SIONE Mata’utia’s departure after four years in the red vee leaves Saints with a considerable pair of boots to fill.

The versatile former Kangaroos wingman, who has transitioned over the years into the toughest of packmen, featured at loose forward, prop, second row and centre in the 85 times he played for Saints since joining in 2021.

Although most effective in the back row, the fact that he had to play so much of last term as a prop during the various absences of Alex Walmsley and Agnatius Paasi shows in some ways where he will be missed.

Mata’utia always added some real punch to the carry and bone-crunching tackling to the defence in his stint in the middle.

So he, and what he brought to the table, will leave a void – just like, for different reasons, the lift, energy and enthusiasm of another middle - Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook - has been missed.

Former skipper Paul Sculthorpe suggested in his St Helens Star column this week that Saints needed to bring in a centre, controlling half back and another prop to genuinely contest for honours next season.

Recruitment has gone quiet since some early business, when Saints moved swiftly to replace Tommy Makinson with Kyle Feldt on the flank.

The arrival of former Wakefield flier Lewis Murphy from the NRL feels like an effective replacement for Waqa Blake – or a belated one for Regan Grace three years hence.

Although not a like-for-like replacement for Lewis Dodd, the slotting in of Tristan Sailor into a re-configured spine absorbs that loss whilst Academy scrum half George Whitby continues his progress.

Significantly both Whitby and fellow teen Harry Robertson were added to the full time squad last summer to continue what has been a traditionally productive route.

Although nothing has been confirmed from the club as yet, the mere fact that he was not on the released list makes and there has been no sniff of a new centre incoming makes it seem likely that Konrad Hurrell will be retained for 2025 - pending an all-clear on his neck injury from the specialists in November.

There is always a clamour for fresh blood, particularly when the side is playing catch-up on rivals - and having finished sixth last term, that is exactly what they are doing.

It remains a balancing act - but on the surface Mata'utia's departure should give the club some cap wriggle room to bring in an external recruit ahead of next year whilst avoiding the pitfalls of the late buy that did not work out well last term.

When asked specifically on replacing Mata'utia, coach Wellens said: “We'll always keep our eyes open and that's important and we have got funds available should we want to.

“But again, it's got to be the right person and the right fit for the group and also around that there's other young players in the squad who will get upgrades off the back of what they've achieved.

“So there is all different things to factor in with a salary capped sport.”