Paul Sculthorpe, a former Saints skipper and two-time Man of Steel, has unleashed a scathing critique of St Helens' recent performance, particularly their spine and Jack Welsby's contribution. In a column that can be read here, Sculthorpe questions the effectiveness of the current 1, 6, 7 spine, suggesting it's not working. He highlights the team's disappointing performance at Castleford, which followed a poor showing at Huddersfield and a thrashing by Wigan in the Challenge Cup semi-final. Sculthorpe's criticism extends to Welsby's role, suggesting he looks disinterested and struggling to justify his marquee salary. He emphasizes the importance of winning such games if St Helens aspire to silverware, noting that teams no longer fear them. The article also mentions a new Saints book celebrating the Joy of Sixes, including the years 1926, 56, 66, 76, and 06. Additionally, it references another article criticizing players' poor performances and a determination to rectify last year's cup final losses. Sculthorpe's final broadside targets unnamed players, stating they are not good enough to wear the Red V, leaving fans and management with tough decisions to make.
