The 2014 St Helens R.F.C. season is the club's 140th in its history; its 119th in rugby league. The Saints will be looking to end a 6-year silverware drought this season by competing for the Super League XIX title as well as the 113th edition of the Challenge Cup. This season marks Australian Nathan Brown's second season as head coach of the club, continuing from his first season in 2013 which ended in a 5th-place finish and an early playoff exit courtesy of an 11–10 defeat at Leeds Rhinos. They began their season by taking on last seasons runner-up Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, which ended in an 8–38 win for Saints. This win sent Saints on a win streak that lasted for eight Super League games before being defeated on 18 April 2014 by arch-rivals Wigan Warriors at Langtree Park in the annual Good Friday derby match. Easter was a period to forget for the Saints as they were beaten by Widnes Vikings for their second league defeat in a row, following the Good Friday defeat to bitter rivals Wigan, and then by Leeds Rhinos in Round 5 of the Challenge Cup meaning the Saints will miss out on the trophy for a sixth year. The Saints bounced back however on 1 May with a 48–18 win over the London Broncos. Saints suffered another Magic Weekend to the Warrington Wolves on 18 May with the game ending 41–24 to the Wolves. Results picked up after the Magic Weekend with two straight wins at home against Huddersfield & Salford however the Saints then traveled to Perpignan where they suffered a humiliating 42–0 loss to the Catalans Dragons. Once again, the Saints bounced back with an impressive win over Castleford Tigers at Langtree Park and with another outstanding performance in a pulsating game at the DW Stadium against arch-rivals Wigan Warriors that ended 12–16 in favour of the Saints; the win avenging the Good Friday defeat at Langtree Park. Following this win, Saints suffered a shock 40–10 defeat to Hull Kingston Rovers but bounced back with three straight wins before losing to Hull KR's cross-town rivals, Hull FC, 19–12. However, a 40–16 win over Wakefield Trinity Wildcats & an extremely tight 12–13 win over Leeds Rhinos at Headingley put the Saints in a position where a win against Warrington on 4 September would hand them their first League Leaders' Shield since the 2008 season; with Castleford Tigers being the only other team in contention for the top spot. Despite losing their last two games of the regular season, Saints acquired the League Leaders' Shield following Castleford's failure to beat Catalans Dragons in their last game of the season; meaning that the Saints took their first piece of silverware since 2008. The unlikely success of the 2014 season culminated in a 14–6 win over arch-rivals Wigan Warriors in the 2014 Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford making Saints the Super League champions for the first time since 2006 in an extremely lively, well-fought contest that saw Wigan player Ben Flower sent off for a sucker punch on a defenceless Lance Hohaia in the 2nd minute of the game.
2014 transfers
Players In Player Previous club Contract Date signed Luke Walsh Penrith Panthers 2 Years May 2013 Mose Masoe Penrith Panthers 2 Years June 2013 Richard Beaumont Hull Kingston Rovers 2 Years August 2013 Kyle Amor Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 4 Years September 2013 Matty Dawson Huddersfield Giants 2 Years September 2013
Players Out Player Signed for Contract Announced Francis Meli Salford Red Devils 1 Year July 2013 Tony Puletua Salford Red Devils 2 Years July 2013 Lee Gaskell Bradford Bulls 2 Years August 2013 Josh Perry Retired N/A September 2013 Dominic Speakman Barrow Raiders 1 Year November 2013 Nathan Ashe Released N/A November 2013
2014 squad * Announced on 15 November 2013:
Other staff
Technical staff NameJob title Steve Leonard Service Area Manager Nathan Brown Head coach Keiron Cunningham Assistant coach Jamahl Lolesi Assistant coach Matt Daniels Head of strength and conditioning, head trainer Joey Hayes] and Nathan Mill Physiotherapists Derek Traynor ASSE Manager & Under 19's Coach Ian Harris Training steward Alan Clarke Kit manager Neil Kilshaw Player Performance Manager Gaz Tracey Club Chaplain Derek Jones Masseur Kel Coslett Gameday manager Simon Perritt Club doctor
Boardroom staff NameJob title Eamonn McManus Chairman Mike Rush Chief executive officer Paul Sculthorpe Business development manager Steve Law Merchandising manager Mike Appleton Media manager Mark Onion Marketing manager Steve Davis Head of Commercial Operations
Pre Season
LEGEND
Win
Draw
Loss
Saints began their pre-season by taking on Batley Bulldogs in January 2014; taking a 20–0 victory at home. Following this victory, Saints then took on bitter rivals Wigan Warriors in a 'friendly game', again at Langtree Park, for James Roby's testimonial match, sinking to a disappointing 16–28 defeat. They bounced back however for their last pre-season game before the season began with a 6–62 win away at Rochdale Hornets with a St Helens Select XIII team.
DateCompetitionVsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttTVReport24/01/14 Friendly Batley Bulldogs H Langtree Park W 20–0 Makinson, Percival, Flanagan, Jones Percival (2) TBC No 31/01/14 Testimonial Wigan Warriors H Langtree Park L 16–28 Swift (2), Roby Walsh (2) TBC No 02/02/14 Friendly Rochdale Hornets A Spotland Stadium W 6–62 Makinson, Galbraith(2), Fleming, Ashworth, Gardner(2), Charnock, Clough, Walker, Tisdale Charnock(8), Makinson TBC No
Super League XIX Fixtures/Results/Table
LEGEND
Win
Draw
Loss
DateCompetitionRndVsH/AVenueRScoreTriesGoalsKOAttTVReport13/02/14 Super League 1 Warrington Wolves A Halliwell Jones Stadium Won 8–38 Makinson, Roby, Amor, Laffranchi, Swift, Walsh Walsh (7) 20:00 13,157 Sky Sports 21/02/14 Super League 2 Hull F.C. H Langtree Park Won 34–22 Roby (2), Soliola, Lomax, Makinson, PercivalWalsh (5) 20:00 13,488 27/02/14 Super League 3 Salford Red Devils A AJ Bell Stadium Won 0–38 Wilkin, Walsh, Percival (2), Amor, Laffranchi Walsh (7) 20:00 6,353 Sky Sports 07/03/14 Super League 4 Hull Kingston Rovers H Langtree Park Won 38–18 Swift (2), Lomax, Walmsley, Soliola, Makinson, Wilkin Walsh (5) 20:00 11,818 14/03/14 Super League 5 Catalans Dragons H Langtree Park Won 40–22 Jones, Makinson (2), Turner, Mc-Carthy Scarsbrook, Hohaia, Swift Walsh (4), Lomax (2) 20:00 11,321 14/03/14 Super League 6 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats A Belle Vue Won 16–24 Jones, Soliola, Dawson, Greenwood, Makinson Makinson (2) 15:00 5,037 28/03/14 Super League 7 Leeds Rhinos H Langtree Park Won 14–10 Walker, Makinson (2) Makinson 20:00 13,788 Sky Sports 11/04/14 Super League 8 Castleford Tigers A The Jungle Won 28–30 Soliola, Lomax, Makinson, Turner, Wellens, Swift Walsh (3) 20:00 6,487 Sky Sports 18/04/14 Super League 9 Wigan Warriors H Langtree Park Lost 14–33 Makinson (2), Turner Walsh 12:15 17,980 Sky Sports 21/04/14 Super League 10 Widnes Vikings A Halton Stadium Lost 40–26 Soliola, Masoe, Wellens, Makinson, Hohaia Makinson (3) 15:00 7,706 01/05/14 Super League 11 London Broncos H Langtree Park Won 48–18 Dawson, Walsh, Lomax, Makinson, Hohaia, Swift, Greenwood, Jones, Flanagan Walsh (6) 20:00 9,408 Sky Sports 11/05/14 Super League 12 Bradford Bulls A Odsal Stadium Won 0–50 Wilkin (2), Walsh, Lomax, Makinson, Swift, Soliola, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Roby Walsh (7) 15:00 6,311 18/05/14 Super League 13: Magic Weekend Warrington Wolves N Etihad Stadium Lost 41–24 Walmsley, Turner, Hohaia, Dawson Walsh (4) 17:00 28,213 Sky Sports 23/05/14 Super League 14 Huddersfield Giants H Langtree Park Won 41–22 Wheeler (2), Hohaia, Wellens, Dawson, Wilkin, Masoe Walsh (6) 20:00 10,218 Sky Sports 30/05/14 Super League 15 Salford Red Devils H Langtree Park Won 32–12 Wellens (2), Soliola, Hohaia, Wheeler Walsh (6) 20:00 11,000 14/06/14 Super League 16 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus Lost 42–0 18:00 7,276 Sky Sports 22/06/14 Super League 17 Castleford Tigers H Langtree Park Won 38–16 Makinson, Wellens (2), Turner, Percival (2), Walsh Walsh (5) 15:00 12,648 27/06/14 Super League 18 Wigan Warriors A DW Stadium Won 12–16 Makinson (2), Wellens Percival (2) 20:00 20,224 Sky Sports 06/07/14 Super League 19 Hull Kingston Rovers A KC Lightstream Stadium Lost 40–10 Percival, Masoe Percival 15:00 7,611 11/07/14 Super League 20 Bradford Bulls H Langtree Park Won 46–22 Roby, Wellens (2), Masoe, Percival, Swift, Hohaia, Makinson Percival (7) 20:00 10,238 19/07/14 Super League 21 London Broncos A The Hive Stadium Won 16–58 Percival (2), Amor, Turner (2), Wellens, Dawson (2), Thompson, Soliola, Laffranchi Percival (7) 15:00 1,791 25/07/14 Super League 22 Widnes Vikings H Langtree Park Won 44–22 Flanagan, Makinson (3), Masoe (2), Turner, Manu Percival (6) 20:00 11,844 01/08/14 Super League 23 Hull F.C. A KC Stadium Lost 19–12 Makinson, Wellens Percival (2) 20:00 10,214 15/08/14 Super League 24 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats H Langtree Park Won 40–16 Makinson (2), Jones (2), Mcdonnell (2), Soliola Percival (6) 20:00 11,000 29/08/14 Super League 25 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Stadium Won 12–13 LMS, Roby Percival, Makinson 20:00 17,682 Sky Sports 04/09/14 Super League 26 Warrington Wolves H Langtree Park Lost 12–39 McDonnell, Manu Makinson (2) 20:00 12,854 Sky Sports 14/09/14 Super League 27 Huddersfield Giants H Galpharm Stadium Lost 17–16 Makinson, Roby, Hohaia Percival (2) 20:00 7,244 Sky Sports
Super League XIX – Play-Off Series
DateCompetitionRndVsH/AVenueRScoreTriesGoalsAttTVReport19/09/14 Super League Qualifying Play-Off Castleford H Langtree Park W 41–0 Roby (2), Turner, Swift, Makinson, Amor, Masoe Percival (6), Turner (DG) 7,548 Sky 02/10/14 Super League Qualifying Semi-Final Catalans Dragons H Langtree Park W 30–12 Turner, Swift, Manu, Masoe, Percival Percival (5) 8,888 Sky 11/10/14 Super League Grand Final Wigan N Old Trafford W 14–6 Soliola, Makinson Percival (3) 70,102 Sky Even without key players Luke Walsh, Jon Wilkin & Jonny Lomax for the majority of the second half of the season, Saints managed to battle through the play-offs to reach an unprecedented 10th Grand Final. Even though they also lost Lance Hohaia in the second minute of the game via a disgraceful punch from Ben Flower, Saints overcame the solid defence of Wigans remaining 12 men to claim their 5th Super League title.
2014 Tetley's Challenge Cup Fixtures\Results
LEGEND
Win
Draw
Loss
DateCompetitionRndVsH/AVenueRScoreTriesGoalsKOAttTVReport06/04/2014 Challenge Cup Round 4 Huddersfield Giants A John Smith's Stadium P Bentham 16–17 Swift, Makinson (2) Walsh (2), Walsh (DG) 14:15 7,150 BBC Sport 26/04/2014 Challenge Cup Round 5 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Stadium R Silverwood 32–12 Swift, Jones Walsh (2) 14:30 12,194 BBC Sport
References