VIDEO: Curtis Sironen impressed with Saints and can't wait to hear the roar

Having put the necessary kilometres back in his legs after losing a couple of weeks of pre-season training due to being locked down in a Covid isolation hotel over Christmas, Sironen could be set to make his Saints debut in Thursday's Super League opener.

And he has certainly been ripping back in at training with a view to showing off his attributes as a strong edge backrower, with the subtle skills he picked up as a stand off as a junior until he was 21.

A replacement for the departed Joel Thompson and James Bentley, Sironen has signed on a two-year deal - with the option for a third.

With Joe Batchelor and Sione Mata’utia currently occupying those shirts, Sironen is keen to make an impression when he gets his chance.

He said: “I will be aiming to play in the back row, that is where I am strongest, but can play a bit of lock if I have to.

“I consider myself to be a bit of a ball player so if that means a bit of 13 as well then so be it.

“It will be a case of seeing how the squad goes health wise and what Woolfy sees, so we will see how it goes.

“I just want to be in the team, and wherever best serves the team and play the most football because that is what I am here to do.”

Sironen, the son of former Balmain Tigers and Kangaroos second row Paul Sironen, who incidentally was sent off against Saints on the 1994 tour after putting the elbow on Sonny Nickle.

Sironen Snr, spent his last playing years in France, and recommended Europe to his son when he sought advice.

“My dad was a bit of a sounding board. He said one of his regrets was not playing Super League for a year or two.

“He played in France for Villeneuve. I was five or six and we spent a year living there and it was a pretty cool life experience,” he said.

“I was close with Joel Thompson at Manly, who had a bit of a disrupted year here last year with injury.

“When Mike Rush and Kristian Woolf first approached me I sort of picked Joel’s ear a bit – and all he said was that he wishes he had come here earlier. The professionalism of the club, great staff and the good team of veterans and guys coming through.

“There was a bit of rugby league common knowledge, too.

“I am a bit of a rugby league tragic and watch a bit of Super League back home and kept my eye on it during the finals series the last couple of years.

“I sort of knew that the type of team that they had here and you hear about the culture that they have here too. It is maybe similar to that at Melbourne Storm.

“That is something I wanted to be a part of, I want to keep improving as a player and a person and having successful people around you is always pretty handy.

“In the end it came down to me and I am ready for the challenge and really excited and have never looked back at all.”

He has settled in well and is looking forward hearing the roar of the fans when he finally makes his debut.

“St Helens has been good. It is a bit of a culture shock going from the beach to the cold, but it has been good.

“The beach at Colwyn Bay in December, where we trained before Christmas, was not quite like a Sunday afternoon on Bondi, but it was good to get out there and enjoy that experience.

“You can see how through all that hard work out there, putting in the hard yards at training and how that leads to success later in October.

“That is why I am here; play good rugby league for Saints and that is my biggest goal.

“I have enjoyed being up here… I live here now and I am looking forward to the football coming around weekly now and getting a run out in front of those fans.

“Even hearing that little bit of singing at Al’s testimonial was something pretty foreign to me so to run out at a packed Totally Wicked Stadium will be unreal.”

Sironen is a big addition of size, skill and top-level experience having made his NRL debut at the age of 18 for West Tigers back in 2012, playing 65 times. He has also made 65 appearances for Manly, scoring 17 tries.

Woolf said: “He is a big athletic, edge back rower with a very good skill set. Being a stand-off in his younger years he has a real good passing and second phase game, so he has all the attacking attributes to make a real impact for us.

“He knows how to play tough and has very good defensive ability so he will improve us.”

Sironen has been impressed by the calibre of player at Saints - particularly Jack Welsby and Morgan Knowles.

Without wishing to pressure on to young shoulders, Sironen made some comparisons between 20-year-old Welsby and NRL superstars Tom Trbojevic and James Tedesco.

“Jack has such confidence for a young guy and is a big voice in the team.

“I can see the similar traits in a footballer as Teddy and Turbo have in the NRL, like his instincts and a freakish sort of skill in training.

“And getting to train with Morgan Knowles – even though he has been injured.

“Getting to do some of the wrestle and contact with him, he is a brute and an athlete and a really good rugby league player for a guy his size.

“I think he is a world class number 13 - great skills but really tough with it.

“He is the sort of guy you want in your team – I am just grateful he is our team because he rips in.”