Young back-rower Billy Keeley made his senior St.Helens and Super League debut in the Saints’ narrow 34-32 away loss at York and spoke to Saints TV after the game.
The Saints Academy graduate wrote in his ‘dream book’ as a small kid that he wanted to play for his beloved team when he grew up. Now he has done it and wants this to be just the start.
Billy talks about his journey so far, detailing how he came through the Club’s Scholarship, Academy and Reserves before earning his First Team opportunity. Keeley also spoke about the surprise of finding out he would be making his debut. After expecting a normal meeting, he was also greeted by his family, who presented him with his match shirt ahead of the game, making the occasion even more memorable.
Looking back on the performance, Keeley felt Saints showed plenty of effort and stuck together throughout a hard-fought contest. Although the result did not go their way, he said the squad kept battling through every setback and gave everything until the final whistle.
The 19-year-old also thanked the senior players for helping him settle into the first-team environment, saying they have supported his development both on and off the field. He is now looking forward to making his home debut against Hull FC and hopes another strong crowd at The BrewDog Stadium can help drive the team on.
You can preview this premium video below. To subscribe and watch the full video, click here.
