SAINTS boss Kristian Woolf expects to announce the retention of more players in the coming weeks – and has again re-iterated that this is the club’s first priority.

Woolf explained the tough climate the game is operating under at the moment, particularly with all players and staff still working under pay cuts.

Although it is currently on the back-burner, he has not ruled out some external recruitment further down the line.

Woolf said: “We will do some recruitment at some stage, but our number one focus over the last couple of months has been getting through the Covid period.

“Recruitment in particular is something we have put on the back burner and it is not something we have been active in.

“We didn’t think it right to be doing that when we are trying to survive as a club and all players and staff are continuing to be on pay cuts.

“At some stage we will look in the market, but our first focus is something we have done a lot of – retention.

St Helens Star:

“Earlier in the year we have announced the retention of James Bentley, Jack Welsby and Lewis Dodd, and those guys are what we see as the future of the club.

“They have exactly the sort of character we want around the club, off the field and training wise.

“And over the next few weeks we are going to be able to make more announcement on the lines of retention as well.

“At some stage we will be able to make announcements recruitment wise from outside of our club, but that is not our main focus right now.”