Match Preview – St Helens vs Catalans

St Helens and Catalans kick-off the new Super League season with a rematch of last year’s Grand Final

We look at what is being said as a Grand Final rematch between reigning champions St Helens and League Leaders’ Shield winners Catalans Dragons gets the 2022 Super League season underway, live on Sky Sports…

Woolf: Competition will ask us to be even better

Improvement. It is the mantra Kristian Woolf has preached ever since he first walked through the door at Totally Wicked Stadium.

That in itself was no mean feat given, when he arrived in November 2019, the Australian was taking over as head coach of a St Helens team his predecessor Justin Holbrook had just guided to a Super League Grand Final success.

Nevertheless, Woolf’s side backed that up with another title triumph in the pandemic-affected 2020 campaign and followed that up last year by becoming only the second team of the Super League era to win the Grand Final three years running, along with lifting the Challenge Cup for the first time since 2008.

Short of adding the League Leaders’ Shield to their collection this year – Saints finished second in the regular season in 2021 – it is difficult to see how much more the team can improve. But, as Woolf explains, his philosophy is more about making sure they keep one step ahead of their rivals.

“Obviously we want to back that up and love to have that success again,” Woolf said. “If we’re looking at outcomes, then a better year obviously includes the League Leaders’ Shield as well.

“But when I talk about improvement, it’s not about the outcomes at the end of the year. Where we were last year, we want to be in those same games again this year. What we need to do is find ways we’re going to be a stronger team, a better team, and the competition is going to ask that of us because I think it’s going to be a stronger competition.

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Sky Sports’ Jon Wilkin and St Helens winger Regan Grace discuss their chances of claiming a fourth successive Super League title

“Every team is trying to find ways of being a bit better and more consistent, and essentially teams want to be where we have sat for the past couple of years.

“For us to make sure we’re in that position again, we’re going have to have to make sure we are better again because that is what the competition is going to ask.”

Can Dragons avoid another slaying at Saints?

Both clubs will line up in Thursday’s season-opener at Totally Wicked Stadium with slightly different teams from the ones which took to the field for the Grand Final last October, with Saints having changed 10 of their 30-strong squad.

The departures of the likes of Lachlan Coote and Theo Fages means youth-system products Jack Welsby and Lewis Dodd will now have the opportunity to cement their places at full-back and in the halves long-term, having already impressed when afforded opportunities previously.

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A look back as St Helens edged out Catalans Dragons 12-10 to win Super League’s Grand Final in 2021

Welsby’s opposite number on Thursday is set to be none other than the reigning Man of Steel and England international Sam Tomkins, and the 32-year-old Catalans star is looking forward to his battle with the man 12 years his junior.

“Jack is a talented player and he’s proved that now,” Tomkins said. “His switch to full-back, it’s a huge year for him. He’s got some big boots to fill, but he’s a talented player.

“In terms of competing with him, I’m probably 10 years older than him, but he’ll want to be the best full-back on the field and so will I. I’m sure we’ll both be going at it equally.”

Last year’s 12-10 win for St Helens in the Grand Final was just as close-fought as some of their previous meetings in 2021, with the Dragons winning 20-16 in Perpignan and then winning a thriller at Magic Weekend 31-30 in golden point thanks to James Maloney’s drop goal at St James’ Park.

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James Maloney’s drop goal at Magic Weekend last year capped an incredible comeback win for Catalans Dragons over St Helens

St Helens did, however, run out 34-12 winners – albeit against an under-strength Catalans side – on their own patch, where the French side have not won since April 2016. However, that holds no fears for Tomkins and his team-mates.

“Probably sick of hearing it, but they’ve been the benchmark for three years and they’ll come out and be strong again, I’m sure,” Tomkins said, adding: “But we know they’re not unbeatable.”

Team news

Off-season signings Will Hopoate, Joey Lussick, Curtis Sironen and Konrad Hurrell are all in line for their competitive debuts for St Helens, but fellow newcomer James Bell misses out on a place in Woolf’s 21-man squad.

Newcomers Mitchell Pearce, Dylan Napa and Tyrone May are all included in Catalans’ 21-man squad for the clash at Totally Wicked Stadium too. However, they are without French hotshot Arthur Mourgue due to an ankle injury.

Named squads

St Helens: Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Will Hopoate, Mark Percival, Jonny Lomax, Lewis Dodd, Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Matty Lees, Sione Mata’utia, Joe Batchelor, Morgan Knowles, Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Curtis Sironen, Agnatius Paasi, Kyle Amor, Jake Wingfield, Josh Simm, Ben Davies, Konrad Hurrell.

Catalans Dragons: Tom Davies, Samisoni Langi, Dean Whare, Fouad Yaha, Mitchell Pearce, Josh Drinkwater, Gil Dudson, Micky McIlorum, Julian Bousquet, Matt Whitley, Mike McMeeken, Benjamin Garcia, Alrix Da Costa, Mickael Goudemand, Matthieu Laguerre, Tyrone May, Dylan Napa, Jordan Dezaria, Joe Chan, Sam Kasiano, Sam Tomkins.