Pressures mount at Saints

By Paul Sculthorpe St Helens and Lions star

It has been an eventful last week or so for St Helens.

Everyone at the club was shocked and disappointed when we were docked two points for breaching the salary cap.

As players, there's not a lot we can do it about it - that's for the people upstairs and I believe they are appealing.

To be honest, I'm not 100% certain of the real reasons, but as far as I can tell the wording of the rules is open to interpretation.

Ian Millward passed instructions via headphones to Sean Long

If that is the case, it seems unfair for the fans and players to be punished, to have points we have already won taken away from us.

But like I say, there's not much the players can do about it. All we can do is concentrate of the field and try to win the points back.

Saints' successes over the years mean that whenever we take to the field the players and coaching staff are under intense scrutiny.

Saturday's 30-30 draw at Warrington was no different.

When the players came in to training on Monday, they learned that the RFL were investigating our use of headphones in that match.

I was lining up a kick at goal at the time, so I was not aware what was going on.

But it seems that Sean Long was handed headphones on the pitch so our coach Ian Millward could pass on instructions.

To be honest, I think the whole incident has been blown out of proportion.

Your coach can come down and speak to you at the touchline and water carriers often carry instructions on to the pitch.

Again, I am not certain of the wording of the RFL's rules, but I don't see any difference between being passed instructions face-to-face and talking through headphones.

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A lot of our fans will have been disappointed to learn this week that Tommy Martyn and Paul Newlove will be leaving us at the end of the season.

I was surprised to hear they would not be offered new contracts - both have been great servants to the club and have achieved a lot.

There are certain factors that have persuaded the club to release these players - and one may be the salary cap.

Tommy Martyn has enjoyed plenty of success with Saints

Ian Millward is always looking to the future as well - and both players are the so-called wrong side of 30.

They will be greatly missed - on the field and in the dressing room - but that's the nature of the game. Life goes on.

Hopefully we can send them off on a high by reclaiming our Super League crown in October.

The impending departure of Tommy and Paul has been counterbalanced by the arrival of Keith Mason from Melbourne Storm.

Keith is a big, raw-boned prop who should give us some real go-forward and is going to make dints in defences.

He is the type of player that we have probably lacked and will be a huge asset as we look to get our season back on track.