Rugby League Sensation: St Helens’ Young Gun George Delaney Shines in Leeds Rhinos Victory
On a thrilling Friday night at the Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens head coach Paul Wellens heaped praise on young forward George Delaney, describing his performance as “outstanding” in the team’s 40-10 triumph over Leeds Rhinos.
The 20-year-old Delaney, who hails from Whiston, was thrust into the action just six minutes into the Round 12 clash after Joe Batchelor sustained an ankle ligament injury. Delaney then went on to play the full remaining 74 minutes, delivering a commanding display in the front row as the Saints consolidated their position at the top of the Super League table.
Delaney’s statistics underscored Wellens’ assessment, with the youngster making an impressive 31 tackles and carrying the ball for 135 metres. Only team-mates Matty Lees and Daryl Clark recorded more tackles, while veteran Mark Percival was the only player to outpace Delaney’s metres gained with the ball.
“I thought he was outstanding,” Wellens said. “You forget he is still a 20-year-old doing remarkable things. I’ve had conversations with George myself… we have to be careful as a club, and still remember that he is 20 years of age.”
The academy product’s performance was further highlighted by his four tackle busts, which played a crucial role in Saints’ dominant second-half showing, where they added five tries to secure a convincing victory.
Wellens acknowledged the remarkable progress Delaney has made, noting that the coaching staff have had to carefully manage his workload to avoid fatigue, having already featured 35 times at the senior level and a further six appearances for Swinton Lions on dual-registration this year.
The St Helens boss emphasized that the “smart approach” of managing Delaney’s game time has been instrumental in the young forward’s continued development, with the coach confident that the best is yet to come from the talented prospect.
As St Helens cement their position at the top of the Super League standings, the emergence of players like George Delaney bodes well for the club’s ongoing success and the continued growth of rugby league talent in the region.
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