Kristian Woolf happy with Saints ahead of Super League tilt

The full squad, including new boys Dan Norman, Sione Mata'utia, Agnatius Paasi and Joel Thompson, has been back now for a week.

And Woolf is happy with what he has seen so far.

Woolf, starting his second year at the helm, said: "They have all come back in really good nick and done what has been asked of them.

"That is a good vase to start from and we are now building on that, rather than catching blokes up."

Compared to last year, it has helped that there has been no international series - something that delayed a number of players returning last term.

"We are in a much better place than this time 12 months ago when we had a lot of guys who hadn't had much of a pre-season due to the internationals," he said.

"We were short on numbers and short on what we could work on.

"On top of that, of all the blokes who have had surgery, all but one are in the full squad and we have a good settled group.

"We have been 12 months together and that gives us an opportunity to build on what we did last year and keep improving as a group.

"That is what we aim to do."

Woolf said the four new additions to the squad have settled in well and are already showing what they will add to the team.

"They are all fitting in well," he said.

"They are getting used to the cold and change in weather and we have a good group who have made them really welcome.

"They are a good players and you could see the class and skill level that they have already and I am looking forward to them improving with the group."

All pictures: Copyright Bernard Platt