Super League: Kristian Woolf sees more coming from St Helens; Steve McNamara admits the second best of the Catalans Dragons | Rugby League News

St Helens head coach Kristian Woolf was pleased with the result but believes there is more to come from his side after opening with a 28-8 win; Catalans boss Steve McNamara has admitted his side are second best but won’t be drawn on Dylan Napa’s red card

Kristian Woolf believes there is still more to come from St Helens after opening up their Betfred Super League title defense with a 28-8 win over the Catalans Dragons.

England winger Tommy Makinson netted two tries and Joey Lussick and Konrad Hurrell both scored on their debuts, while James Roby and Lewis Dodd also crossed the try line at Totally Wicked Stadium.

Winger Fouad Yaha had the distinction of scoring the first try of the season to give the Dragons an early lead but they were quickly overrun and crumbled towards the end after prop Dylan Napa was sent off on his debut in the Super League.

Saints triumph in fiery season opener

Two tries from Tommy Makinson helped St Helens to a 28-8 victory in a fiery start to the season at home to the Catalans Dragons.

“It’s the first round, so you can’t get too excited,” Woolf said. “There’s a lot of football to play, but it gives us a lot of confidence.

“I said before the game that we were in a good position to attack the season and I think we showed that tonight. It’s a great little block for us and we’ll only get better from there. here.

“It was a good, physical and tough game of football and when the game came around there were some real positives, and I thought our guys had an outstanding try.

“But there have been periods of real stop-start. We want people to come and watch our game and we want to entertain and we have to do something about that slowing down and stopping and staying in the ruck, it just made him ugly sometimes.”

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St Helens boss Kristian Woolf was delighted with his side’s performance as they beat the Catalan Dragons in the Super League curtain raiser

Woolf was pleased with all of his new players, especially former Leeds Rhinos center Hurrell, who created a try for James Roby and scored one himself on an interception.

“I thought Koni was outstanding,” Woolf said. “I remember when we signed him, I said, ‘If we can get him into shape and make him happy, we can get a real performance out of him.’

“He has to confirm that next week, but he’s been great in distance and has defended very well. A few tries have come out of his little offloads and that little X-factor he has on his game.”

The Saints’ victory would have been even more emphatic had it not been for a few wayward kicks, with Lewis Dodd missing all but two of his five goal attempts and Makinson out with one.

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Joe Batchelor was delighted after being named player of the match as St Helens made the perfect start to their Super League defence, beating the Catalans Dragons 28-8.

“It was a tough night for that,” Woolf said. “It was slippery and windy, and the majority of our tries were scored outdoors.

“The goal kick wasn’t as good as you would like, but it will get better, there are no dramas at all.”

McNamara: We weren’t good enough

Catalans coach Steve McNamara has been tight-lipped on Napa’s sacking for a high tackle on Saints center Mark Percival.

“I’m going to have to take a closer look at this,” McNamara said. “Was it the right height at the start and came or if it was direct, I’m not sure.”

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Catalan Dragons head coach Steve McNamara lamented his side’s attack as they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of St Helens.

The Dragons also had prop Gil Dudson convicted in the first minute for throwing a punch, although there is a suggestion he may have suffered a gash in his eye.

“He has marks under his eye, but I’ll leave that to others, not me,” McNamara said. “The referee ruled that and we just have to go on, we have to make all the decisions.

“We weren’t good enough tonight, simple as that. The scoreboard doesn’t look great, but we’ll be better next week [at home to Wakefield Trinity].

“There were some pretty rough touches there, it was a real physical game. I thought we showed real defensive intent at times, but we missed some horrible tackles. Our attack never got going either. , we were second tonight.”