PROPS win pots – and Saints’ new front rower Lama Tasi knows the task he has to achieve if he is to help the club win silverware this season.

Although he is a direct replacement for Mose Masoe, who has ended his two year Super League stint and returned to the NRL with St George, the 25-year-old will want to stamp his own traits on the role.

One factor that appealed to coach Keiron Cunningham was Tasi’s ability to give the side more minutes in the middle than his predecessor without losing some of the physical bite.

The former Sydney Roosters and Salford Red Devils packman said: “People have compared me to Mose, but we are completely different players.

“I like smashing people and smiling afterwards, but Mose is 130 kilos and I am only 108. I am looking forward to the challenge and do what Mose did and even more.”

The 25-year-old has seamlessly settled in at his club, with two pre-season friendlies helping to blast off the cobwebs and get the timing and understanding that only comes with playing.

Those games came after a pretty tough, old school pre-season schedule that contrasted starkly to the warm-weather exercise enjoyed by some of his former teammates.

Among that schedule, Saints endured a three-day mission with the Royal Marines of 42 Commando in Plymouth working to the brief of taking the players out of their comfort zone – and one aspect of that routine certainly did that.

Tasi explained: “They woke us up at 3am and placed a bag on my head. I am a little bit claustrophobic, too. That feeling of not being able to breathe in a dark room certainly got my heart racing for a bit.

“In a military order it is a form of punishment. I won’t lie, it is one of the toughest things I have ever done.

“I have mates at Leigh, with plenty of ex-Salford teammates, and they went to Lanzarote for a week, nice and sunny for the whole time. I couldn’t say the same for Plymouth.”

Apart from that, everything has gone swimmingly as he aims to build on his career in England after two years up the East Lancashire Road at Salford.

“It has been an easy transition, and all the boys have made me feel welcome and knowing Sean Long from before (at Salford) helps.

“It has been easy and enjoyable,” he said.

Playing wise there is a huge responsibility on his shoulders, with Tasi, Kyle Amor, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Man of Steel candidate Alex Walmsley spear-heading the middle unit now complemented by Andre Savelio, Greg Richards and Luke Thompson

“You don’t realise how old you are getting until you look around and see Dre, Greg and Tommo and they are all 20. I am not the little kid that used to look up any more, but you realise that have to grow up one day!

“I am new to the team, I will let my footy do the talking,” he said.

He is under no illusions of what that entails, and there will be a greater degree of expectation and scrutiny wearing the red vee.

It is something that motivates him after explaining he first decided to come to England in 2014 to rebuild his confidence that was knocked about in his last season in the NRL.

“There is a proud tradition here at St Helens – they are big club that plays big games, especially the local derbies and Grand Finals. I want to win some silverware. Mose, Sia and Willie all won a comp while they were here – and I still haven’t won any silverware. You want to play those big finals and derbies.

“I guess I came to England to get my confidence back and to enjoy playing again. Back home I just wasn’t enjoying it and you doubt yourself and ask if you are good enough.

“Coming over here I have rediscovered that love of the game and got that confidence back to know I can play.

“England is different – it is more about attack in Super League whereas in the NRL it is more about the D.”

Now that his confidence has returned, Tasi remains open to what may happen after the next two years at Saints.

But in the short term all he is thinking of is the run of three tough opening games against Huddersfield and then his two former clubs – Salford and Roosters.

He knows his brief and aims to deliver.

“Huddersfield will be a tough physical game, they have a big pack and that will be a tough test for us middles.

“The (middle) boys look at it this way – it us up to us to win the games. If we are not going forward or slowing down the ruck then the opposition will have the upper hand. We just need to lead the way and give the backs something to play off.

“We lay the platform and we need to. I was looking at first three rounds, all big games. I have good mates at both Salford and Roosters but can’t wait. Hopefully we will get some wins.

“Long term, it is always in the back of my head to go home, but who knows – these two years at St Helens I could love the place and never ever want to leave.

“I just want to stay injury free and do my best for the team,” he said.