St Helens have got the biggest challenge in domestic rugby league in front of them against Sydney Roosters in the World Club Challenge.
For the last 20 years, alongside Melbourne Storm, they’ve been the most dominant Australian club side.
And since Trent Robinson took charge in 2013 he’s taken them to another level and got the very best out of their team.
They have a great roster of players which shows that the club is well run throughout, but as a coach you ask if he gets them to play well consistently, to reach their potential and for everyone to know what they’re doing.
The answer to all three under Robinson is a resounding yes.
He also understands how important the World Club Challenge is and gets his players to buy into that as well.
Saints are going to have to play as well as they have for a long time to beat them, but their coach Kristian Woolf will be motivated to achieve just that.
There are also a few Saints players who, given how the Great Britain tour went, will want to prove that they are world class - and there’s no better game for them to do that early in the season.
In the Roosters side full-back James Tedesco won just about every individual honour last season, and I really like the prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
His battles up front with Luke Thompson and Alex Walmsley will go a long way to deciding who wins - Saints need to get on top there to allow James Roby to play off the back of it.
Their key man the way he is playing is Jonny Lomax - he should have been close to the top of last year’s Steve Prescott Man of Steel and he’s at the top this season.
If him and Saints bring their 10/10 game and the Roosters are a little bit off, then the home team can win.
- *** Betfred - Passionate About Rugby League ***
