According to former St Helens captain Jon Wilkin, if Paul Wellens had the same record as Leeds Rhinos manager Rohan Smith, he would not still be in charge of the Saints today.
The Leeds Rhinos, led by Rohan Smith, are undoubtedly mysterious. Jon Wilkin has accused them this season of being a “soft defensive team” that lets their opponents roll over them. On Friday night, St Helens crushed them 40–10.
Pre-game remarks against the Rhinos’ performance under Rohan Smith were made by Wilkin, who claimed that the team’s past seasons and their finishing positions have been “simply not good enough.” Smith led the Rhinos to the postseason in 2022, but they were unsuccessful in 2023 and 2024.
Jon Wilkin stated, “Leeds Rhinos’ finishing position in the league is simply not good enough,” in response to those outcomes and the previous seasons. When I consider those league positions, I think of Jamie Peacock, Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow, and Danny Maguire—a club that I hold in the highest regard as my greatest opponent throughout my career—and I wonder if it would be appropriate at that point in time.
The former Saints captain was not having any of it when Sky Sports host Brian Carney pressed him on the idea that Grand Finals could be won from fifth place.
“They did (win twice from fifth position), but Leeds hasn’t been consistent in a very long time. The league position is your biggest indication of consistency.”
Jon Wilkin suggests that Rohan Smith is getting off lightly
But Jon Wilkin’s tirade didn’t end there. He went on to say that the Leeds Rhinos’ dismal performance will force other clubs’ executives, like those at St Helens, to replace their coaching staff.
“If that’s Paul Wellens in that situation he’s lost his job,” Wilkin said, citing Leeds’ dismal finishing places and the current state of the Rhinos.
“It drives me crazy to stay in that position all the time.”
Although Jon Wilkin may think it absurd that Rohan Smith has kept his job despite Leeds’ recent poor performances, it should be noted that the team is only just two points outside of the playoffs.
The Rhinos need just one victory to get up to the top six. Given their upcoming schedule, which includes games against the current bottom three teams—Castleford Tigers, Hull FC, and London Broncos—perhaps Rohan Smith can pick up those victories and move the team back up to the top six.
Regarding Paul Wellens, Jon Wilkin remarked on how peculiar it was that the Saints had not guaranteed his future. At the conclusion of the season, Wellens’ contract expires, and Wilkin claimed that the current uncertainty over his future just creates more pressure.
The fact that it hasn’t been brought up in the public forum strikes me as odd. You would think it would be known, yet we are unaware of the conversations.
Being the head coach of St Helens means that you are always under pressure, even if it is probably going on behind the scenes and hasn’t been discussed. He will face just as much pressure today as he did in the beginning.
