7 Conclusions from St Helens 4-18 Wigan: Paul Wellens dilemma and the Warriors’ unsung hero

Wigan Warriors strengthened their grip on second spot in the Super League table with an impressive derby victory over St Helens on Friday evening.

Matt Peet’s side were worthy winners against their great rivals with a decisive result that puts them in the driving seat to secure a top-two spot going into the play-offs.

In contrast, the Saints are now firmly in a battle just to make the top four, and may yet have to settle for fifth going into the play-offs. Here’s everything we learned from the Totally Wicked Stadium.

The Jack Welsby conundrum remains unsolved

It’s starting to look like Paul Wellens will simply never know what his best spine is while Jack Welsby and Tristan Sailor are both fit and available.

He’s now tried three different combinations in three different weeks: none of them have worked. It may well be time to consider the fact that having two fullbacks in the same 13 – because that is what they are, fullbacks – just cannot work.

Is it a conundrum the Saints can carry into 2026?

Junior Nsemba is back

That break appears to have done the England international the world of good – as Nsemba returned on Friday night with some ferocity. 

It was evident from his very first tackle, a thunderous effort that set the tone for everything he did over the course of a blockbuster evening. His offload for Liam Marshall’s try was utterly outrageous, and shows he is just as impactful with the ball as he is without it.

Any notions the forward had dipped of late have now emphatically been put to bed, surely.

Wigan’s bench was crucial

The tactical game-plan was obvious from Matt Peet. With St Helens duo Morgan Knowles and George Delaney absent, it was clear the hosts would be without size and their usual pack rotation. After all, Curtis Sironen was forced to step in as a makeshift prop here.

So Peet kept it simple and loaded up the bench with big bodies. It was even for the early exchanges but when you’re able to bring on the likes of Luke Thompson fresh with half an hour to go, things are likely to only ever go one way.

St Helens are Old Trafford outsiders

On multiple fronts, too. First, in terms of the league table. It’ll be fifth for them in the play-offs barring some major upsets in the remainder of the regular season, meaning they’ll have to win away from home twice – one of those probably at Hull KR.

But in reality, they’re also a long way from looking Grand Final contenders whenever they come up against the better sides. Sky’s Jon Wilkin has nailed it for some time: they just do not have enough points in them in games like these.

Wigan’s unsung hero

Week after week, Kaide Ellis continues to go under the radar. Not anymore, surely.

His stats were through the roof again, and he was head and shoulders above a lot of forwards out there. On a night when Saints were without their starting 13, Wigan’s really stood up.

Super League’s best player? There’s only one answer

It simply has to be Bevan French. Yes, the likes of Mikey Lewis and Jake Connor have been great this season – better than great, in fact.

But when the chips are down and things really matter, it’s French who so often comes to the fore with game-changing displays. Wigan looked slightly laborious and without a point of difference in attack over the summer without French.

That feels like a long time ago now.