Super League 2010

Wellens not willing to settle for second best

ESPN staff

January 29, 2010 « Woodgate injury could force Redknapp to market | ESPN FA Cup Promo »

Paul Wellens is determined that Leeds will not have things all their own way this season © Getty Images

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Super League veteran Paul Wellens is determined to get back to winning ways after St Helens failed to win any silverware for the first time in four years.

Saints led the Super League for much of the 2009 season and narrowly missed out on the league title and also lost out in the Grand Final to Leeds Rhinos for the third year running. And Wellens, who made his debut with the Saints in 1999, is determined that it doesn't happen again.

After winning four Super League titles between 1998 and 2006, Saints have grown used to winning trophies, and even their dominance in the Challenge Cup came to an end last year; after winning the title three years running they were dumped out of the semi-finals by Huddersfield Giants.

"We want to be winning trophies," Wellens said in the Metro. "I appreciate other teams would like to be in our position but we have set high standards and we intend to meet them.

"It was a great disappointment to have been beaten in the Grand Final by Leeds - we have experienced that now for three years on the run. We also go to the semi-final of the Challenge Cup and were top of Super League for a while, but eventually came away empty handed. That's not good enough for a team like Saints and we're looking to improve on that."

Leeds head into the new season as the team to beat, and Rhinos captain Kevin Sinfield is confident about his side's chances of retaining the Super League title for an unprecedented third time, but knows competition will be stronger than ever.

"I don't think we fear anybody, but we've aware that teams can hurt us and cause us threats throughout the year," Sinfield told Sport magazine. "It all starts with hard work, and we've certainly done plenty of that. But you need a bit of luck and a whole heap of desire and commitment and that's the challenge that awaits us.

"We all know that, come the play-offs, any team can beat any other team on the day. That's really exciting for everybody, including the players - and that's what makes rugby league so special."