COMPARISONS to Jamie Lyon do not faze new Saints recruit Ryan Morgan who is keen to pen his own lines in the red vee.

Saints have brought over the former Parramatta and Melbourne Storm centre on a three-year deal.

And although the 26-year-old knows he will be walking in the footsteps of Australia internationals Mal Meninga, Jamie Lyon and Matt Gidley, he feels excitement rather than pressure.

Working in tandem with England centre Mark Percival, Morgan will give the club two out-and-out strike centres for the first time in a good while.

His guile and experience will also be invaluable to a relatively young three-quarter line.

Morgan said: “There is still a pretty young backline here although guys like Smeegs (Matty Smith), Jonny Lomax and Mark Percival have played at international level.

“Hopefully apart from a bit of experience I can add a little bit of attack out wide and in defence too.

“There is a lot of talk that it is hard to win comps without a good half back and a good centre.

“Hopefully me and Percy can provide for that the club.

“I am really looking forward to the challenge of what this year is going to bring.”

Morgan, who landed in the middle of November, and was straight into pre-season training the next day has relished the gruelling sessions so far.

“It is just a case of putting my head down and my bum up for the pre-season and working hard for the pre-season and hopefully when it comes to the time we can turn it on.”

“This time of year is always a case of strapping yourself in and hang on tight, but nothing good comes easy.

“When you do that hard training, and seeing each other hurting running up those hills, you do form that bond with each other.”

Morgan did not jump in feet first before signing for Saints — asking friends and former teammates Willie Tonga and Blake Green their opinions of the club and the English game.

“I did my research before I came and spoke to a few of the boys who had played over here.

“Blake Green, who I played alongside at Melbourne, had nothing but good things to say about Saints and said it was good professional organisation.

“So when a with a rich history of being successful came up I wanted to come over.

“I want to leave my own legacy here. You can’t do that without winning trophies and being involved in championships. That is definitely our goal going forward,” he said.

Saints boss Keiron Cunningham has already described Morgan as “Jamie Lyonesque” and taking glimpses of footage on You Tube viewers can see some of those traits of the legend who graced Knowsley Road between 2005-6..

Morgan added: “I have had comparisons with Jamie Lyon since I came into the grade, but he’s a great player.

“I am obviously not trying to compare my goals to what he has done, I am my own man.

“I was looking at the history of the Australian centres here — Meninga, Lyon and Gidley.

“It is exciting - it is all part of the history and that is what we are in the game for to put our name down.”

A three-quarter line of a fully fit Tommy Makinson and Adam Swift, with Morgan and Percival in the centres should offer plenty next term.

Morgan is keen to work well alongside the hugely promising fellow centre Percival.

“I think we can learn off each other.

“Percy is a great young talent and an England centre which is good for us all.

“I am looking forward to working with him and us challenging each other to push each other forward and get the best out of each other and get that trophy at the end of the year,” he said.