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St Helens coach hits back at celebration critics as scenes post-Wakefield win explained Eamon O’Carroll has passionately defended St Helens players’ celebrations following last weekend’s victory at Wakefield Trinity, insisting they were ‘more than entitled to connect with travelling supporters’. Last Saturday evening saw Saints win 46-16 at Belle Vue, with that only the second victory in their last seven games. In the midst of that run, head coach Paul Rowley was axed from his role – and interim O’Carroll, who himself will move on to rugby union outfit Scarlets come the end of the season, took charge. The win at Wakefield, who have been flying high in recent months, helped to keep Saints’ play-off hopes alive – and after the game, some of their players posed for a group picture with a section of their support. That moment was picked up by Sky Sports’ cameras at the time, and this week has come under plenty of fire: both from some in the media and supporters via social media. ‘The players wanted to connect with the travelling supporters, which is something that they’re more than entitled to do’ This weekend, Saints’ play-off push continues at home against Castleford Tigers. Speaking in Thursday afternoon’s pre-match press conference ahead of that clash, interim boss O’Carroll said: “I’ve read a couple of things in terms of how we celebrated (after beating Wakefield), and I think we celebrated respectfully. “First and foremost, that’s important. “We’ve been through a real tough period, and I think there’s a bit there where the players wanted to connect with the travelling supporters, which is something that they’re more than entitled to do. “(People have criticised), and this is an opportunity for me to voice and back my players. That’s what I’ll do.” The win at Trinity was Saints’ first under O’Carroll’s tutelage – and they now head into Saturday afternoon’s home clash with Castleford sat four competition points off the pace of the top six. Explaining how last weekend’s celebrations came about, O’Carroll detailed: “A young lad asked Nene (Macdonald) for a photo. “Nene being Nene, he asked some of the young boys (in the squad), I think there were four or five 18-year-olds, maybe more, to jump in the picture. “That showed great leadership from Nene, who has just come back (from injury) for his first game as well, to have the picture with the young lad. “I think we acted really respectfully, and celebrated harder in the changing rooms, which we’ll always do.”