Jamie Jones‑Buchanan has warned that St Helens are in desperate need of a substantial rebuild following a historic miss of the Super League play‑offs under Eamon O’Carroll’s stewardship. The Saints, who currently sit seventh on the 2026 Super League table, saw their position cement after a crushing 48‑10 defeat at the hands of the Leigh Leopards on Friday night. That result, coupled with Hull KR’s 36‑6 victory over Huddersfield, secured the top‑six places for the other clubs. The loss to Leigh marked St Helens’ seventh defeat in their last ten fixtures and was the second lopsided reverse in as many weeks – a 28‑point drubbing by Leeds a week earlier had already exposed serious frailties.
The club’s fortunes have taken a dramatic turn from the dominance they displayed between 2019 and 2022, when they captured four consecutive titles. Now, questions are swirling around the club’s recruitment policy and the broader strategic direction.
The upcoming 2027 season will see O’Carroll replaced by former Brisbane Broncos and Australian head coach Kevin Walters, a high‑profile appointment that many hope will re‑ignite the Saints’ competitive edge. Yet, the current squad appears to be a patchwork of mismatched pieces.
In July, the club was hit by an unprecedented injury crisis that saw sixteen players ruled out, a situation that forced coach Paul Rowley to resign that same month after a string of poor results, including a 46‑0 home loss to Toulouse – the first time the side had been held scoreless on home soil since 1980. Jones‑Buchanan told Sky Sports that success cannot simply be copied from one generation to the next; the context in which players develop is crucial. “St Helens probably need a clear‑out,” he said.
“They have some exceptional young talent coming through, but they’re arriving at the wrong time and not getting the best experiences. There are older players who have stayed too long, and some are even playing out of position.” He highlighted the performances of Tristan Sailor and Jack Welsby against Leigh, noting flashes of brilliance but emphasizing that the overall puzzle has not fit together for the Saints. During the off‑season, St Helens attempted to bolster the roster with seasoned Australian imports such as Shane Wright, Jacob Host and David Klemmer, alongside the signings of Jackson Hastings and Joe Shorrocks. Mid‑campaign, they added Daniel Suluka‑Fifita, but salary‑cap restrictions have limited further acquisitions.
Meanwhile, the club has seen a number of departures: Konrad Hurrell, Morgan Knowles, Moses Mbye and Joe Bennison left over the summer, and Kyle Feldt was released midway through the season. The only confirmed addition for 2027 so far is Solomona Fa'ata'ape, who will join from Catalans. Former Saints great and Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin has been openly critical of the recruitment strategy, describing it as “shocking” and “short‑term”. He argued that the club has failed to replace departing players on a like‑for‑like basis, opting instead for convenient, short‑sighted signings that have not addressed the squad’s core needs.
“There’s a lot of young guys who have gone out into Super League who aren’t ready,” Wilkin said. “I love that they’re getting experience, but the reason they’re there is because an ageing squad at the start of the year wasn’t durable enough, and the replacements were sub‑par.
That’s why those youngsters are wearing the Saints shirt and getting trounced by Leigh.” Wilkin’s critique points to a deeper issue: a recruitment policy that, over the past three to four years, has gradually eroded the quality of the playing group. The lack of adequate replacements for key departures, combined with an over‑reliance on aging veterans, has left the team vulnerable to injuries and form slumps. The resulting reliance on untested youth has exposed the squad’s lack of depth, especially when injuries have forced the Saints to field players out of their natural positions.
Eamon O’Carroll, reflecting on the season and the missed play‑off spot, admitted that the disappointment could serve as a catalyst for change. “It’s obviously really disappointing,” he said after the Leigh match.
“It doesn’t sit well with me that I’ve been part of that, and I won’t shy away from it. This group has had a lot of consistent success, so experiencing adversity is good in some respects.” He expressed confidence that conversations with his coaching staff, including assistant Abi, have produced a clear plan for the future. “For Kevin Walters to come in, it’s probably a great time to accelerate forward,” O’Carroll added. The broader Super League landscape remains fiercely competitive.
While St Helens grapple with internal restructuring, rivals such as Wigan Warriors and Leeds Rhinos are jockeying for the League Leaders’ Shield, and clubs like Wakefield Trinity and Warrington Wolves continue to battle for third place. Notably, Wigan captain Liam Farrell announced his intention to retire at the end of the 2026 season, underscoring the ever‑shifting dynamics of the league. In summary, St Helens find themselves at a crossroads.
The combination of a severe injury crisis, an ageing core, and a series of short‑term recruitment moves has left the club vulnerable and out of the play‑offs for the first time in its storied history. The appointment of Kevin Walters offers a potential turning point, but success will hinge on a comprehensive overhaul of the playing roster, a more strategic approach to signings, and the integration of young talent in a manner that respects the club’s high standards. If the Saints can address these structural issues, they may yet restore the dominance that defined their recent past.