OFFICIAL E-PROGRAMME Versus Castleford Tigers | 16 August 2020 Kick-off 4.15pm 5000 BETFRED WHERE YOU SEE AN CONTENTS ARROW - CLICK ME! 04 06 12 View from the Club Roby on his 500th appearance Top News 15 24 40 Opposition Heritage Squads SUPER LEAGUE HONOURS: PRE–SUPER LEAGUE HONOURS: Editor: Jamie Allen Super League Winners: 1996, 1999, Championship: 1931–32, 1952–53, Contributors: Alex Service, Bill Bates, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2014, 2019 1958–59, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, Steve Manning, Liam Platt, Gary World Club Challenge Honours: 1974–75 Wilton, Adam Cotham, Mark Onion, St. Helens R.F.C. Ltd 2001, 2007 Challenge Cup: 1955–56, 1960–61, Conor Cockroft. Totally Wicked Stadium, Challenge Cup Honours: 1996, 1997, 1965–66, 1971–72, 1975–76 McManus Drive, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 Leaders’ Shield: 1964–65, 1965–66 Photography: Bernard Platt, Liam St Helens, WA9 3AL BBC Sports Team Of The Year: 2006 Regal Trophy: 1987–88 Platt, SW Pix. League Leaders’ Shield: 2005, 2006, Premiership: 1975–76, 1976–77, Tel: 01744 455 050 2007, 2008, 2014, 2018, 2019 1984–85, 1992–93 Fax: 01744 455 055 Lancashire Cup: 1926–27, 1953–54, Ticket Hotline: 01744 455 052 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, Email: [email protected] 1964–65, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1984–85, Web: www.saintsrlfc.com 1991–92 Lancashire League: 1929–30, Founded 1873 1931–32, 1952–53, 1959–60, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69 Charity Shield: 1992–93 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy: 1971–72, 1975–76 3 VIEW FROM THE CLUB... KRISTIAN WOOLF Everything is a little bit strange and different at the that pressure. So there is a good message there moment, especially with the late fixture change, but for us in terms of our attitude defensively, but also what we need to be able to do is just accept things just in terms of cleaning ourselves up to make sure will change at short notice. The change was made we don’t put ourselves under the same pressure early in the week and we are playing on the same this week. day so it hasn’t changed our preparation too much, it just means we have a different challenge ahead James Roby could make his 500th career of us today! appearance today and I can’t speak highly enough of him. I’ve been able to watch him from a far for a number of years and now I am working with him in person. He is a terrific player and a terrific competitor, and he is just one of those players who turns up every week and gives you the same quality performance every week. The way he prepares and presents himself is exceptional and how he competes as well as what we see in terms of skill set. The biggest compliment I can give to him is I arrived here into a club that has a rich history of success and there were no egos within the group and we have a group who want to work hard and do the right thing. And that is all on the back on your leader and our leader is James Roby. He sets that example and everyone follows and he does an exceptional job. We are back at ‘home’ today and are looking forward to that. It’s just a shame we can’t play in front of you, our fans! Castleford are a strong side and they showed their potential against us earlier in the year, but we are a very different team now and under different circumstances to that game back then. We haven’t reflected on that game much and we are looking forward to the challenge today. Thank you for your continued support. I want to wish those with the positive cases at “THE WAY HE PREPARES Hull FC all the best for a speedy recovery. It has given us all a reminder to make sure we are not AND PRESENTS HIMSELF complacent and making sure we do pay attention to what we do here at St.Helens. It really made IS EXCEPTIONAL AND me think and I am sure everyone else will think the same. HOW HE COMPETES AS I was very pleased with our performance against WELL AS WHAT WE SEE Leeds, but we do have plenty of things we can improve on. It was a real good arm wrestle early on IN TERMS OF SKILL SET.” and we got on top at the end of the first half. We - Kristian Woolf on James Roby just got a little bit ill-disciplined at the start of the second half, but what we did really well is defend 4 TOTALLY WICKED ST. HELENS IS MOVING HOME, SOON. MOVING HERE SOON Boots CURRENTLY McDonald’s HERE Church Square Church St Shopping Centre St Mary’s Market In the coming weeks In the meantime we are still Totally Wicked St. Helens open as usual at 48 Church will be relocating to: St, St. Helens, WA10 1AD 18 Church Street, with all the Covid-19 safety St. Helens, WA10 1BD. measures in place. PROUD SPONSORS OF TW_Saints_Ad_160720.indd 1 12/08/2020 15:44 JAMES ROBY.... AHEAD OF PLAYING IN HIS 500TH CAREER GAME, WE CAUGHT UP WITH MR JAMES ROBY AHEAD OF WHAT COULD BE A SPECIAL EVENING FOR OUR CLUB CAPTAIN. 6 You could play your 500th career game on looked to the future. I look at what I can control Sunday, how special is that for you? at the minute and work hard. I always say I’m always in control of my own attitude and efforts “When you get caught up playing, you don’t look and I try and be consistent every day and every forward to milestones, but 500 sounds pretty week, then hopefully the hard work will be pay good to be honest. I suppose if you play 30 off. But thinking about it now, 500 games is a games in a season, to get to 500, I’m pretty lucky great achievement. A lot of hard work has gone to have reached that milestone. It’s special and into it, a lot of sacrifices along the way and a lot it’s one of those I will look back on and be proud of great times and fantastic memories.” when I finish playing. I know how lucky I have been to have the career I’ve had at St. Helens Do you need a bit of luck along the way in with the players I have played with.” terms of staying fit for long periods of time? When you made your debut against Widnes “Yes definitely. Rugby league and the sport in 2004, did you ever set yourself a milestone we play, injuries are inevitable. You’re going like this? to get injuries and you are going to play with symptoms most weeks, and touch wood I have “Probably, that’s the boyhood dream to play been pretty lucky with injuries - definitely in for your hometown club, so I was lucky enough terms of your major injuries, like your knees and to do that and I always remember making my shoulders. I’m lucky that I’ve never had to have debut and seeing my name on the back of the any reconstructive surgery and it’s just been shirt and it was a really special moment. I’ve a little clean out here and there. I’ve had my been lucky enough to play out the rest of my ankles done and a few other bits and bobs over career and obviously accumulate all of these the years. But like I say, nothing categorised as performances and games along the way, so major. I suppose after playing rugby from 6 or 7 there’s no way back then I would have ever years old our bodies have become accustom to 7 the contact and the pressures. So isn’t too bad. It is a bit more work luckily enough, my body is holding for the coaching staff to change up so far. It’s definitely played the preparations for the game a big factor in that, as I know and what footage they want to other players who have had long show us, but with the current careers and they have not been climate, we are doing less video that lucky with injuries. anyway as we are not allowed in the meetings as long. In effect, Jon Wilkin was someone who it shouldn’t really affect us. Our recently joined the 500 club. Will job is to come in prepared the he give you a call on Monday and same for every single team. Every wish you well done? game is a tough game, you need to show everyone respect and go He will probably ring me and out with the same attitude and take the mick! I might get a few attack the game and I think that’s messages of support. Especially what we have done well in the from people like Wilko who are past couple of weeks. Castleford tried and tested players and a throws a little bit of a change. warrior of the game and still is. They have different individual People like that I really value their threats than Wakefield and as a opinion and that would mean a team they play the game slightly great deal. But I like to say I’m not different, but as long as we keep finished just yet. Obviously, it’s a concentrated on ourselves and good milestone to hit but I like to then we will deal with whatever think I have got this year and next they throw at us.