Jack Welsby tells doubters to "stuff" themselves after St Helens' fourth Grand Final success
The England international, 21, helped the club to an unprecedented fourth successive Super League Grand Final win to silence doubters and insists Saints are now aiming to make that five in 2023
Champion Jack Welsby told St Helens’ doubters to “stuff” themselves - and warned the history-makers are immediately aiming for a fifth straight Super League title.
The England international created two tries with his stellar kicking in their 24-12 success over Leeds. That delivered a record-breaking fourth consecutive Grand Final win for the League Leaders. Rhinos had finished fifth but gathered impressive pace late in the season to leave some people thinking they may down the champions.
But Welsby, 21, insisted: “I reckon (semi-finalists) Salford had more momentum and we’ve quietly gone about our business. Obviously we’ve had a couple of defeats here and there, which is unusual for us. But if we’re worrying about a couple of defeats and saying Saints aren’t the same team then write us off at your peril.
It suited us. We’ve had our backs up against the wall and gone ‘stuff you, we’re going to show you what sort of team we are.’ We’ve done that again tonight – we’ve won four in a row and there’s a reason for that. We’re a pretty special bunch and it’s hard to argue with us now. We’re one of the best (sides ever), if not the best.”
But Super League’s Young Player of the Year believes “100 per cent” Saints can get even better. After the club completed a record-breaking ninth Grand Final glory. He said: “Will Hopoate played 40-odd minutes with a hamstring injury again. Jon Bennison’s come in in his first season, scored a try and been absolutely pivotal in what we’ve done this year.
“Big Al (Walmsley) was missing. Regan Grace is moving on but Lewis Dodd’s the best young half-back in the country and we’ve not had him since Easter. There’s a lot of improvements in us. I don’t understand why we couldn’t do another. We’ve got that mentality within our group: if we can do four, why can’t we do five?”
Half-back Welsby slid in two grubbers for Bennison to score in the first half and then Mark Percival after the break. Alongside man of the match Jonny Lomax, he helped pick Leeds apart and - as captain James Roby came back up the Old Trafford tunnel towards him - he said: "It’s something you dream of. I’m just trying to follow in the footsteps of that man Roby, so it’s brilliant.
"I’ve really enjoyed it but I can’t say I’m shocked because we believe in ourselves and that’s the main thing. There was never a point in the game when I thought we were really under the pump or in trouble. To do what we have done is brilliant."
It would be a major shock if Welsby - who debuted against the Combined Nations All Stars in June - isn't selected when the national side is named on Friday. And, for all he is a full-back by trade, there is a growing clamour for him to be paired at half-back with Lomax for club and country. Welsby added: "We forget that Jonny had had a bicep injury since we played Salford in round 14 or something.
He’s been carrying that since then and, if he’s got any common sense, the realistic thing for him to do would be to get a recon. But he’s not that type of person and I’m sure he will be putting his hand up for England."
Welsby's star has continued to rise ever since, still aged just 19, helping Saints win the second of their quartet of titles with that iconic last-second try in the 2020 Grand Final against Wigan. With three Grand Final wins now to his name and a Challenge Cup, does he still have to pinch himself? He said: "The pinch-me moments are when the pyrotechnics are going off and kids are pointing fingers saying ‘Jack Welsby’.
"That’s what it makes special. Playing the game is something I’ve done since I was four. It’s self-explanatory – that’s how you learn and that’s how you do it – but it’s all the fans and I can’t wait to go out there and see them all."
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