Jonny Lomax on growing up "on the frontline" of derby rivalry

Having been weaned on the bitter rivalry, the Saints ace even swerved trials for the Wigan town team as a youngster playing for Orrell St James.

“That derby runs deep, I’m on the frontline in Billinge so I get it from both sides,” smiled the 30-year-old.

“It’s instilled in you from a young age, from grandparents and parents, and it’s a constant throughout your life.

“I was always a Saints fan, and even though I played at Orrell St James, surprisingly it was more 50-50 Wigan-Saints than you may have thought.

“Saturday morning training after a Friday derby, there was always that banter and arguments about the game, so I’ve always been privy to it and it’s nice to have that perspective on it.

“With it being a Wigan-based team it was a funny one when it came to town teams – potentially I should have gone to Wigan with my club, but I was at a St Helens school so that allowed me to go to St Helens trials instead."

Lomax is one of many stars to graduate from Orrell St James, the former junior club of Andy Farrell, Terry Newton and Chris Ashton.

Wigan winger Jake Bibby, also set to play in the Grand Final, is one of many current Super League players from the club which clearly left a big impression on Lomax.

“I still have a lot of friends from my amateur days,” he said. “Since we broke up at 16, we’ve met up every year and hopefully we can do that again depending on the Covid guidelines.

“I’m sure there’ll still be bickering then about Wigan-Saints!”

Lomax looks set to play a key role for St Helens in tonight’s Grand Final which, by his own reckoning, is too close to call.

“It’s a 50-50 game, Wigan are a quality side,” said the England international. “It’s exciting, there are two good teams in the biggest game and it’s a dream to be involved in games like this. t’s a massive achievement to get there and that’s a reflection of the hard work everyone has put in.

“There was a time we didn’t know if the season was going to get up and running again, and so to be one of the two teams in the big dance is good.”

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