Tristan Sailor hopes his relationship with Lee Briers will continue to blossom after playing a starring role in St Helens’ 82-0 demolition of Salford Red Devils.
Saints cruised to a 15-try rout at home to an inexperienced Red Devils side in their Betfred Super League season opener, with off-season recruit Sailor running in five of those.
The stand-off now aims to keep thriving in the attacking game-plan devised by assistant Briers, who he knows from his past two seasons with NRL outfit Brisbane Broncos.
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“Briersy is awesome,” Sailor told BBC Sport.
“I’ve had him for the past two years at Broncos and we’ve built a really good relationship and understand how each other work.
“He’s bought that to Saints and it really fits in around all of the players we have.
“Briersy has brought a great attacking structure, and we’ve just got to execute like we did tonight.”
Former St Helens and Warrington Wolves half-back Briers won praise in Australia for his work on the Broncos staff after leaving a similar position with Wigan Warriors to try his hand in the NRL at the end of the 2022 Super League season.
He was tempted back to his hometown by Wellens for 2025 though, joining former Newcastle Thunder and Bradford Bulls boss Eamon O’Carroll on the ex-Saints full-back’s staff following the departures of assistants Matty Smith and Laurent Frayssinous.
“We freshened the environment up in a number of ways, and both Lee and Eamon have helped to do that,” Wellens told BBC Sport.
“I’ve known Lee a long, long time, we grew up around the corner from each other in St Helens and I know how passionate he is about rugby league.
“He’s had a huge impact on the environment since he’s come in, as has Eamon O’Carroll.”
The 82-point margins of victory was the biggest in Super League history, although St Helens’ final tally was still 14 short of the competition record 96 points Bradford ran in against Salford in June 2000.
Along with Sailor’s haul, Morgan Knowles and Harry Robertson got two tries apiece, with Joe Batchelor, George Delaney, Kyle Feldt, Jonny Lomax, Lewis Murphy, Mark Percival – who also kicked 11 goals – and Curtis Sironen notching as well.
Only Bevan French (seven for Wigan vs Hull FC in July 2022) and Lesley Vainikolo (six for Bradford vs Hull FC in September 2000) have scored more that Sailor’s five in a single Super League match.
Per the Rugby League Project database, the 23-year-old became the 19th player in the competition’s history to cross five times in one game and the second on that list from Saints, joining Anthony Sullivan.
Wellens acknowledged there will be much tougher challenges to come for Sailor, whose father Wendell once scored four tries in a game for the Broncos, but was impressed nonetheless.
“You see what an electric player he is,” Wellens said.
“Obviously he’s not going to have it like that every week, but I think he really enjoyed himself out there.
“For sure, fans in Super League, rugby league, and St Helens are going to enjoy watching him this year.”
Oly Hassel/SWpix
