Paul Rowley delivers blunt verdict on Matt Peet ‘identity’ comments

St Helens boss Paul Rowley insists there’s ‘nothing’ to be said about Wigan Warriors counterpart Matt Peet’s ‘identity’ comments, with the pair set to clash for the first time since they were made at Magic Weekend.

Good Friday saw Saints pull off a remarkable comeback on home soil to down bitter rivals Wigan, with loan hooker Bill Leyland the hero having come off the bench to score a brace.

Leyland, alongside Hull KR team-mate Jordan Dezaria, had joined Saints on one-week loans ahead of that clash amid an injury crisis.

And after Wigan thumped Rowley’s side 32-0 in the Challenge Cup semi-finals back in May, Warriors head coach Matt Peet made headlines as he said he thought their rivals had ‘lost their identity’, alluding to those short-term loans and the celebrations on Good Friday.

Everything Paul Rowley said on ‘identity’ comments ahead of St Helens-Wigan Magic clash

Last week, Rowley’s assistant – and former Warriors coach – Lee Briers then appeared to have hit back at those comments as he referenced Saints’ youth production line.

After they named nine homegrown players in their 21-man squad ahead of last weekend’s trip to Bradford Bulls, Briers took on media duties and jested: “It’s not bad, considering we’ve not been promoting youth…. it’s not too bad in my eyes!”

But Saints boss Rowley doesn’t believe the war of words was ever really worth talking about, as he told media at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Wednesday afternoon as pre-Magic Weekend media duties were carried out.

Here’s what he had to say…

Will you use the ‘identity’ comments as motivation or draw a line under it all?

“For me, there was nothing to draw a line under. I never reacted, so it’s the same again.

“Lee Briers never did last week. It was the media fanning the flame.

“There’s nothing there.”

Are you planning on chatting with Matt?

“No.”

Do you get on well?

“Yeah.”

Do you plan on chatting today?

“No.”

How do you reflect on the semi-final?

“Losing hurts. (A) semi-final is always a little bit amplified, because you’ve just lost the opportunity to play at Wembley.

“Regardless of who we played, it would hurt at the same level.”

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