The 2015 St Helens R.F.C. season is the club's 141st in its history; its 120th in rugby league. The Saints entered the season as defending champions after winning the Super League XIX title against Wigan Warriors 14-6 at Old Trafford after also winning the minor-premiership by topping the Super League ladder. Following the departure of previous head coach Nathan Brown, Saints entered the season with a new coach, former Saints player Keiron Cunningham
Saints began the defence of their title by playing the Catalans Dragons at Langtree Park which they won. In February Saints played the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the World Club Challenge which they lost 35-0.
2015 transfers in/out
In
Player Previous club Contract Date signed Atelea Vea London Broncos 2 Years July 2014 Travis Burns Hull Kingston Rovers 3 Years September 2014 Matthew Haggarty Dewsbury Rams 3 Years February 2015 Shannon McDonnell Wests Tigers 2 Years April 2015 Adam Quinlan St. George Illawarra Dragons 6 Months July 2015
Out
Player Signed for Contract Announced Sia Soliola Canberra Raiders 2 Years August 2014 Anthony Laffranchi Retired N/A August 2014 Paul Clough Bradford Bulls 2 Years September 2014 Carl Forster Salford Red Devils 1 Year September 2014 Willie Manu Retired N/A October 2014 James Tilley Rochdale Hornets 1 Year October 2014 Gary Wheeler Warrington Wolves 1 Year October 2014 Richard Beaumont Leigh Centurions 1 Year October 2014 Connor Dwyer Swinton Lions 2 Years November 2014 Jordan Hand Whitehaven 1 Year Loan December 2014 Shannon McDonnell Wests Tigers 1 Year January 2015 Alex Clare Released N/A January 2015 Matthew Haggarty Dewsbury Rams Loan Feb 2015 Lance Hohaia Retired N/A April 2015 Paul Wellens Retired N/A June 2015
2015 squad
Other staff
Technical staff NameJob title Keiron Cunningham Head coach Sean Long Assistant coach Jamahl Lolesi Assistant coach Matt Daniels Head of strength and conditioning, head trainer Ade Gardner Assistant strength and conditioning coach Joey Hayes, Nathan Mill and Adam Rowland Physiotherapists Craig Richards RL Coach Development Officer Steve Leonard Merseyside RL Development Manager Derek Traynor ASSE Manager & Under 19's Coach Ian Harris Training steward Alan Clarke and Stan Wall Kit manager Neil Kilshaw Player Performance Manager Paul Johnson Club Chaplain Derek Jones Masseur Kel Coslett Gameday manager Simon Perritt Club doctor Ian Talbot Lead Community Rugby League Coach
Boardroom staff NameJob title Eamonn McManus Chairman Mike Rush Chief executive officer Colin Whitehead Accounts Dave Hutchinson Head of Sales & Marketing Paul Sculthorpe Business development manager Steve Law Merchandising manager Mike Appleton Media manager Mark Onion Marketing manager Christine Hesketh Ticket Office manager Peter Speakman Lottery Operations Helen Emanuel Hospitality manager Gordon Pennington Saints Community Development Foundation Bill Harris Ground Safety
Preseason
LEGEND
Win
Draw
Loss
Saints played two pre-season games to warm up for their title-defence. Both games were played at Langtree Park with the first match against Widnes Vikings ending in a 16-20 defeat and the second, against rivals Wigan Warriors ending in a 28-12 victory.
DateCompetitionVsH/AVenueResultScoreTriesGoalsAttTVReport18/01/15 Friendly Widnes Vikings H Langtree Park L 16-20 Greenwood, Swift, Roby Makinson (1), Hewitt (2) 3,508 No 25/01/15 Friendly Wigan Warriors H Langtree Park W 28-12 Greenwood (2), Swift, Vea, Makinson Makinson (4) 6,888 No
Super League XX & World Club Series Fixtures/results
LEGEND
Win
Draw
Loss
DateCompetitionRndVsH/AVenueRefScoreTriesGoalsKOAttTVReport06/02/15 Super League 1 Catalans Dragons H Langtree Park P Bentham 18-7 Vea, Turner, Savelio, Makinson Makinson 20:00 12,008 Sky Sports 12/02/15 Super League 2 Salford Red Devils A AJ Bell Stadium B Taylor 6-52 Percival (2), Turner (2), Greenwood (2), Thompson, Makinson, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Savelio Percival (6) 20:00 4,975 Sky Sports 22/02/15 World Club Series - South Sydney H Langtree Park R Silverwood 0-39 20:00 17,980 Sky Sports 27/02/15 Super League 3 Castleford Tigers H Langtree Park R Silverwood 21-14 Swift, Makinson, Jones, Percival Percival (2), Wilkin (DG) 20:00 10,066 Sky Sports 06/03/15 Super League 4 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats A Belle Vue R Hicks 16-20 Wellens, Greenwood, Turner Percival, Makinson (3) 20:00 9,676 Sky Sports 13/03/15 Super League 5 Widnes Vikings A Halton Stadium R Hicks 20-30 Hohaia (2), Vea, Thompson, Turner Burns (5) 20:00 7,772 19/03/15 Super League 6 Warrington Wolves H Langtree Park B Thaler 32-24 Greenwood, Wilkin, Swift, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Makinson Burns (6) 20:00 12,618 Sky Sports 27/03/15 Super League 7 Hull Kingston Rovers A KC Lightstream Stadium J Child 24-22 Wilkin, Makinson, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Turner Burns (3) 20:00 7,311 Sky Sports 03/04/15 Super League 8 Wigan Warriors A DW Stadium P Bentham 12-4 McCarthy-Scarsbrook 15:00 24,054 Sky Sports 06/04/15 Super League 9 Hull F.C. H Langtree Park R Hicks 20-28 Makinson, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Turner Makinson (4) 20:00 11,088 12/04/15 Super League 10 Huddersfield Giants A John Smith's Stadium J Child 8-11 Turner Burns (3), Walsh (DG) 15:00 5,825 17/04/15 Super League 11 Leeds Rhinos H Langtree Park B Thaler 16-41 Makinson, Turner (2) Burns (2) 20:00 12,640 Sky Sports 24/04/15 Super League 12 Widnes Vikings H Langtree Park P Bentham 34-16 Walsh, Burns, Walmsley, Fleming, Makinson, Percival Burns (5) 20:00 11,271 01/05/15 Super League 13 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats H Langtree Park C Leatherbarrow 44-4 Walsh (2), Charnock (2), Makinson (2), Turner, Swift, Masoe Burns (4) 20:00 10,001 09/05/15 Super League 14 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus J Child 33-26 Swift (4), McDonnell Walsh (3) 17:00 8,886 Sky Sports 22/05/15 Super League 15 Hull F.C. A KC Stadium M Thomason 10-17 McDonnell, Makinson Makinson (2), Charnock (2), Turner (DG) 20:00 10,320 31/05/15 Super League 16 Warrington Wolves N St James' Park R Silverwood 20-16 McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Swift, Wilkin Makinson (4) 15:15 26,970 Sky Sports 05/06/15 Super League 17 Salford Red Devils H Langtree Park B Thaler 32-12 Makinson (2), Swift, Turner, McDonnell Makinson (6) 20:00 11,664 12/06/15 Super League 18 Wigan Warriors H Langtree Park R Silverwood 30-14 Swift, Turner, Burns, McDonnell, Wilkin Percival (5) 20:00 15,500 Sky Sports 18/06/15 Super League 19 Castleford Tigers A The Jungle R Silverwood 25-24 Walsh, Walmsley, Greenwood, McDonnell Percival (4) 20:00 6,086 Sky Sports 03/07/15 Super League 20 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley Stadium R Silverwood 46-18 Jones, Turner, Amor Percival (3) 20:00 18,514 Sky Sports 10/07/15 Super League 21 Huddersfield Giants H Langtree Park B Thaler 35-34 Quinlan (3), Percival (2), Greenwood Walsh (5+DG) 20:00 11,164 Sky Sports 16/07/15 Super League 22 Warrington Wolves A Halliwell Jones Stadium J Child 14-20 Roby, Masoe, Turner Walsh (4) 20:00 11,618 Sky Sports 25/07/15 Super League 23 Hull Kingston Rovers H Langtree Park R Hicks 52-12 Greenwood (2), Burns, Dawson, Vea, Quinlan, Flanagan, Swift (2) Walsh (8) 20:00 10,781 Sky Sports
2015 squad statistics
Appearances and Points include (Super League, Challenge Cup and Play-offs) as of 24 July 2015.
NoPlayerPositionAgePrevious clubAppsTriesGoalsDGPoints1 Jonny Lomax Fullback24 St Helens Academy500002 Thomas Makinson Winger23 St Helens Academy19172201123Jordan Turner Centre26 Hull F.C.231501614Josh Jones Centre21 St Helens Academy2120085Adam Swift Wing21 St Helens Academy261600646Travis Burns Stand off31 Hull Kingston Rovers233280687Luke Walsh Scrum half27 Penrith Panthers114162508Mose Masoe Prop25 Penrith Panthers2620089James Roby Hooker29 St Helens Academy22100410Kyle Amor Prop27 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats24200811Atelea Vea Second row28 London Broncos93001212(c) Jon Wilkin Second row32 Hull Kingston Rovers204011713Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook Loose forward29 London Broncos246002414Alex Walmsley Prop24 Batley Bulldogs25200815Mark Flanagan Second row27 Wests Tigers21200816Lance Hohaia Scrum half31 New Zealand Warriors8200817Mark Percival Centre20 St Helens Academy1792709018Luke Thompson Prop19 St Helens Academy17200819Greg Richards Prop20 St Helens Academy22000020Paul Wellens Fullback35 St Helens Academy4100421Joe Greenwood Prop21 St Helens Academy148003222Matty Dawson Wing24 Huddersfield Giants13200823Jordan Hand Second row21 St Helens Academy0000024Andre Savelio Prop20 St Helens Academy21200826Lewis Charnock Stand off20 St Helens Academy42501827Dave Hewitt Stand off20 St Helens Academy0000028Jack Ashworth Second row20 St Helens Academy1000029Olly Davies Second row20 St Helens Academy1000030Matty Fleming Centre20 St Helens Academy6100431Matty Fozard Hooker20 St Helens Academy0000032Matthew Haggarty20 St Helens Academy0000033Ricky Bailey20 St Helens Academy1000034 Shannon McDonnell Fullback27 Wests Tigers85002035Morgan Knowles20 St Helens Academy1000036Danny Richardson20 St Helens Academy0000037Adam Quinlan Fullback22 St. George Illawarra Dragons340016
= Injured = Suspended
Standings
Regular season
The 2015 Super League season will see teams play every other team twice each, once home and once away, whilst playing one team for a third time at the Magic Weekend, which is a bonus round. After 23 games the league table is frozen and the teams are split up into 2 of the 3 "Super 8's". Teams finishing in the top 8 will go on to contest "Super League" and will all retain a place in the 2016 competition, as they go on to play 7 more games each, as they compete for a place in the Grand Final. Teams finishing in the bottom four (9-12) will be put alongside the top 4 teams from the 2015 Championship, in "The Qualifiers" Super 8 group. Where these teams will reset their season standings to 0 and also play 7 extra games each, as they attempt to earn a place in the 2016 Super League competition.
Super 8's
Super League The Super League Super 8's sees the top 8 teams from the Super League play 7 games each. Each team's points are carried over and after the 7 additional games, the top 4 teams will contest the playoff semi finals with the team in 1st hosting the team in 4th, and the team finishing 2nd hosting the 3rd placed team; the winners of these semi finals will contest the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford. Teams finishing 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th after the 7 additional games will take no further part in the 2015 season and will play in Super League again in 2016.
#HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and time(Local)VenueRefereeAttendance Semi-finalsSF1 Leeds Rhinos0 – 0 St. Helens2 October, 20:00 BSTHeadingley Carnegie StadiumSF2 Wigan Warriors0 – 0 Huddersfield Giants1 October, 20:00 BSTDW Stadium GRAND FINALF Winner SF10 – 0 Winner SF210 October, 18:00 BSTOld Trafford, Manchester
2015 Tetley's Challenge Cup Fixtures\Results
LEGEND
Win
Draw
Loss
DateCompetitionRndVsH/AVenueRScoreTriesGoalsKOAttTVReport15/05/2015 Challenge Cup Round 6 York City Knights H Langtree Park W 46-6 Swift (3), Makinson (4), Percival, Flanagan Makinson (3), Charnock (2) 20:00 3,271 N/A 28/06/2015 Challenge Cup Quarter-final Widnes Vikings H Langtree Park W 36-20 Swift, Percival (2), Dawson, Amor, Turner Percival (6) 16:00 8,806 BBC Sport 31/07/2015 Challenge Cup Semi-final Leeds Rhinos N Halliwell Jones Stadium L 24-14 Percival (2), Savelio Walsh 20:00 11,107 BBC Sport
References