James Bell says St Helens have heeded Paul Wellens’ discipline crackdown and are now ready to wreak revenge on Wigan.
The huge derby rivals go toe-to-toe again at Totally Wicked Stadium where the sold-out signs are expected on Friday night. Super League champions Saints are still smarting from falling 14-6 in an epic Good Friday duel at Wigan. It has been a tough campaign for Wellens’ side since starting by winning the World Club Challenge in Sydney.
They are in the unusual spot of sixth but have turned things around of late with a four-match winning run. And New Zealander loose forward Bell says rookie boss Wellens laying down the law last week about so many player suspensions has helped. Loose forward Morgan Knowles hopes to return against Wigan after serving his third ban of the year while England team-mate Matty Lees, Australian forwards Curtis Sironen and Sione Mata’utia plus Tonga centre Konrad Hurrell have all been sidelined by disciplinary chiefs.
Bell, who played in that World Club Challenge glory against the NRL premiers, said: “They have been honest conversations and it is something we needed to address. We’ve all taken it on board as, at the end of the day, we want our best team out there. The onus is on us to make sure we’re not doing anything silly or putting the team under extra pressure as the game is hard enough as it is with 13 players on the field.
“It’s something we respect and Wello is telling us to really knuckle down. We’re really looking forward to the derby. It’s a big motivator for us to try and get one back on them after last time. It’s a big occasion not just for us but the whole town. We’ve worked really hard on a short turnaround and been really focused on this.”
Bell played his part in a brilliant 48-6 destruction of Huddersfield at Magic Weekend on Sunday. It was Saints’ biggest win of the season and suggested they are still more than capable of making it five title victories in a row. They are only two points behind third-placed Wigan who were walloped 46-12 by leaders Catalans in Newcastle.
Ex-Leigh star Bell, 29, added: “Wigan are in a similar position to what we found ourselves earlier in the year: trying to find their form. They’ll come out to try and prove a point. I’m expecting nothing less than their best which they always deliver every time against St Helens. But there’s a good feeling around our camp. It’s probably helped us that we’ve got a few more bodies back over the last few weeks and we’re almost looking like a fully fit 17. That’s played a big part in how we’re turning the season around.
"Against Huddersfield, it probably came down to our halves really taking control of the team and you could see everyone was on the same page. That’s something we’ve been working on the past few weeks. Hopefully that continues throughout the year now."
One of the surprise packages of 2023 is Bell's former club Leigh who are just two points behind leaders Catalans since earning promotion. They have won nine of their 14 games so far, defying the odds that saw many people see them as relegation favourites. It's pleasing to see for Bell, the Aucklander who spent the 2021 campaign with Leigh after moving from Toulouse and also played two games back there on dual-registration last term.
He said: "The way they’re going, people really do need to take them seriously. I do think they are serious contenders. And I’m not surprised as they have a good rosta and a good coach. They are doing really well."
The Scotland international, meanwhile, signed a new two year deal with Saints last week and hasn't ruled out extending that further when the time comes. Bell insisted: "I haven’t really thought too far ahead. I’ve got a couple more years here and I’ll be 30/31 by then. I’ll see how the body holds up as right now I’m feeling good and probably the best I’ve ever felt in my whole career in terms of physically and experience wise.
"Hopefully I can keep going these next two years and keep going from there. But if there’s no more opportunity I’ll probably just head home and hang the boots up. I hope there’s more though and I can keep going well and getting good success. That’s the plan."
