Wellens Q&A: Filling prop holes, recruitment and retention

All the signs are that Saints scrum half Lewis Dodd will switch to the NRL side South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Veteran wing Tommy Makinson has also been linked with a move to Catalans Dragons - but nothing is confirmed on either of those proposed moves.

Saints could be looking at extensive recruitment for next year. The broad question of retention/recruitment came up with a Q&A with coach Paul Wellens - as did the effects of losing Alex Walmsley for a long stretch following knee surgery.

MC: You are now without Alex Walmsley for a prolonged period and say Agnatius Paasi is due to return to Reserves next month - any sign of Jake Wingfield to give that middle a lift?

PW: Jake could potentially return this week, if not almost certainly the week after.

He's feeling good again. He's got the strength back into his shoulder, so we'll make a decision after training on Wednesday.

MC: Curtis Sironen has not played a lot of middle, his dad (Australian Test prop Paul Sironen) will be proud if he starts taking more of this role on?

PW: I'm sure he will be. I mentioned Curtis after the game and Sione Mata’utia has been very similar in stepping up.

What we always need throughout the course of the season is for the players to put the team first and playing positions that is not perhaps the preferred position for but what the team needs them to do a job in.

Curtis has done that in the last couple of weeks, Sione has done it for a prolonged period.

I'm always very grateful as a coach that players like that make those decisions a lot easier by approaching it in the right manner.

MC: It's not ideal as a coach because you do lose some of their real potency on the edges as well, even if you have got players who are playing well there (Batchelor and Whitley)?

PW: We are spoilt for choice in the back row – and the back rowers we do have whilst being effective are effective in different ways as well.

It is obviously about getting the balance right in terms of what we need for each game.

Obviously, Sione has shown in the past he's very effective through the middle. Curtis has shown and also in the last couple of weeks that he can be effective there too.

But I don't want in the long term that the versatility to impact them too much. I know they like playing that back row and they prefer to play back row and at some point down the track they are going to get the opportunity to play there.

MC: It is unfortunate that you have had Agnatius Paasi out for a very long spell and now Alex Walmsley out for a second long period, do you feel comfortable with what you have got in the middle – or would beefing up the front row be an area for potential recruitment in future?

PW: Potentially. It is something we have to look at and I am constantly in discussions with both Mike and Eamonn on where we can strengthen the squad. It's an area which we could potentially look at moving forward.

But also, I am happy with what we've got there at the moment. Given the fact that Sione has gone in there and done a really good job as has Curtis.

George Delaney’s emergence has been a real blessing there, and I don't think too many people 18 months ago envisaged George playing as well as he has and has consistently as he has for how young he is.

And we've got other players like Noah Stephens who is knocking at the door as well.

What missing players does is provide young players with opportunity.

MC: In terms of May 1 deadline and speculation of players leaving, how do you look at recruitment and retention? Does the process work at the same – or do you tick off your retain list before you start looking for recruits?

PW: What we're always about first and foremost is retention in terms of our better players and that's what we try and do.

And then the off the back of that if we don't retain those players, it's looking in house in terms of have we got anything or any Academy or in the reserves who can come in and fill that void.

If the answer is yes, and that's what we'll prioritise if the answer is no, then that's where we look at on the outside, whether that be in Super League, externally or overseas.

So that's the methodology around it. It's always a challenge, but May 1 when that deadline comes around players are making big decisions on their future so it is important that, so it's important that we're doing our homework and we are being diligent in terms of putting our squads together.

MC: But not everything gets sorted on May 1 in terms of retaining or recruiting?

PW: That's not the case. And obviously we have a number of players – both seniors and younger players who are off contract at the end of the year. We have to sit down with them and have discussions moving forward.

On some level, what we've done in the past really is even when we've lost players we have stayed patient and not jumped into signing someone for the sake of it.

I think that is a real strength of the club that we have been able to do that and quite often that patience has paid off.

MC: Have you got lads there who are potentially playing for contracts, or do you not like framing it that way. Are there players who are out at the end of this this year who can still secure a new deal?

PW: Yes, because it is about performance, but I don't like the line of ‘playing for contracts’.

What you have when you play for this club is a responsibility to perform, and that is not just on a weekend in games, it is how you train and how you are around the group and how you handle successes, how you handle disappointments – the every day challenges.

That is how a lot of decisions are made. So there's a lot to factor in when we are making decisions on contracts.

MC: Can you highlight the benefits of of a short break at this stage of the season?

PW: A Super League season can be a grind at times and the games come thick and fast and there’s no getting away from it.

That's the reality. So what we what we have to do is be smart and find opportunities where we can let the players get away from thinking about rugby and being involved in rugby because we do ask a lot of them.

The season does go quick, but when you are a player and you're in it week-to-week it can be challenging at times.

And that's not just our team that is every club and we have to be smart on the way we approach things, smart around when we ramp up training, or when we taper off or give players time off.

The discussions are always ongoing about when we feel that best suits but felt a few days off the back of that Huddersfield game will benefit the players.