SAINTS’ World Club Series game against Sydney Roosters in February will mark the 40th anniversary since the two teams met for the ground-breaking clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

According to match reports the Roosters, then known as Eastern Suburbs and led by the no-nonsense prop Artie Beetson, “outplayed, out tackled, out-run” the Saints in the 25-2 defeat.

Although Saints’ class of 1976, who had been dubbed Dads Army ahead of their surprise Wembley win, lost all their games on that three match tour it is nevertheless still recalled with some affection from two senior members of that team.

Full back Geoff Pimblett, who would later go on to captain his hometown team, still believes had the timing of the tour had an impact on the outcome.

Pimblett said: "If we had gone right at the end of the season the result would have been different.

"We had built up and finished the season by winning the Premiership and the Challenge Cup but then we had six or seven weeks off.

“We lost momentum and although we carried on training we lost that match awareness.”

It is now staggering to think about it, but Saints took on the state of Queensland in the warm up match and led 15-4 before tired legs courtesy of a punishing 10-2 penalty count allowed hosts to win 21-15.

Again Pimblett has a theory – but all in all recalls the surprise about how the 13-man code was covered in Australia compared to England.

“I still say had we won that first game against Queensland - and we should have done - we would have beaten the Roosters. But we'll never know,” he said.

“It was a marvellous trip for a gang of lads and something I will always remember.

“It was the hype over there that I was not used to. Obviously we have got it over here now, with Super League, but then it was all new to me.

“The tour was a real eye-opener - the Aussies did not have a club huse like we had at Knowsley Road - it was a three floor hotel in the centre of town with a gym, casino, restaurant and gaming machines.

“I remember walking down the street in Sydney and being followed by a cameraman from Channel 7 for an item on the news that night.”

Kel Coslett, Saints captain for that tour, recalls the chances they had before the game went away from them which meant they could not do themselves justice,

“We had a few chances in the first half and were trailing 12-0 at half time and then Eric Chisnall broke clear and threw a long ball to Les Jones, which did not go to hand. If we had scored there it could have given us a fighting chance.

“But they just ran away with it then. We are looking at excuses really - if you look at losing three out of three on paper it looks quite bad.

“We should have beaten Queensland and then the Easts game too soon afterwards, but in Auckland we cut them apart but did not take our chances.

“As Geoff said, the lack of match fitness was critical.

“The Roosters were very fired up - they wanted to 'beat the Pommies'.

“They had watched us play Queensland and came away knowing we were a good side and that they would have to be on their mettle to beat us - and they were,” Coslett said.

Pimblett recalls more about events off the field rather the game itself including being hauled up to take part in a kick for a car competition ahead of kick off.

“I tend not to remember much about the game, but playing on part of the test match square, sitting in Don Bradman's seat and having our long team photo taken in front of the pavilion all stick in my mind.

“Half an hour before the game we had to take part in a goal kicking contest against like former Wigan players John Gray and Bill Ashurst who were playing over there at the time.

“Every goal you kicked, you got something like $100, but me and Kel only put over a couple between us.

“Bill Ashurst won a car for winning the contest, but we were thinking ‘let's get this over with and prepare for the match’.”

The tour was well supported with 16,000 watching the Queensland game, 26,158 turning up at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the Easts clash and 11,000 watching Pimblett leave his boots in the Carlaw Park mud in Auckland.

After tour Coslett and Geoff Heaton were offered player coach’s role at Newcastle – but both declined.

Another point to note is that Saints played 55 senior games that mammoth season.

Saints v Easts: Pimblett; Jones, Cunningham, Noonan, Mathias, Benyon, Gwilliam, Mantle, Karalius, Coslett, Nicholls, Chisnall, Hull. Subs: Wilson, James, Liptrot, Glynn.

2016 members have until Saturday November 28 (4pm) to secure their place.

Tickets will then be generally released on Monday November 30.

Hattons Solicitors West Terrace, East Terrace and Family Stands: Adult - £22.50, OAP and Young Adult - £15.50, Junior - £10.

Solarking South and Totally Wicked North Stands: Gold: Adult - £30, OAP and Young Adult - £22.50, Junior - £12.

Silver: Adult - £28, OAP and Young Adult - £20.50, Junior - £12.

Bronze: Adult - £25, OAP and Young Adult - £18.50, Junior - £10.

Tickets can be bought by 2016 Members only by popping into the ticket office at Langtree Park, by calling 01744 455 052.

A package for all three games (Leeds v North Queensland, Wigan v Brisbane) costs £60 and can be purchased by visiting www.rugbyleaguetickets.co.uk or calling the Rugby League Ticket Hotline on 0844 856 1113.