1. Huddersfield were a pale shadow of the side that has caused Saints so many problems over the years, but you can only play what is in front of you.

It is a credit to Saints that they saw this as an opportunity to rattle in some points and play some football for 80 minutes, rather turn it in a drab, functional victory.

It seems an age since Saints really turn on the style and let rip in this manner.

There were some cracking tries too, with Ben Barba, Jonny Lomax and Regan Grace really catching the eye with the way they finished off.

2. Saints were missing top drawer internationals in Zeb Taia, James Roby, Mark Percival and Alex Walmsley - but Huddersfield Giants were missing a few more.

Saints adjusted to their absences much better, not just with the players coming in, but with the manner in which some others adjusted.

After a four-game suspension and a job share with Jon Wilkin at 13, Morgan Knowles seemed to relish the extra minutes he had in Taia's place.

And it is not like Saints did not have any other options, with young second row James Bentley left in the wings champing at the bit for his first appearance.

3. There were some dazzling displays along the backline, but stand-in skipper Jon Wilkin's input gave Saints plenty of direction from loose forward. For someone who was down to play less, he has certainly had a lively start to this campaign showing plenty of life in the old dog yet.

4. Matty Costello take a bow. The young centre made a more than solid first team debut, having a hand in setting up the first try.

Credit goes to those around him who got him involved and into the game pretty early on to calm any nerves.

In the past we have had young players destroyed on debut, including a couple who never recovered from a shaky first touch.

Costello took his chance well, did not look out of place and will be better for this 80 minutes.

5. Regan Grace has looked like a lad in desperate need of a confidence booster. On Friday night he got that when he dodged and weaved his way to the line, even beating a few of his own players, before completing a 50 metre dash to the line.

Hopefully that will do him the power of good because with Tommy Makinson doing well on the other flank and Adam Swift recuperating well from his bad shoulder, the competition for wing spots is going to intensify.

6. The passing of Roy Haggerty ended the weekend on a sad not. Haggerty was a genuine terrace legend, who stoked the Saints fire during some often difficult times at Knowsley Road in the late 70s and early 80s, He went on become an international forward as Saints began to slowly began to challenge again.

Unorthodox to say the least, and Haggerty would have given modern coaches a few nightmares - particularly with his offloading, but he is one player who will always have a place in the hearts of fans of that generation.