NOT enough credit has been given to Saints for what has already been achieved this season in difficult circumstances, says returning forward Morgan Knowles.

Table-toppers St Helens RLFC head to the DW Stadium tomorrow six points clear of their nearest and archest rivals Wigan, needing only a point from their remaining three regular-round Super League games to clinch the League Leaders’ Shield.

That takes a level of consistency to continue banging out the results over a full campaign and yet Kristian Woolf’s men have suffered some devastating injuries along the way, including losing first-choice scrum-half Lewis Dodd after round eight.

The backline has been particularly hard hit, with new arrival and utility back Will Hopoate managing only 10 appearances, England centre Mark Percival playing only a dozen games, Welsh winger Regan Grace featuring in eight matches.

Another new arrival Sione Mata’utia, a back-rower who has provided some cover in the centres, has only got on the field 13 times, and then there have been smaller but nevertheless significant chunks missed by the likes of winger Tommy Makinson and new back rower Curtis Sironen at times.

And that is not even mentioning that Jonny Lomax has continued to play through much of the season with a ruptured bicep.

“I think we’ve coped really well, and not just in the back line,” said Knowles, who missed Saints’ 38-12 win over Hull KR last week with a one-match suspension.

“We’ve had plenty of injuries in the back row, suspensions, people swapping positions. I don’t think that really has been acknowledged too much outside of the group because of where we do sit on the table.

“So I’m really proud of the lads and really pleased. It shows the strength in depth of the squad that we’ve got, to be still competing at the top of the table with the amount of blokes that we’ve had out and playing in different positions.”

So to nail the League Leaders’ Shield, whether that’s at Wigan tomorrow, home to Wakefield on Monday or against Toulouse at the Totally Wicked Stadium on September 3, would be a marker for how well this St Helens side copes with adversity.

“The amount of injuries that we’ve had hasn’t been widely spoken about and I think that’s because of where we’re still sitting in the table, so I think where we are is a massive achievement for us as a group and a club, and that’s including all the staff as well getting the lads back out on the field and dealing with that adversity we’ve had.

“I know it’s been spoken about at other clubs how many players they’ve had out, but I think because of where we do sit then I think that definitely gets a bit overlooked.”

A question outside of the Saints camp is how do they manage to lose so many key weapons, call in different squad players and still deliver performances and results?

“We’ve got a real good culture here at the club and it’s led top down,” said Knowles.

“You only have to look at James Roby our leader and the likes of Jonny Lomax, they drive the standards and set the culture and what we’re all about.

“And from the young kids coming through to us, we’re all trying to aspire to be like them and keep those standards, so throughout the year when we’ve had injuries it’s just expected that boys come in and they deliver on the controlables, those effort-based areas. They don’t have to come in and set the world alight but you do the things that are in your control.”

He highlighted winger John Bennison as an example.

“John has come in and done a great job,” said Knowles.

“I don’t think he probably would have been expecting to get as many games as he has done, but there’s plenty who have definitely done themselves proud this year.”

Considering the effort, commitment, dedication, skill and courage that it takes to finish the season at the top of the table, some would question whether winning the League Leaders’ Shield is afforded sufficient credit in the sport.

“It is a tough one to win,” said Knowles.

“You’ve proven you’ve been the most consistent team over the year. But in all honesty the League Leaders is to come top, it’s to put you in the best position to go into the play-offs and we all know that the Grand Final is a big one, along with the Challenge Cup.”

He said he would not know how to make the League Leaders’ Shield more prestigious in the game but added: “It’s definitely a real big achievement for the team that does win it.”

The three games in eight days now facing players at the end of the campaign ahead of the play-offs is going to further test Saints – and all their rivals – physically and Woolf will be eager to get his squad through the period in a healthy state ready for the even bigger games ahead.

“It’s tough (playing a double-header weekend), but we’re pretty used to it now,” said Knowles.

“It’s not looking like it’s going to change. It’s been a few years now that it’s been going on. There’s been plenty of players and clubs that have expressed their opinions and feelings on it. There’s all the player welfare stuff that’s been spoken about and nothing changes, so we just crack on and get on with it.”

Further down the line this autumn, and not a concern to Saints at the moment, Knowles and his England teammates have a home World Cup to contest.

And there is a fear that the extra games played by Super League players compared to those in the NRL, including two body-wrecking double-header weekends, could be detrimental in terms of how much fuel is left in the tank.

Knowles said: “It’s bound to have some sort of an impact.

“It is a big year but the players are all really professional. Whatever we keep getting asked to do, we keep delivering and I’m sure the England group at the end of the year will be doing everything they can and putting themselves in the best place they can to try and get the job done in the World Cup. But it is a tough challenge with the amount of games.

“It’s all about the professionalism off the field to get yourself in the best place you can be. You’ve just got to keep cracking on and knocking the games off and not look too far ahead, just worry about the next game.”