Jack Welsby fancies hooking up with Tony Bellew after Grand Final heroics
JACK Welsby has delivered one knockout blow, now he wants to hook up with a man used to giving out a few - Tony Bellew.
The St Helens youngster may have some explaining to do to his mates after shattering home town club Wigan in Friday's crazy Grand Final finish.
When Tommy Makinson's drop goal attempt bounced off the post, Warriors ace Bevan French let the ball bounce, allowing the 19-year-old to beat him and touch down after the shooter sounded.
The dramatic finish and the unrelenting nature of the Grand Final had former world champion boxer Bellew standing up in praise.
He tweeted: "What is going on in this game?? My heads fell off if they’ve just won it with this."Wow is all I have to say! Well done to Jack Welsby! Truly amazing finish that is!"
Now the teenager who delivered it hopes to link up with Bellew and others to spread the word about rugby league.
Welsby said: "I saw him tweeting about it. It's what our game needs really.
"Tony's a massive personality, it would be good for the game to have someone identify this game for being as good as it is.
"If there had been a game of football as intense and dramatic as that you'd hear about it for the next 30 years. I saw Chris Kamara getting involved too, which is great.
"I think the praise we've got is thoroughly deserved. The commands the game brings, the aspect of fitness, and physicality mashed into one, there's nothing that really compares to is and there's so much more that goes into it.
"The game deserves to be recognised a lot more for how great it is and it's nice to see people from across other sports acknowledge that after Friday."
Welsby's moment of glory lit up the sporting world across the globe.
But ask the man at the centre of it and it is all a bit of a blur.
He added: "I thought Tommy had got it, I was just running aimlessly in truth.
"Then it hit the post and dropped down and I thought, 'Oh my God, that's perfect.' It was like it was meant to be.
"I wasn't 100 per cent sure I was onside or put the ball down. I was confident I was there or thereabouts.
"I remember James Bentley being the first to jump on me and then I can't remember.
"The only thing I remember after that is seeing Tommy Leuluai running back with his head in his hands and thinking, 'Oh my God, I've got a chance here.'"
Now the dust is starting to settle, Welsby has the job of walking around his home town being the man who smashed his boyhood favourites' dreams.
He hails from the Standish area of Wigan and is a huge Wigan Athletic fan but is confident there will be no hard feelings among those who know him.
Welsby said: "I'm a massive Latics fan, and I was a Wigan fan growing up!
"To be fair, my mum has always been a Saints fan, but my dad and grandad supported Wigan. Since I've been at Saints, though, he's just a 'me' fan, if that makes sense.
"And I think all the Wigan pals are OK with it. I was on the phone to one of my Wigan mates on Saturday and he said when he'd seen someone score for Saints he was gutted.
"But then when he realised it was me, he was celebrating with everyone. I think I've been forgiven!"
