A NUMBER of individuals were highlighted for their performance by head coach Paul Wellens after Saints’ 46-6 victory at Hull FC.

It was a success from a ‘simplified game plan’ that was also marked by the returns of forwards Morgan Knowles and Joe Batchelor after two months on the sidelines with injuries.

Asked about the difference they made to a side that had lost its previous five games, Wellens said: ““Of course it helps to have senior forwards back.

“Morgan Knowles, for me, would improve any team in the world if you put him into it.

“Add the experience of Joe Batchelor on top of that and the influence he has on the team not just on the field but off the field as well is massive, so getting those experienced players back was always going to help us when it happened and the evidence of that was there.”

Wellens commented on the backline as well, one currently deprived of Jack Welsby, Mark Percival, Konrad Hurrell and Jack Welsby, but where 18-year-old Harry Robertson continues to hold things together.

“I thought our backfield did a really good job,” said Wellens.

“They’ve been challenged in recent weeks and perhaps got a few things wrong but I thought the way they handled things today was really good.

“Young Harry at the back is very new to this and he’s only been full-time with us for a matter of five to six weeks but he’s showing how much of a dangerous player he can be.

“And I thought Waqa (Blake) handled himself very well in the centres, as did Ben Davies on the other side. And both wingers Tee (Ritson) and Tommy (Makinfield) carried the ball really strongly as well. It was probably their best performance as a unit for some time.”

NRL-bound Lewis Dodd was recalled into the halves and his fine support play was rewarded with two tries.

Wellens had two younger players – Will Roberts and George Whitby – waiting in the wings for their debut in the halves but they will have to remain patient.

“I wasn’t forced into playing Lewis,” said Wellens, after it was suggested to him in the press conference that he might have been.

“He’s been training brilliantly and like I said last week I’ve not lost any faith in him.

And I thought both he and Moses Mbye, along with James Bell, Morgan Knowles, Daryl Clark and Jake Burns when he came on, the spine players handled our game plan, committed to it and executed it for the majority of that game.

“We’ve altered a few things in the last week because when you’re missing players like Jonny Lomax and Jack Welsby you perhaps have to re-think things because they’re two special players in their own right, but we played a very simple style of rugby today and it worked for us.”