St Helens prepare for emotional night with future hopes clear for retiring legends

Eamon O’Carroll hopes both Jonny Lomax and Mark Percival remain in rugby league as St Helens prepare to celebrate their incredible playing careers.

The Saints stalwarts will both bring the curtain down on their careers this Friday after one-club stints, with the pair set to go down as club legends.

They take on Hull KR in their final game of the season after missing out on the play-offs, but O’Carroll insists the side has motivation in the quest to send the pair out on a high.

O’Carroll said: “Obviously, we’re very disappointed (to miss out on the play-offs), but what we can do is celebrate two fantastic careers of two of the players that we absolutely adore and we love. That’s what we’ll kind of do.

“The whole week’s probably been based around them and their careers. We’ve been able to find some enjoyment out of that, reminiscing and getting some video messages and some pictures up of the boys throughout their careers. We’ve had a few good laughs. I think that’s really important.”

O’Carroll will also depart after this game to take up a coaching role in rugby union, and while reflecting on his stint as interim coach, he praised Lomax, and Jack Welsby, for their assistant.

“I’ve had a lot of conversations with him (Lomax). He’s a person that I respect, really respect.

“I’ve done it for a long time. I trust him in terms of what feedback he’ll give me. I’ve leaned on Jack Welsby as well. I think Jack’s really matured, and I mean that in a respectful way, during these last seven weeks. He’s been given the responsibility around the group. He’s certainly been captain, I would say, in terms of conversations that we’ve had and the sort of messages we want to get across to the wider group in meetings and certainly in terms of our practise as well.

“That’s why I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I feel like Jack can be a future captain. But I think those two together have been great. I also believe that Jonny’s been a big help to Jack as well.”

On whether he sees both Lomax and Percival having a future in the game, O’Carroll added: “Without a doubt.

“Probably two different levels. I see Jonny as being a really good coach. I think his apprenticeship that he does over the next couple of years is going to be really important to him. I’ve had that conversation with him myself. I’m not doing too much too soon. He’s a fantastic player, but it’s a different beast when you put that whistle around your neck.

“I think he’ll be really good, particularly in this environment, because he’s so well respected. And Percy, I feel like for his character and the things that he’s done, I think will be fantastic. Whatever path they both go down, I would imagine that they’ll still be at the club or still be in the game. I think it would be a real shame to lose them both out of the game.”