St Helens icon’s swansong in jeopardy as two fullback plan emerges for Kevin Walters

St Helens’ 64-year run of making the end-of-season play-offs is officially over, after they went down to another disappointing defeat on Friday evening against Leigh Leopards.

You have to go back to 1962 to find a play-off campaign in England’s top division that did not include St Helens – with the Saints having made every single iteration of the concept in the Super League era and beyond.

But that run is over, and it ended with somewhat of a whimper as an injury-hit side were well beaten by Leigh, who themselves confirmed a fourth successive year of play-off rugby.

Here’s what we learned..

Does Kevin Walters go with two fullbacks in 2027?

It’s difficult to know how this Jack Welsby-Tristan Sailor dynamic can continue any longer. If they continue to have a muddled plan with both men going into next season, they deserve everything they get.

It is abundantly clear that Welsby and Sailor both look at their best at fullback. Similarly, they are both inhibited when they are not there. But they can’t both play there: or can they?

Paul Rowley tried a radical two-fullback plan earlier this season – albeit it ended very badly against Wigan Warriors in the Challenge Cup. But could Kevin Walters try something similar?

Sailor excels with ball in hand but is definitely not as good as Welsby with the defensive side of things. Do they rotate in-game?

Whatever the answer.. it can’t go on like this, can it?

Mark Percival’s career swansong be in jeopardy

We already know Mark Percival is finishing up at the end of this season.. but could he possibly be in danger of missing his farewell game next week?

Percival already has three disciplinary points on his record after a Grade B charge earlier this season, meaning another triggers a one-match ban.

And that high tackle on David Armstrong which led to the centre being given a sin-bin in the second half is going to produce a nervy wait on Monday for St Helens. Percival’s career wouldn’t deserve such an ending, for the record – but it was a moment of real note.

St Helens young guns stand up: but senior men disappoint

This was always going to be a chastening evening for the Saints given the injury situation they were presented with, and the size of the task at hand was illustrated by a very youthful bench.

Most of those young men stood tall, in particular Billy Keeley, who really put himself about. But as has been the case for most of 2026, the Saints’ senior men let them down.

Penalties, defensive lapses, disciplinary woes.. it’s been too often a theme for senior players all throughout 2026. Shane Wright and Joe Shorrocks were notable culprits again on Friday evening.

Walters has to clean that side of their game up. Yes, defensively St Helens are a shadow of the team that won four in a row – but they really do not help themselves with some entirely avoidable things. You would expect it from young players, but not players with such experience.