PAUL WELLENS has experienced pain and pleasure in Grand Finals but it is the disappointment of successive defeats that will spur him on this weekend.

The St Helens full-back has played in the Super League finale six times in the past decade and tasted almost everything the Old Trafford showpiece can offer.

Wellens began on the bench when Saints beat Bradford in 1999 and then started in the win over Wigan the following year.

The 2002 final was a bittersweet affair, with Saints winning a thriller against Bradford but only after Great Britain international Wellens had left the field with a serious facial injury.

He made up for that with a man-of-the-match performance in the convincing win over Hull in 2006, capping a fine year in which he was also named Man of Steel.

But, gallingly, it is the memories of the past two finals – both defeats to Leeds – that are the freshest and Wellens is anxious to make amends as Saints clash with the Rhinos for the title again.

“Last year was probably as low as you can get,” said the 29-year-old at a pre-game media function at Old Trafford.

“You work hard all year – it is a fantastic stadium but not a nice place to be when you have lost.

“That feeling does stay with you for quite a while afterwards but it is an experience we can use as a positive to help us perform this year.

“I’ve experienced all the different emotions here. I’ve won here, lost here, been injured, been taken off.

“The best I’ve felt is obviously when I’ve won. That stays in my mind and hopefully we can get that feeling back.”