Seventeen years ago a knee injury to Paul Wellens introduced us to another local lad who would turn out to be one of the greats. The then 18 year-old Jonny Lomax stepped into the fullback role in a 42-18 win over Wakefield Trinity.
It was the first of 388 appearances in the red vee for Lomax who on Tuesday announced he would be retiring at the end of this season.
That appearance total may yet grow. Having been initially ruled out of this campaign after breaking his jaw in June Lomax - who had already overcome several knee injuries and a serious head injury before stepping on to the field with Saints for the first time - has raised his hand for inclusion in the 21-man squad to face Leeds Rhinos on Friday night.
This sort of toughness has come to characterise Lomax who had endured 19 operations by the time he was 26. Saints Chairman Eamonn McManus called him 'the bravest of the brave in the bravest of sports'. It's hard to think of anyone in rugby league who has been through more - including that serious head injury at just 14 years of age - and still achieved so much.
We should not let the bravery stories detract from the fact that Lomax has had a stellar career. He has won four Super League Grand Finals, a Challenge Cup and a World Club Challenge. Throw in four League Leaders Shields too. And 15 international appearances. Eleven for England and four for Great Britain. He also won the Harry Sunderland Trophy for the man of the match in Saints' Grand Final victory over Leeds in 2022.
For a chunk of time during Saints' four in a row period between 2019-22 he had a serious claim to the title of best player in Super League. Not that he would ever say so himself. All this has been achieved with great humility.
Following the retirement of James Roby at the end of 2023 Lomax was named captain of Saints. He had always led by example to others whether by directing operations in the halves or setting the defensive tone. He was never the biggest player but pound for pound he was always among the best defenders in some incredible Saints teams. He was adaptable too, debuting at fullback but playing every position except prop and second row during his magnificent career.
He held the role for only two seasons before erstwhile Head Coach and possible fever dream Paul Rowley appointed Matty Lees to the role. By that time injuries and age were finally catching up to Lomax who was no longer an automatic starter. But safe to say if it hadn't been for the consistency of Roby it might have been Lomax hoisting all of those trophies aloft.
Those injuries have ensured that Lomax won't quite reach the milestone of 400 Saints appearances even if he is restored to the lineup for the last three weeks of the regular season. That's entirely possible with Jackson Hastings suspended for the games against Leeds, Leigh and Hull KR following his brainless swipe at Tyler Dupree last weekend. But whatever figure he has achieved by the time he takes the boots off for the last time his legacy is assured.
In announcing his retirement Lomax said that he was 'grateful for the life the game has given me' and that despite all of the gruelling rehabilitations he has endured he still feels lucky. I am sure there is some luck involved in making it to the top of professional sport but talent, skill, toughness, sheer bloody mindedness and humility have also had a lot to do with Lomax's success.
'For those that have supported me throughout it all… I hope I have been able to do you proud.' he commented finally. St Helens is proud. Not just the rugby league club or the fans but the whole community. Even rival fans revere and respect Jonny.
He has inspired and delighted us all in equal measure for nearly two decades. And don't rule out the possibility of him conjuring up some more special moments if he does fill the void left by Hastings in the coming weeks.
Many fans have expressed a desire to see him stay with the club in some capacity. Yeah. About that. Our record of employing great players of the recent past isn't brilliant. There is definitely scope for him to contribute on the medical side as he is qualified to do so. But if he does that he'll be busier than he was as a player with the state of our casualty list.
Whatever he does next he will do it brilliantly, but quietly...
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