St Helens’ fresh half-back dilemma after Jackson Hastings signing as George Whitby future clarified

St Helens’ shock signing of Jackson Hastings has proven to be one of the big stories of the off-season thus far, with the former Man of Steel agreeing a one-year deal with the club.

After a recruitment process that had left some Saints fans slightly underwhelmed, the arrival of Hastings is a big deal – and it appears to have breathed new life into the optimism around Paul Rowley’s side for 2026.

But it is a deal that does not come without its difficulties and its talking points – especially when you consider the depth Rowley now has at his disposal in the spine.

Quite who Rowley will deploy as his first choice halves pairing is anyone’s guess at this stage. He has five credible options in truth – though Jack Welsby will almost certainly go back to his usual role of fullback.

But even then, there is Hastings, Jonny Lomax, Tristan Sailor and George Whitby. At least one of that quartet will have to miss out every week; they all can’t fit into the same 17 unless someone is playing out of position.

The tentative noises coming out of the Total.. sorry, BrewDog Stadium going into 2026 is that Lomax may well be deployed in a similar role to Moses Mbye this season; coming off the bench and spelling Daryl Clark. That could all change between now and the big kick-off in February, mind.

But the big question for the Saints is what they do with Whitby. There is no doubting that he is an immense talent and a top-tier Super League player in waiting. He could, theoretically, guide the Saints around the park for the next decade – he is that good.

But he struggled for regular game-time at the Saints under Paul Wellens in 2025, with Lomax often preferred to him. His pathway to frequent Super League minutes can’t be blocked in 2026.

So Rowley has to decide whether to rip the proverbial plaster off and throw Whitby in, potentially alongside Hastings – who will surely play – which could leave Sailor out in the cold or out of position yet again.

Or do they consider a move out on loan? Whitby did really well at Halifax last year and the appetite from the Championship club to take him again remains should they be given the option as part of their dual-registration agreement.

There have even been suggestions that Whitby could look for a loan move at a newly-promoted Super League club – but sources inside the Saints say the plan at this stage is for Whitby to stay, and to play.

They envisage him being much more of a regular in 2026; that is not to say he starts every single week, but if he’s fit, you can expect to see him more often than you don’t.

Which is great news for the club, and the player. He may only be 19, but the likes of Whitby are in a core of homegrown stars the Saints could build around for years to come. It would not be inconceivable to see Welsby at fullback, Harry Robertson at stand-off and Whitby at scrum-half in a couple of years.

But for that to happen, he needs to play.

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