The Wildcats took an early lead through debutant Keiran Hyde's try, goaled by Paul Cooke, but failed to make the most of a series of uncharacteristic errors from the visitors and conceded six tries in the second half.

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Among St Helens' try scorers were: Pryce, Ade Gardner, Tony Puletua (2), Jon Wilkin (2), Shaun Magennis (2) and Francis Meli.

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"I thought for 30 minutes we competed well but fell away worryingly," said Kear, whose side have slipped out of the top eight after winning just three of their last 11 matches.

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"It's the biggest hole we've been in since I've been here and we need to address it, whether it's through personnel changes I don't know. There is a lot of reflection that needs to be done this week because we either win by 40 or 50 or collapse and lose by 40 or 50."

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"We've asked about our own character within the group. Are we strong enough as a group to tough it out when things are against us or do we think it's acceptable to just collapse and capitulate, which is what we're doing too frequently?

"It you look at the results over the last couple of months, it's either a resounding win or an absolute hiding.

"Super League isn't supposed to be like that. We aren't making games competitive at the We're either strolling through games or we're capitulating."

Kear also said his side had no answer to the skill of St Helens stand-off Pryce, who was left out of England's 37-strong squad for their get-together and responded in style by scoring his side's first try and laying on three of the next four.

"I thought Leon Pryce was a major difference between the two teams," he added.

Kear admitted the heavy defeat took some off the gloss off the half-time announcement from chairman Ted Richardson that the club would be pressing ahead with plans to play at their own new stadium rather than ground-share with Super League neighbours Castleford.

Both clubs have proposals in the pipeline to build new grounds two junctions apart along the M62 motorway but the local authority last week insisted they would provide financial support for only one new stadium and called on the pair to put aside their differences and share it.

Richardson said Wakefield were committed to the stadium project being planned by the Wakefield and District Community Trust at Newmarket and had no intention of moving in with Castleford at their new Glasshoughton home.

"It's a shame because the announcement at half-time was a very positive one, one that indicates the stadium at Newmarket is a goer," said Kear.

"What should have been a very positive day for the club wasn't positive on the field."

At half-time, Wildcats chairman Richardson said of the stadium latest: "We are delighted to confirm that all parties are in agreement that Newmarket is the only stadium project that will carry the Wakefield name and that we will play in."

Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of the stadium trust, added: "At a recent meeting involving Wakefield Council, the owner of the land at Newmarket, the Wakefield and District Community Trust and the Wildcats, an understanding was reached recognising that the Wildcats would concentrate their support for Newmarket and that a move to Glasshoughton was not an option. The meeting with Wakefield Metropolitan District Council agreed that all parties would work to that end."

Wakefield are thought to be considering a temporary ground-share at Barnsley's Oakwell Stadium in 2012 if their Super League licence is renewed next year.

Wakefield: Hyde, Gleeson, Demetriou, Millard, Blanch, Cooke, Obst, Leaeno, Rinaldi, Korkidas, Morrison, Kirmond, Leo-Latu. Subs (all used): Jeffries, Moore, Gledhill, Henderson.

St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Foster, Meli, Pryce, Moore, Graham, Roby, Hargreaves, Wilkin, Ashurst, Magennis. Subs (all used): Puletua, Emmitt, Clough, Gaskell.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).

Attendance: 5,217.