UNLIKE some of Saints’ Super League rivals, there was no warm weather training camp Tenerife or Lanzarote.

Instead the squad headed up to Cumbria for a three-day exercise to put the finishing touches to a gruelling pre-season schedule.

Up there coach Keiron Cunningham surveyed his new-look squad, featuring five external recruits and a cluster of promoted youngsters.

It is a squad that Cunningham feels is truly his own as he enters his third year in the job.

But having fallen short in the big semi-finals over the past two seasons, will this be the squad that takes them that extra inch when it matters?

It certainly has more power up front, with the addition of Scottish internationals Adam Walker and Luke Douglas giving to middle a more formidable look.

A new look half back pairing, some genuine strike in the centres and an interchange hooker to relieve James Roby from his gruelling 80-minute duties are the other significant changes.

Cunningham said: “This is the biggest turnover since Nathan’s first year when we moved a lot on, and we had a big transitional year.

“This is truly my squad now and I have brought in who I have wanted to and moved on who I wanted to.

“Everyone who has been brought in are my players and I feel like we have the best squad for many a year.”

He has a new half back pairing in Matty Smith and Theo Fages and due to their fitness and absence from international duty has been able to have a good look at them from November onwards.

“Working with both halves, as well as new nine Tommy Lee, for a full pre-season has definitely helped the situation.

“We just want to see what they can do on a field together.”

Although he said the experience Smith has brought what he thought he would, saying it brings what they were missing as a side he believes Lee’s addition has been “a revelation”.

Cunningham added: “Tommy is really smart – and is the yin to Robes’ yang.

“It gives us different dimensions to play at, just like when me and Robes played together.

“We are also giving Robes some longevity because he can’t keep doing what he has been doing for 80 minutes.

“We have got three decent young nines behind him who are not quite ready.

“If it was two or three years down the road they could do something. We need something now and Tommy will aid their progression rather than hinder.

“They are all talented and out of the three you would think at least one would definitely do something. They are all great kids, willing learners and not one of them has looked at of place in pre-season."

Lee also brings more experience to a squad that was lacking it last term.

“We have brought in Salford’s captain, Wigan’s captain, and Luke Douglas – there is leadership in abundance.

“It will also give me some headaches. In the pack we have Luke Douglas, Alex Walmsley, Kyle Amor and Adam Walker, behind that we have Luke Thompson and Greg Richards with Wilko being an out and out loose forward. There is also Morgan Knowles.

“We are talking a lot of quality and a lot of those were first on the teamsheet last year, but the way the year goes they will all get lots of games.

“I am in a privileged place this year,” Cunningham said.