NOT for the first time this year, Will Roberts is close to making his Saints Super League debut.

Paul Wellens has named the 19-year-old scrum-half in his 21-man squad for the trip to Hull FC on Saturday, as he did for the away ‘derby’ with arch-rivals Wigan Warriors on July 12.

Roberts did not make the matchday 17 on that occasion, but he must be able to sniff that his opportunity is on the horizon.

Particularly so now that the players who were holding the shirts are no longer available.

Saints skipper Jonny Lomax is going to sit out three matches with suspension, while Jack Welsby is sidelined for a minimum eight weeks with a hamstring injury.

Roberts is now competing with NRL-bound Lewis Dodd, injury-troubled Moses Mbye and fellow young gun George Whitby for a start in the halves.

To help him make the jump into top-flight action, he has spent time recently on duel registration with partner Championship club Swinton Lions and on loan with League One outfit Rochdale Hornets – making two appearances for each.

He is highly rated within the Saints organisation and could be next off Saints’ acclaimed production line to pull on the red vee.

“He came back midway through the season off the back of a long-term ACL injury so he’s done a really good job to get himself back to full fitness,” said Saints head coach Paul Wellens.

Roberts joined Saints’ scholarship, aged 14, from Warrington junior club Rylands Sharks.

His talent has shone through the ranks, progressing from under 16s and under 18s to reserves.

He scored 11 tries in six matches for the academy in an electrifying start to the 2023 season, leading to his first spell with Swinton who handed him his professional debut against Batley Bulldogs 14 months ago.

Unfortunately, the ACL injury ended his season early but he made a successful comeback in the reserves in April.

Whitby, who Wellens says is now also starting to come into contention for a first-team debut, missed out on the 21 this week.

He is a year younger than Roberts, but catching Wellens’ eye with what he is producing in the academy and reserves this season.

Whitby has recently completed his education, as did another young gun Owen Dagnall, and is now in and around the first team on a full-time basis, along with Roberts.

This is a step up that can help rising talent to advance more quickly.

“George has done all his bits of studying. We’re always very supportive of players like George and Owen Dagnall who have put a lot of time and effort into their education, we allow them that opportunity to finish that before bringing them full-time,” said Wellens.

“Both have completed their studies and they are with us every day now so it’s good to have those young players start their journey with us in the full-time environment.

“They get to do things day-to-day around experienced players who do things with intensity and high speed, so it can be a steep learning curve but it’s one that talented young players rise to.

“And all the young players that we’ve got at the club at the moment seem to flourish around the likes of Jonny Lomax, Morgan Knowles, Joe Bachelor, Tommy Makinson and the Mark Percivals of the world. Being around them every day certainly helps them.”