Wednesday 24 June 2015 12:15, UK
Nearly 500 appearances. Over 1000 points. A medal haul including five Grand Final Winners' rings, five Challenge Cups and two World Club Challenges.
And that's before we start on the individual honours. Paul Wellens epitomises everything St Helens look for in a player – clever in attack, rock solid in defence and a safe pair of hands under the high ball.
He's now announced his retirement from the game. There are so many great memories for one of Super League’s greatest, but we look back at a few of the best moments of his career...
1999 Breakthrough Year
The 1999 Saints vintage were a particularly special bunch, so for Wellens to make his mark that season immediately indicated his precocious talent. But make his mark he did and not in his traditional full-back position either. Wellens had made his debut the year before against Halifax, but he became a first team regular in 1999, showing his versatility by playing not just at full-back, but also on the wing, at centre, scrum-half and even at hooker. The high point came in the season finale at Old Trafford, with Wellens taking his place on the interchange bench for a nail-biting win over Bradford. And he watched on as Sean Long popped over the winning conversion, sealing a first win for St Helens in the showpiece event.
2006 Treble Season
His most successful year by far came in St Helens' treble-winning season in 2006. First, the full-back played his role in winning the Challenge Cup after a 42-14 win over Huddersfield. And after Saints stormed to the League Leaders' Shield, Wellens picked up a host of personal accolades, including the Rugby League Writers award, Super League's Players' Player of the Year, Saints' Official Player of the Year, Saints' Supporters Player of the Year and the big one - the Man of Steel prize. And to top that, he backed it up in the Grand Final, putting in a Harry Sunderland trophy-winning performance to help his side to a 26-4 win over Hull FC, sealing Wellens and St Helens' fourth Super League crown. The World Club Challenge followed in February to conclude the treble.
2007 - Four Tries v Wigan
For a St Helens player, any win over Wigan is particularly sweet and Wellens has certainly had a few of those in his career. But on a personal level, one obvious game might stand out. The Saints' 34-18 victory over the Warriors might seem like a routine two league points, but this win in 2007 was in fact the first Millennium Magic weekend meeting between the two sides. And for Wellens, it was extra special as he grabbed four tries. The first came after dancing past Chris Ashton, the second following terrific footballing skills before a dummy allowed him to cross in the corner for his hat-trick. The fourth was a match-sealing score too, Wellens going over to clinch the game for Daniel Anderson's men.
2008 Challenge Cup Final
The Challenge Cup became almost a permanent fixture in the St Helens trophy cabinet after three straight wins in 2006, 2007 and 2008 but for Wellens, the best was the final one. He'd shared the Lance Todd Trophy awarded for man-of-the-match in 2007 with Leon Pryce after the victory over the Catalans Dragons, but there was no stopping the full-back the year after. He starred in the 28-16 win over Hull FC, setting up an early try for Matt Gidley and then leading from the front throughout to lead the Saints to another famous win.
2014 Record Breaker
If legendary status in the St Helens ranks wasn't enough, Wellens sealed his place in the Super League record books as well last season. He broke the league appearances record in April against Castleford, running out for the 414th time to break the record set by Keith Senior. And what a game it turned out to be. Wellens played his part in a thriller, scoring one of six St Helens tries in a nerve-wracking 30-28 victory over the Tigers. He finished off a cross-field move late on to score, coincidentally, his 1000th Super League point before Adam Swift's winning effort ensured Wellens could remember his big night with a smile on his face.
2014 Grand Final
Eight years of pain had hurt St Helens and their fans, especially considering the club had lost five Grand Finals since their last Old Trafford win. But after topping the League in 2014, Wellens and Co had a chance to put it right against arch-rivals Wigan. The rest is history. Ben Flower's sending off pointed Saints in the right direction, but they needed all of Wellens' experience to see off the spirited Warriors. The man himself moved to stand-off after Lance Hohaia's concussion and the 14-6 win meant Wellens could lift the trophy in this his record-equalling 10th Grand Final appearance.
