Betfred Super League: Paul Sculthorpe’s 2025 preview

The new Betfred Super League season is just under a fortnight away, which means the return of Betfred ambassador Paul Sculthorpe's weekly column.

This week, the St Helens legend has previewed the 2025 campaign - with the focus on his beloved club as they eye a return to glory.

It’s always good to blow a few cobwebs away before the start of the Betfred Super League season.

Saints faced a Salford side fresh from pre-season camp, but looked anything but travel fatigued as they downed the home side 40-12 in Morgan Knowles' testimonial match.

However, as I well know from experience, you can read very little into a pre-season ‘friendly’.

Salford, who will repeat their trip to the Totally Wicked Stadium on February 15 in very different circumstances, opted to field a strong side, consisting of many first-choice players. Saints boss Paul Wellens chose more of his younger squad following the off-season. Wello didn’t call on any of his International players, other than Morgs who is celebrating his first 10 years at the club.

Despite the inexperienced lineup, Saints did include their new trio of signings - Tristan Sailor, Kyle Feldt and Lewis Murphy - who all pulled on the famous Red V for the first time.

Saints trailed 18-0 at half time and by the 54th minute the score was 30-0. No matter the selection and mindset for this game, this was clearly not good enough.

Wello spoke in his post-match press conference of some of the fundamental errors shown out there and things that must improve. As I said, it’s the first hit of the year, but no doubt many of these players will be required throughout the year and they must meet the standards required, both in attack and defence.

Title sponsors Betfred clearly still have faith in the Saints, making us 9/2 second favourites behind Wigan (6/4) - unsurprisingly the choice of many to win their third consecutive Grand Final.

One player who's already shown why Saints brought him from the other side of the world is Tristan Sailor.

A player whose biggest asset is his open-field running game, Sailor will definitely keep defences on their toes - much like Bevan French of Wigan.

French is tipped to lift the Steve Prescott MBE Man of Steel Award again come October, but Sailor is on his heels as 10/1 second favourite for the biggest individual award in the game.

The 26-year-old former Brisbane Bronco is the son of my old Broncos and Kangaroo sparring partner big Wendell! Doesn’t that make me feel old? He is undoubtedly the kind of X-factor player to further enhance the sport in this country.

Sailor, along with the likes of French, Jack Welsby and Hull KR star Mikey Lewis, will be key in further promoting rugby league outside of the well-established heartlands across the M62 corridor.

This will be the first season under the new IMG grading system (in regards to who plays in the Betfred Super League) and it’s up to all stakeholders of the sport to continue to grow and attract better commercial and broadcast revenues.

Wigan and Saints head the Betfred Super League Odds, but Warrington - who again failed to achieve silverware in 2024 - aren't far behind at 5/1.

The vastly-improved Hull KR can be backed at 11/2 while Leeds Rhinos are 10/1 to triumph at Old Trafford.

That’s it for this week, as we gear up for the new 2025 Betfred Super League season kick off. I’ll be back next week with my selections for silverware and some of the other nominees for Precky’s Man of Steel!

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