best centres and made his first team debut versus Salford City Reds in Young Player of the Year awards. in 2015 scoring nine tries. Tom in Super League with on 17th March 2014 versus 2009 and went on to make 51 Twelve months later he also won was named as Super League’s his 2018 form seeing Canterbury Bulldogs. He made Super League appearances the Super League Young Player Young Player of the Year in initial selection in the 19 appearances for the Sharks for Saints scoring 8 tries of the Year Award. Westerman 2016. After an injury hit 2017, he England Knights squad; before he moved to Wakefield for the club. In 2012 he then joined Hull FC in 2011 and was back to his best again in before promotion to midway through the 2016 joined Salford before joining spent the next five years in East 2018 being named in the Super the England first team. campaign. The former Tongan Wakefield in 2015 and he Yorkshire. After 126 appearances League Dream Team. Last year He made his England prop has entered his fourth continued with his excellent for the club, he departed for he suffered an ‘early’ season- debut against France at full season with the club with consistency missing just Warrington at the end of the 2015 ending anterior cruciate knee Leigh in October 2018. 85 games behind him, scoring one game in 2018 and being season. Westerman appeared injury that restricted him to just Having joined Trinity 18 tries. David was having a rewarded with a selection in in the 2016 Cup Final against six appearances and in 2020 he in 2012, he gone on to magnificent 2019 and was a the 2018 Super League Dream the Black & Whites, but after a has scored seven tries in 10 of play 179 games for the contender for ‘Man of Steel’ Team. Last season Matty short spell at Toronto Wolfpack Wakefield’s matches. club, scoring 52 tries. before a foot injury somewhat made only 12 appearances in 2018, he returned to Hull FC disrupted both his and due to injury. before joining Trinity at the start Wakefield’s season. of this season. KEY STATS SAINTS HIGHEST SAINTS HIGHEST WAKEFIELD TRINITY HOME WIN AWAY WIN FOUNDED IN 69-17 52-36 1873 KEY[1952-53] STATS(2006] 147 YEARS AGO

SAINTS ALL MATCHES [EXCLUDING FRIENDLIES] BIGGEST MARGINAL P W D L F A SUBSCRIBE NOW AT TV.SAINTSRLFC.COM HOME DEFEAT HOME 84 68 4 12 2154 888 AWAY 82 37 4 41 1495 1376 5-18 [1960-61] NEUTRAL 4 0 1 3 26 49 Our NEW on-demand HD Pricing TOTAL 170 105 9 56 3675 2313 streaming platform brings you all * PREVIOUS LEAGUE ENCOUNTERS the latest match action, interviews, £1.99 £5.99 £69.99 P W D L F A features and behind-the-scenes Day Pass Monthly Pass Annual Pass HOME 75 61 3 11 1969 814 content from the club straight to Subscribe with an Annual Pass today and AWAY 76 36 2 38 1432 1311 your computer or mobile device. enjoy a 30-day free trial. TOTAL 151 97 5 49 3401 2125

*Members receive a discounted annual subscription price of £49.99 per year. 15 5 TO WATCH

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P P O O H H S S P P O O H H S S P P O O H H S S P P O O H H S S MEMORY LANE... by Alex Service

Here they are the Greatest 17 after their induction during the Knowsley Road Gala Night. How many can you name? ON THIS DAY: 15 OCTOBER

1932 Vince Karalius, later dubbed the Wild Bull of So who are the Greatest 17? #1087 Paul Wellens, the Pampas by the somewhat amazed Australian #747 Tom van Vollenhoven, #639 Duggie Greenall, press during the 1958 Great Britain tour, was born #1064 Paul Newlove, #345 Alf Ellaby, #284 Leslie in Widnes. He played every match, at whatever Fairclough, #735 Alex Murphy, #679 Alan Prescott, level, like it was a shoot-out at the OK Corale. #1052 Keiron Cunningham, #774 Cliff Watson, #1037 Chris Joynt, #756 Dick Huddart, #709 1940 Tommy Bishop, the Mighty Atom scrum- Vince Karalius, #1078 Sean Long, #1083 Paul half, [see image] was born in St. Helens. Tommy Sculthorpe, #891 George Nicholls and #797 Kel had a roundabout route via Blackpool Borough Coslett. What a fantastic array of talent! and Barrow before he joined his home town club in 1966. He helped the club to four trophies in that season and ended up with selection for the Australasian tour. The Aussies loved him and that’s where he ended up, at Cronulla, initially. 1989 First Division: St. Helens 50 Featherstone Rovers 11 at Knowsley Road. One of the highlights was a superb try from New Zealander George Mann on his home debut. 2002 Loose forward Paul Sculthorpe became the first player to retain the prestigious Man of Steel award. He was really in his pomp then. It was little wonder that he later went on to become the sporting face of the Gillette company. A major coup for rugby league at the time. 2010 A memorable evening indeed: the leaving of Knowsley Road Gala Night, hosted by television presenter Gordon Burns from a marquee on the famous turf, during which the club’s Greatest 17 were unveiled. So many memories on a night TOMMY BISHOP awash with nostalgia – and more than a few pints!

20 20 WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE HERITAGE CERTIFICATES

Our Heritage Certificate Open Days at the Just what it means to have played for the Totally Wicked Stadium were popular events, Saints was illustrated by #874 Ray Hughes, who where players and families of deceased travelled up from Broadstairs in Kent to receive former players received their certificates and his certificate. Although a knee injury hampered brochures. In the future, it is hoped to host his career at Knowsley Road, former Waterloo further events, when appropriate. We can’t wait! forward Ray has some great memories of playing and training with some of the ‘greats’ It was also a chance to bring in memorabilia including Cliff Watson. and produced some fascinating results, such as the impressive collection of [the Late] #790 John Tembey’s medals. John enjoyed a great career with Whitehaven initially, before joining the Saints, making 137 appearances and captained the team against Australia in 1963. Born in Kells, his Cumberland cap was a fine tribute to his achievements at county level. John also represented Great Britain at international level. There was also a magnificent photo of the Saints’ front-row of the mid 1960s, featuring John Warlow, Bob Dagnall and John Tembey. #270 Bill Clarey was a well-respected forward in the 1920s who made 270 appearances for the Saints during his ten-year career at Knowsley Road, which included a Wembley appearance in 1930, his last but one game for the club. Bill Clarey [jnr] his son was a proud man indeed when he received his father’s Heritage Number certificate.

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FOUNDATION NEWS Part of

NORTHERN ALARMS FULL PAGE COVID-19 FORCES CANCELLATION OF WOMEN’S COMPETITIONS IN 2020 The RFL announces new training sessions and local friendlies as ways of maintaining momentum in Women’s Rugby League following the decision not to restart the Coral Women’s Challenge Cup and to cancel the Betfred Women’s Super League competition in 2020.

RESERVES LEAGUE TO BE SHELVED FOR 2020 In consultation with clubs, the RFL has determined that the Reserves League should be cancelled for 2020. Clubs will still be encouraged to play friendly matches, and it is envisaged that the competition will resume in 2021 – with all decisions to be taken in line with Government advice.

YOUNGSTERS JOIN CLUB SCHOLARSHIP SYSTEM Fifteen Year 10 youngsters have all registered with St.Helens R.F.C. ahead of being given the green light to train with the Club with the hope of representing the Saints Scholarship next season.

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LACHLAN COOTE TOMMY MAKINSON KEVIN NAIQAMA MARK PERCIVAL

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REGAN GRACE JONNY LOMAX THEO FAGES ALEX WALMSLEY

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