Exclusive: Tristan Sailor Wants to Step Out of Father's Shadow Following Dream St Helens Debut

Tristan Sailor wants to be his own man rather than his old man, and four tries on his competitive St Helens debut is an early indication he can step out of the huge family shadow cast by dad Wendell.

Dual-code star Sailor senior played for Australia at League and Union, won the Rugby League World Cup in 2000 and was runner-up with the Wallabies to England in the 15-a-side version three years later.

So, Sailor junior, 26, has a hard act to follow as he embarks on his Saints career. 

But it started well enough with his contribution to his team’s record-breaking 82-0 Super League rout of inexperienced and outclassed Salford Red Devils.

“I think I'm very much my own person and always have been,” he told SportsBoom.com. 

“I am sure ‘Lockie’ (Leigh Leopards star Lachlan Lam, son of head coach Adrian Lam) has been the same."

“We have had it since we were kids that we were so and so’s son. But for me, it just turns into motivation more than anything."

“It's not pressure, it's nothing. It is what it is and I sort of utilise it to be myself and that's what I am."

“And I play a different game to him. I'm authentic to myself as you can see off the field. But also on the field, I'm happy to take risks and be confident in that.”

MAKING UP FOR LOST TIME

Former St George Illawarra Dragons and Brisbane Broncos full back Sailor had been a one-time target for Leigh. But a deal fell through, delaying his arrival in Super League by another 12 months.

He had already made up for lost time, even before arriving at the Totally Wicked Stadium, by ticking Paris, Copenhagen and Munich off his travel list.

“I came over a bit earlier to do a bit of travel around Europe,” he explained. 

“A big factor for me is off the field being able to experience that culture and see the world.”

“It's a country (England) with so much history and soul to it."

“So, I think that really supplements my rugby as I get to enjoy off the field as well. It's wild, especially for us Australians, to see how close all these places are."

“To be able to go somewhere that's got so much significance in the culture of the world and to be right on the doorstep of all of Europe is really special.”

He may be the son of a dual code great but the Sailor name only got him so far in the NRL, and having seen the impact made by former team mates and like-minded attacking stars, Tristan wanted to experience Super League for himself.

“I've grown up with the likes of Jay Field (Wigan) and Matt Dufty (Warrington); we were all in the Dragons squad at one stage."

“Bevan (French) and Lockie are the same. I feel like I've got similar attributes to them and I've seen how their games have translated to Super League and they've really taken it by storm."

“I'm hoping that my game can do the same over here.”