Did you see that St Helens game against Hull KR? If you blinked, you missed some absolutely wild stuff, especially for two legends playing their final match. Jonny Lomax, the absolute hero, slammed down his first two tries of the *entire campaign*, and Mark Percival, another Saints icon, got his first try of the season too. Talk about going out with a bang! These two, after careers packed with trophies for St Helens, pulled out all the stops for a 36-12 victory, sending the fans into a frenzy.
Saints Legends Get The Send-Off They Deserved
It was a proper farewell for Lomax and Percival. They had special golden lettering and numbers on their jerseys, with their honors woven right into the fabric. The atmosphere must have been absolutely electric, with both teams forming a guard of honor as these two walked out with their kids. Seriously, that’s the kind of moment you live for in sports.
In the 26th minute, Lomax found Percival, who rolled right over and slammed the ball down. A few minutes later, Percival returned the favor, passing it to Lomax to go over the line when he could have scored himself. That’s true teamwork, right there. Then, just before half-time, Lomax slid in again for his second, grounding the ball despite Hull KR’s desperate defense. Those guys showed up, delivering for their fans and each other in their final outing.
A Season of Change, A Glimpse of the Future
While the legends shone bright, this win came at the end of a tough season for St Helens. For the first time in the Super League’s 30-year history, they missed the playoffs, finishing seventh. Rough, right? They’re making changes, with former Man of Steel Jackson Hastings already out after an underwhelming season. This game was a wild send-off amidst a period of serious retooling.
Hull KR, on the other hand, rested most of their first teamers, gearing up for the playoffs. Their coach, Willie Peters, threw out a young squad featuring six teenagers and six debutants, and honestly, they gave Saints a real scare in the second half. Mikey Lewis, back from suspension, set up Bill Leyland for a try four minutes into the second half. And then, at 52 minutes, 19-year-old Flynn Holden just weaved through five tackles for a sensational score. Game on, for a minute there! But Saints, with tries from Deon Cross, Jacob Host, and Harry Robertson, eventually re-established control. And who else but Percival to kick the final conversion? What a way to finish.
So, while St Helens closes the book on a disappointing season, Hull KR, finishing sixth, faces an eliminator away to Warrington next Saturday. You gotta watch that one, folks. It’s going to be intense.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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