Tristan Sailor in staggering scenes after Reece Walsh detail saw him leave Broncos
Tristan Sailor made an incredible debut in the English Super League with St Helens on Saturday night, scoring four tries in an 82-0 thrashing of Salford in his first game since leaving the Brisbane Broncos. Sailor started at five-eighth and was man of the match after St Helens broke the Super League record for widest winning margin in the competition's history.
The Saints ran in 15 tries against a second-string Salford side that are bound to a £1.2 million ($A2.4 million) salary cap due to their recent takeover. The deal with the new ownership consortium still pending final approval by the Rugby Football League, and last week the Red Devils failed to prove to the RFL the necessary requirements to lift the restriction.
The club has been ordered to sell players after fellow Super League sides agreed late last year to give them an advance in 2025 central distribution money. With the restrictions still in place, Salford coach Paul Rowley opted to rest the majority of his first-choice squad against St Helens, handing debuts to seven reserve players.
With the likes of Ryan Brierley, Esan Marsters and Nene Macdonald missing, the Red Devils were blown off the park. They said in a club statement earlier this week they were hopeful the situation will be resolved by the time they host Leeds next weekend.
Sailor and St Helens took full advantage of their weakened opposition, with former North Queensland winger Kyle Feldt also debuting for the Saints. Morgan Knowles, Lewis Murphy, Sailor and Curtis Sironen all scored in the first 15 minutes as St Helens led 38-0 at half-time.
Sailor then scored a second-half hat-trick as the Saints ran in eight more tries, breaking the record for biggest winning margin in the competition's history. The previous record was 80 points - held by Bradford, Warrington and Leeds.
St Helens coach Paul Wellens said of Sailor after the game: "I think it's got to be taken into context, but you see the raw attributes he's got and his ability to make something out of nothing, to do something a bit different. Even on the terraces tonight you see there's a sense of excitement when he gets the ball in his hands so the more players like that in Super League, the better."
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The 26-year-old Sailor - son of dual international Wendell - played for both the Dragons and Broncos in the NRL like his legendary father. He played five games for St George Illawarra before the club told him he was no longer wanted in 2020, and then featured in 16 games for Brisbane across 2023 and 2024.
Sailor was used as fullback and in the halves at the Broncos, but his playing time was hindered by the presence of Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds. He was predominantly used at No.1 when Walsh was out due to injury or State of Origin duty, but failed to set the world on fire.
He signed with St Helens for 2025 in the hope of getting regular top-grade playing time, and has a real chance to make the No.6 jersey his own. If successful he could follow in the footsteps of Bevan French, who's become a superstar five-eighth in the Super League with Wigan after leaving the NRL in 2019.
Brisbane ➡ St Helens ✈Tristan Sailor is getting used to life in England 🥶😂#BBCRL #SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/I3IYds215N
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 15, 2025
Tristan Sailor is the best player in the league, after 1 game.
— El Musko (@RL_Musketeer) February 15, 2025
Early days, but I think Tristan Sailor could soon become a fan favourite around St Helens. A great display from the Aussie in round one, albeit against a young Salford side, but from what I've seen in interviews he comes across as a very charismatic and likeable figure. #COYS pic.twitter.com/R4nmylPGZG
— Tyler Brady (@Tylerbrad47) February 16, 2025
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