Jamie Jones-Buchanan has warned that St Helens are facing a substantial rebuilding phase after Eamon O’Carroll’s side failed to qualify for the Super League playoffs for the first time in the club’s storied history. The Saints, sitting seventh on the 2026 Super League table, saw their position cemented on Friday night when they were thrashed 48-10 by the Leigh Leopards. That defeat, coupled with Hull KR’s 36-6 victory over Huddersfield, confirmed the six teams that will contest the postseason.
The loss to Leigh marked the seventh defeat for St Helens in their last ten fixtures and represented the second consecutive heavy reversal, following a 28‑point drubbing at the hands of Leeds a week earlier. Such a string of poor results has sparked intense debate among supporters and pundits alike, with many questioning whether the club’s recruitment policy over the past few seasons has been fundamentally flawed. The club is already looking ahead to a change in the dugout. O’Carroll is set to be succeeded by former Brisbane Broncos and Australian national team coach Kevin Walters before the start of the 2027 campaign.
Walters, a seasoned tactician, will be tasked with revitalising a squad that appears to have lost its competitive edge. Compounding the on‑field struggles has been a severe injury crisis. At one point in July, a staggering sixteen players were listed as unavailable due to various ailments, leaving the coaching staff with limited options and forcing several youngsters into premature first‑team action.
The injury woes coincided with the resignation of Paul Rowley as head coach in the same month. At the time of his departure, the Saints were six points adrift of league leaders Leeds Rhinos and had suffered a historic 46-0 defeat to Toulouse – the first time the club had been held scoreless at home in a league match since 1980. St Helens enjoyed a period of dominance between 2019 and 2022, capturing four consecutive titles, but the recent slide has raised serious concerns about the long‑term sustainability of that success. Critics argue that the club’s recruitment strategy has become short‑sighted, prioritising quick fixes over the acquisition of players who can seamlessly replace departing stars.
Jamie Jones‑Buchanan summed up the sentiment on Sky Sports, stating, "Nothing is given in sport. You certainly can't copy and paste from one generation to another because context is king. St Helens probably need a clear out.
They have some exceptional young talents coming through, but they're arriving at the wrong time, not having the best of experiences. Older players are still hanging around, some perhaps for too long, and a number of squad members are being used out of position. Tristan Sailor and Jack Welsby showed flashes of brilliance against Leigh, but the overall jigsaw just hasn't fit together for the Saints." During the off‑season, the club did bring in experienced Australian forwards Shane Wright, Jacob Host and David Klemmer, as well as halfbacks Jackson Hastings and Joe Shorrocks.
Mid‑campaign, they also added Daniel Suluka‑Fifita. However, salary‑cap restrictions have limited further signings, and the departure of key figures such as Konrad Hurrell, Morgan Knowles, Moses Mbye and Joe Bennison over the summer, plus the mid‑season release of Kyle Feldt, has left noticeable gaps. Looking ahead to 2027, St Helens have announced a single new acquisition: Solomona Fa'ata'ape, who joins from Catalans.
Yet former Saints great and Sky Sports analyst Jon Wilkin has been blunt, describing the club’s recent recruitment as "shocking" and "terrible". He argued that the Saints have made "convenient and short‑term recruitment choices" and failed to replace departing talent on a like‑for‑like basis, urging a complete rethink of their player‑acquisition strategy.
Wilkin added, "There are many young players thrust into the Super League who aren’t ready. That’s fine for their development, but the underlying issue is that an ageing squad at the start of the year lacked durability, and the replacements brought in were sub‑standard.
The result is youngsters wearing the Saints jersey and being battered by teams like Leigh. The narrative that the club has a great youth system is true, but it masks a deeper problem: sloppy recruitment over the past three or four years." Reflecting on the season, O’Carroll acknowledged the disappointment but also saw a potential silver lining.
He told reporters after the Leigh defeat, "It's obviously really disappointing. It doesn't sit well with me that I've been a part of that, I won't shy away from it. This group has enjoyed consistent success, so experiencing adversity can be valuable. The conversations with Eamon and Abi have crystal clarity about what needs to be done, and I have every confidence they will act.
Kevin Walters coming in now could be the catalyst for accelerating the club forward." The broader Super League landscape continues to evolve, with Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos battling for the League Leaders' Shield, while Wakefield Trinity and Warrington Wolves vie for third place. Meanwhile, individual stories such as Wigan captain Liam Farrell announcing his retirement at the end of 2026 add further intrigue to the season. In summary, St Helens find themselves at a crossroads. A combination of injury misfortune, questionable recruitment decisions, and an aging core has led to a stark decline from their recent dominance.
The upcoming appointment of Kevin Walters, coupled with a potential overhaul of the playing roster, offers a glimmer of hope. However, the club must address its recruitment philosophy, ensure a balanced blend of experience and youth, and restore the winning culture that once made the Saints a perennial powerhouse in the Super League.