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OFFICIAL E-PROGRAMME Betfred Super League Semi-Final | Versus Catalans Dragons Friday 20 November 2020 Kick-off 7.45pm Totally Wicked Stadium BETFRED WHERE YOU SEE AN CONTENTS ARROW - CLICK ME! 04 06 10 View from the Club Kristian Woolf Interview Top News 13 23 41 Opposition Tom Ellard 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... EAMONN MCMANUS Women’s rugby league. This year it is my pleasure to announce that our Stadium Manager, John Murphy is the winner. Thank you John for all your efforts this year and every year in ensuring the stadium and surrounding areas are fit for purpose especially with all the Covid-19 protocols you have had to put in place. Not only has John’s work allowed us to be in a position to play games Behind Closed Doors, but the team has moved into the Stadium and have also trained full time from the venue - which again is a testament to John’s efforts. John has been on hand 7 days a week to help the team achieve its goals while also supporting the game in a wider context with the BCD games. Last, but also foremost, a huge thank you to our fans and to our sponsors for your support and The play off semi-final against Catalans Dragons forbearance during a desperately tough year for this evening is our last “home” game of the season: you all. In particular, the level of support given and it has certainly been a season like no other. to season ticket donations and credits went a The players and coaching staff have been quite great way to ensuring the solvency of the club incredible during the most challenging year this season and in enabling us to assemble a very imaginable. They have taken pay cuts, assumed strong squad for 2021 and beyond - we have a lot the continuous burdens of strict Covid sporting to look forward to. protocols and have been performing in front of no In that regard Kristian Woolf played a key personal crowds for eight months. They have all done so in role in the recruitments of Joel Thompson, an incredibly dedicated and professional manner Agnatius Paasi and Sione Mata’utia. Each are and it is an genuine personal privilege to have first rate recruits and together will contribute been associated with them all throughout this towards an overall strengthening of our pack next most testing of times. It is an absolute credit to season. Of equal, if not more importance was the Kristian Woolf and his coaching staff and to James retention of Morgan Knowles and Matty Lees on Roby and his team: we could not ask for better, extended contracts - I’m sure that the next couple more professional and more decent people at the of seasons will witness them maturing into top helm. players for the Saints and for Great Britain. The same applies to the management and Conversely, it’s always sad to say goodbye to staff at the club, led by Mike Rush. They have players as we do this season to Zeb Taia, Dom worked above and beyond, in almost impossible Peyroux and Joseph Paulo. We wish Zeb and his circumstances, to ensure that the club has family a long and happy life back home in Australia continued to operate throughout the season and and we also wish Dom and Joe every success at be in as strong a position as is practicable to their new club, Toulouse. commence the new 2021 season. The financial Let’s hope for a Saints victory tonight and that and operational pressures and challenges have we successfully retain our hard earned title in the been unrelenting and, again, we are fortunate Grand Final next Friday - it would be a magnificent indeed to have such consummate and dedicated achievement in an incredibly difficult environment professionals at our club. and a real testament to all at the Saints. Over the past few years I have presented an award I do hope that life returns near to a recognisable to an individual for their outstanding contribution form in 2021 and that we can all meet again at the to the Club. Jodie Cunningham won the award Totally Wicked Stadium to support the team and last year for her fantastic efforts in promoting the club which is so dear to us all. 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 KRISTIAN WOOLF WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE BOSS TO REFLECT ON A BUSY FEW WEEKS’ AT THE CLUB AND LOOK AHEAD TO THIS EVENING’S SEMI FINAL CLASH! 6 LMS and Kyle Amor recently signed Catalans were impressive against new deals at the Club ahead of next Leeds weren’t they. They also looked year… fresh… The squad will be a little bit younger I thought they did a real good job and next year and both Louie and Kyle will the first 20 minutes saw them start be valuable for us. Their experience with a good intensity and that caught and longevity in the game will be crucial Leeds by surprise. I think both play-off for the young blokes coming through. games have been high intensity and They also like playing together, are high energy games and that is what great around the place and will make finals footy is. They were both real an impact for us on the field. high quality too and I am expecting the same game tonight. That high energy, And so have young Morgan Knowles back and forth sort of footy is what we and Matty Lees… thrive on and I can’t wait for our guys to Those two guys along with James get out there because I know they are Bentley who we re-signed earlier in the chomping at the bit and it’s the time of year are the future of the Club. They the year you get your best footy and I are all tough and uncompromising and am looking forward to that. work really hard and want to improve. What game plan are you expecting They are the future and have their best from Catalans tonight? footy ahead of them. They will arrive with the same blueprint We also have two more new faces that was successful for them last week coming in too in Iggy Paasi and Sione and that is how they have approached Mata’utia….What will they bring to the finals in the past. I don’t think the group? disciplinary matters changes that. Yes, Both will bring a lot to us next season. you want your best players playing, Iggy is a big body and his best attribute but whoever they throw out, it is a big is the way he can carry the footy and occasion and they will be at their best he is really smart as well. He knows and we are going to be at our best too. how to use his skill set and I have It’s going to be a great game of footy! coached him before so I know what to James Graham will make his final expect from him. He stands up when it appearance at the Totally Wicked gets tough. Stadium tonight. Are occasions like this made for him? Sione is a player I had the privilege of coaching last year at Newcastle Yes definitely. He has got all the Knights and he is a terrific character accolades he has got in the game and has some real leadership qualities. because of what he has done over On the field we see him as a back such a long period and what he has rower and he has a real good attacking been able to do in big games like this. skill set, leg speed and a powerful His experience is going to be invaluable carry.