Yates’ Verdict: St Helens academy graduates shine in derby demolition of Wigan

The value of a successful academy system shone like a beacon as defending Super League champions St Helens crushed arch-rivals Wigan Warriors 22-4 in front of 17,890 fans at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Good Friday.

Jonathan Bennison (19), Lewis Dodd and Jake Wingfield (both 20) and 21-year old Jack Welsby are among a group of players, who, in the past couple of seasons, have stepped up from the junior ranks and showed maturity beyond their tender years.

The quartet all made an impact in the first derby game of the 2022 season and look set to be the backbone of the club in the immediate future.

Debutant James Bell also caught the eye with a non-stop performance full of aggression and determination and the same could be said for the likes of the marauding Alex Walmsley, Agnatius Passa, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Matty Lees, Konrad Hurrell and Joe Batchelor.

The latter has come on leaps and bounds since joining the club from York City Knights in 21019 and scored an early second half try to keep Wigan at arm’s length.

Tommy Makinson, who was named as man of the match by former Saints’ trophy-winning skipper Paul Sculthorpe, took his tally to 11 from 10 outings to date and Mark Percival put the icing on the cake by completing the try scoring.

Skipper James Roby, playing his 54th derby encounter, was as effective as ever and so ,too, was first half scorer Jonny Lomax, as well as substitute Joey Lussick - the trio adding guile and direction to Saints’ 80 minute masterclass.

Wigan’s clear cut chances were few and far between but their best opening came with no more than a minute on the clock - and what an embarrassing moment it turned out to be for experienced second rower Liam Farrell.

A try looked a racing certainty as the England international attempted to gather a made-to-measure pass with the line at his mercy but spilled possession at the key moment.

Whether it would have changed the complex of the game is a matter of conjecture but at the end of the afternoon the better team took the two points on offer and deservedly so.

Saints’ main worry now is being forced to go into Easter Monday’s fixture at high-flying Huddersfield with an understrength squad after a tough and uncompromising derby.

Loose forward Morgan Knowles was substituted following a first-half head injury, scrum half Lewis Dodd limped off in the late stages and one or two other players showed signs of having suffered knocks and bruises.

Match summary

Saints: Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Konrad Hurrell, Mark Percival, Jon Bennison, Jonny Lomax, Lewis Dodd, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Matty Lees, Joe Batchelor, James Bell, Morgan Knowles.

Interchanges: Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Agnatius Paasi, Jake Wingfield.

Tries: Tommy Makinson (23), Jonny Lomax (33), Joe Batchelor (48), Mark Percival (64)

Conversions: Tommy Makinson (1/4)

Penalties: Tommy Makinson (2/2 )

Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Abbas Miski, John Bateman, Jake Bibby, Bevan French, Cade Cust, Thomas Leuluai, Brad Singleton, Sam Powell, Liam Byrne, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell, Morgan Smithies.

Interchanges: Patrick Mago, Oliver Partington, Ethan Havard, Joe Shorrocks.

Tries: Jai Field (20)

Conversions: Field (0/1)

Sin bin: Sam Powell (55)

HT: 12-4

FT: 22-4