SAINTS boss Kristian Woolf sung the praises of influential stand off Jonny Lomax as the team bounced back to winning ways with a 32-18 victory at the KCOM Stadium.

They had trailed 6-2 at the break - but any concerns over the 120 minutes they had gone without a try were soon dispelled with a second half blitz.

And the chief architect was Lomax, who had a big hand in tries from Matty Costello, Luke Thompson, Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook and James Bentley.

Woolf said: "I thought he (Lomax) did a good job. He was handling the ball well and getting the ball to the right places."

But Woolf added: "He's got plenty of things he can do better but he is always competing and doing things well."

Woolf will look to Lomax and his other big performers as they take on Sydney Roosters in the World Club Challenge at the Totally Wicked Stadium next weekend.

Woolf said: "Forget today, I've got a hundred per cent belief. We are right up for the challenge next week.

"They are the best team in the world and have been the best for last couple of seasons. It's a terrific challenge for our players."

Woolf revealed he was not disappointed despite trailing 6-2 at the end of the first half against Hull.

He said: "It was a good game of footy in the first half and I wasn't disappointed with how we were playing. Defensively we were good. The one try was a little bit scrappy one off a kick that we did not work hard enough to clean up.

"We did have some opportunities in the first half but were a little ill-disciplined towards the end of the half and gave away two penalties when we had the ball

"Half-time was more about being patient and sticking with what we were doing well, the opportunities would come and that is what happened in the second half.

"We had patches where we were really good. We showed our potential in the first 20 minutes of the second half."

Aaron Smith also touched down and 12 points from the boot of Tommy Makinson showed just why Saints are favourites to repeat their title success.

The home side had led 6-2 at half-time but had little response to Saints' second-half blitz.

Their points came from Carlos Tuimavave's double and a late Jamie Shaul try, plus three successful conversions by Marc Sneyd.