Saints aiming to make history as they chase fourth consecutive title
The Super League season starts today
Last updated 10th Feb 2022
The new Super League season kicks off tonight, with a rematch of last year's Grand Final between champions St Helens and Catalan Dragons at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Saints are aiming to make history as they chase their fourth straight title - a feat that no Super League team has ever done before.
Saints coach Kristian Wolff admits winning a fourth title will be a challenge, but they have a good mix of youth and experience to see them through.
"To put themselves into a position where they can achieve something that nobody else has, and achieve that fourth in a row, it's going to take a hell of a lot of hard work", said Kristian Wolff.
"I've said a number of times the competition is getting stronger every year, working harder every year, recruiting better every year, and there's going to be a real big challenge but they've put themselves in this position after a lot of hard work. They're going to be right up for a fight.
"Every single year it's a real challenge. Every single year you try and go over the course of a full season win the big games. That what we do all the hard work for it. It's what the challenge is about and that's why it such a great feeling when you do achieve that at the end of the year. To do that three years in a row is exceptional."
What are the squads looking like?
Saints forward Sione Mata'utia returns for the season opener after a suspension following a punching incident during the Grand Final.
However, Regan Grace will not be playing due to a bicep injury.
Catalans captain Ben Garcia will return alongside Julian Bousquet for tonight's the trip to the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Both of them missed their pre-season friendly win against Toulouse on 29 January but are in the 21-man squad for the opening game of the season.
St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Percival, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Mata'utia, Batchelor, Knowles, Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Sironen, Paasi, Amor, Wingfield, Simm, Davies, Hurrell.
Catalans: Davies, Langi, Whare, Yaha, Pearce, Drinkwater, Dudson, McIlorum, Bousquet, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia, Da Costa, Goudemand, Laguerre, May, Napa, Dezaria, Chan, Kasiano, Tomkins.