2022 St Helens RLFC season

2022 St Helens RLFC season
Super League XXVII Rank1st
Play-off resultGrand Final
Challenge CupSemi-final
2022 recordWins: 23; draws: 0; losses: 7
Points scoredFor: 674; against: 374
Team information
ChairmanEamonn McManus
Head coachKristian Woolf
Captain
StadiumLangtree Park
Avg. attendance11,861
High attendance17,980
Top scorers
TriesTommy Makinson (22)
GoalsTommy Makinson (87)
PointsTommy Makinson (262)
← 2021 List of seasons 2023 →

This article details St Helens rugby league football club's 2022 season. This is the Saints' 26th consecutive season in the Super League.

Season review

On 10 February, St Helens began their Super League campaign against Catalans Dragons. In a rematch of the 2021 Grand Final they repeated their success, this time with a 28–8 win.[1] This was followed with a 38–6 win Hull F.C. that saw St Helens move to top of the table on points difference.[2] Their good form continued as they won their opening five games[3] before suffering an unexpected 22–20 away loss to Toulouse Olympique.[4] In April, St Helens faced Catalans Dragons in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup and progressed with a 36–20 win.[5] They then reinforced their position at the top of the league with wins over Wigan Warriors and Huddersfield Giants.[6] In the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup, St Helens lost to Wigan.[7] Meanwhile they continued to perform well in the league and a 13–12 win over Wakefield Trinity in July moved them six points clear at the top of the table.[8]

At the end of August, St Helens suffered their only home loss of the season, 34–18 to Wakefield, but despite this were confirmed as league leaders' as Wigan also lost.[9] The final round of the regular season was a top against bottom clash in which St Helens won 36–16 over an already relegated Toulouse.[10] As league leaders', St Helens began their play-off campaign at the semi-finals stage with a 19–12 home win over Salford Red Devils.[11] At the 2022 Super League Awards on 20 September, Jack Welsby was named the Young Player of the Year.[12] On 24 September, St Helens won 24–12 against Leeds Rhinos to become the first club to win four consecutive Super League Grand Finals. Jonny Lomax was named as the man of the match.[13]

Results

Pre-season friendlies

W Win L Loss

Date Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
Pre-season results
21 January Leigh Centurions H Totally Wicked Stadium W 16–6 Bell, Makinson, Simm Dodd, Walmsley [a][14]
  1. ^ Alex Walmsley Testimonial

Super League

Main article: 2022 Super League season

Table

Pos Team
 Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 St Helens (C, L) 27 21 0 6 674 374 +300 42 Advance to Semi-finals
2 Wigan Warriors 27 19 0 8 818 483 +335 38
3 Huddersfield Giants 27 17 1 9 613 497 +116 35 Advance to Elimination Finals
4 Catalans Dragons 27 16 0 11 539 513 +26 32
5 Leeds Rhinos 27 14 1 12 577 528 +49 29
6 Salford Red Devils 27 14 0 13 700 602 +98 28
7 Castleford Tigers 27 13 0 14 544 620 −76 26
8 Hull Kingston Rovers 27 12 0 15 498 608 −110 24
9 Hull FC 27 11 0 16 508 675 −167 22
10 Wakefield Trinity 27 10 0 17 497 648 −151 20
11 Warrington Wolves 27 9 0 18 568 664 −96 18
12 Toulouse Olympique (R) 27 5 0 22 421 745 −324 10 Relegated to the Championship
Source: [1]
(C) Champions; (L) League Leaders' Shield Winners; (R) Relegated

Super League results

W Win D Draw L Loss

Date Round Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
Super League results
10 February 1 Catalans Dragons H Totally Wicked Stadium W 28–8 13,178 RLP
19 February 2 Hull FC A MKM Stadium W 38–6 12,673 RLP
25 February 3 Wakefield Trinity H Totally Wicked Stadium W 20–4 10,361 RLP
4 March 4 Hull Kingston Rovers A Sewell Group Craven Park W 42–8 7,256 RLP
11 March 5 Warrington Wolves H Totally Wicked Stadium W 28–2 16,118 RLP
19 March 6 Toulouse Olympique A Stade Ernest Wallon L 20–22 5,568 RLP
1 April 7 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley W 26–0 14,083 RLP
15 April 8 Wigan Warriors H Totally Wicked Stadium W 22–4 17.980 RLP
18 April 9 Huddersfield Giants A John Smiths Stadium W 24–12 6,519 RLP
22 April 10 Castleford Tigers A Mend-A-Hose Jungle L 10–30 7,649 RLP
29 April 11 Salford Red Devils H Totally Wicked Stadium W 14–10 10,988 RLP
13 May 12 Hull FC H Totally Wicked Stadium W 24–10 11,268 RLP
19 May 13 Warrington Wolves A Halliwell Jones Stadium W 12–10 10,476 RLP
4 June 14 Toulouse Olympique A Stade Ernest Wallon W 28–14 5,225 RLP
12 June 15 Hull KR H Totally Wicked Stadium W 26–18 9,858 RLP
23 June 16 Leeds Rhinos A Headingley W 42–12 11,628 RLP
2 July 17 Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus L 18–20 10,260 RLP
9 July 18 Wigan Warriors N St James' Park W 20–18 36,821 RLP
15 July 19 Huddersfield Giants H Totally Wicked Stadium W 25–0 11,288 RLP
24 July 20 Wakefield Trinity A Be Well Support Stadium W 13–12 4,162 RLP
31 July 21 Salford Red Devils A AJ Bell Stadium L 12–44 6,041 RLP
7 August 22 Castleford Tigers H Totally Wicked Stadium W 20–12 10,144 RLP
14 August 23 Hull FC A MKM Stadium W 60–6 10,097 RLP
19 August 24 Hull KR H Totally Wicked Stadium W 38–12 10,048 RLP
26 August 25 Wigan Warriors A DW Stadium L 10–30 19,210 RLP
29 August 26 Wakefield Trinity H Totally Wicked Stadium L 18–34 8,222 RLP
3 September 27 Toulouse Olympique H Totally Wicked Stadium W 36–16 13,112 RLP

Play-offs

Date Round Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
Play-off results
17 September Semi-finals Salford Red Devils H Totally Wicked Stadium W 19–12 Batchelor (2), Bennison Makinson (3), Lomax (FG) 12,357 RLP
24 September Grand Final Leeds Rhinos N Old Trafford W 24–12 Bennison, Hurrell, Lees, Percival Makinson (4) 60,783 RLP
Team bracket
Eliminators Semi-finals Grand Final
2 Wigan Warriors 8
4 Catalans Dragons 10 5 Leeds Rhinos 20
5 Leeds Rhinos 20 5 Leeds Rhinos 12
1 St Helens 24
1 St Helens 19
3 Huddersfield Giants 0 6 Salford Red Devils 12
6 Salford Red Devils 28
Source:Rugby League Project

Challenge Cup

Main article: 2022 Challenge Cup

W Win L Loss

Date Round Versus H/A Venue Result Score Tries Goals Attendance Report
Challenge Cup results
26 March 6 Whitehaven A Recreation Ground W 46–4 Amor, Batchelor, Dodd, Lussick, Norman, Percival, Roby, Sironen Makinson (7) 4,869 RLP
9 April Quarter-final Catalans Dragons A Stade Gilbert Brutus W 36–20 Batchelor, Dodd, Knowles, Norman, Percival, Welsby Makinson (6) 8,624 RLP
7 May Semi-final Wigan Warriors N Elland Road L 18–20 Hurrell, Lomax, Roby Makinson (3) 22,141 RLP

Players

Squad

2022 St Helens First Team
First team squad Coaching staff

Head coach

Assistant coach

Legend:
  • (c) Captain(s)
  • (vc) Vice-captain(s)

Updated: 24 July 2022
Source(s): 2022 Squad Numbers


Transfers

Gains

Player Club Contract Date
Tonga Will Hopoate Canterbury Bulldogs 2 Years August 2021[15]
Australia Curtis Sironen Manly Sea Eagles 2 Years September 2021[16]
Australia Joey Lussick Parramatta Eels 3 Years September 2021[17]
Scotland James Bell Leigh Centurions 2 Years September 2021 [18]
Tonga Konrad Hurrell Leeds Rhinos 1 Year October 2021[19]

Losses

Player Club Contract Date
Ireland James Bentley Leeds Rhinos 2 Years June 2021[20]
Australia Joel Thompson Retired — June 2021[21]
Scotland Lachlan Coote Hull KR 2 Years July 2021[22]
France Theo Fages Huddersfield Giants 3 Years October 2021[23]
Fiji Kevin Naiqama Sydney Roosters 1 Year December 2021 [24]

References

  1. ^ "Betfred Super League Round-Up | Round 1". RFL. 13 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Betfred Super League Round-Up | Round 2". RFL. 20 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Betfred Super League Round Five Round-Up". RFL. 13 March 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Betfred Super League Round Six Round-Up". RFL. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Betfred Challenge Cup quarter-final round-up". RFL. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Betfred Super League Round-Up | Easter Monday". RFL. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Wigan fight back to clinch Challenge Cup final spot in Elland Road classic". RFL. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Betfred Super League Round 20 Round-Up". RFL. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Betfred Super League Round-Up |publisher=RFL". 30 August 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Betfred Super League Round-Up | Round 27". RFL. 3 September 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Leeds and St Helens to meet in Betfred Super League Grand Final". RFL. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Brodie Croft named Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel for 2022". RFL. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Saints make history by completing four-peat". RFL. 24 September 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  14. ^ "St Helens win Alex Walmsley's Testimonial Match against Leigh". RFL. 22 January 2022. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  15. ^ "St Helens clinch signing of Will Hopoate". Sky Sports. 10 August 2021.
  16. ^ "St Helens seal signing of Curtis Sironen". Sky Sports. 2 September 2021.
  17. ^ "St Helens sign Joey Lussick on 3 year deal". LoveRugbyLeague. 15 September 2021.
  18. ^ "St Helens sign James Bell from Leigh Centurions". LoveRugbyLeague. 23 September 2021.
  19. ^ "St Helens confirm signing of Konrad Hurrell from Leeds Rhinos". Sky Sports. 23 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Leeds Rhinos sign James Bentley on 2 Year deal". Sky Sports. 18 June 2021.
  21. ^ "Joel Thompson announces he will retire at the end of 2021". BBC Sport. 22 June 2021.
  22. ^ "Hull KR confirm signing of Lachlan Coote from St Helens". Sky Sports. 7 July 2021.
  23. ^ "Huddersfield sign Theo Fages on 3 year deal". Sky Sports. 14 October 2021.
  24. ^ "Kevin Naiqama signs for Sydney Roosters after abandoning retirement plans". Sky Sports. 8 December 2021.