SAINTS coach Kristian Woolf says the club will make an announcement next week or two on some of the out-of-contract players who are being retained.

The club has a number of off-contract players - players at both end of the age and experience spectrum.

Woolf explained that there has been movement and the club has been working hard this past few weeks on the retention list.

He said: "There has certainly been some movement on retention in particular.

"Our confidence in the squad - an extremely strong one from 1-30 - is one we are happy to have in terms of what to work with, knowing we have good people involved in terms of people and players.

"There are some young players, too, in there who are hungry and are only going to get better off the back of that.

"We have worked hard over the past few weeks to make sure we retained those players and a number have been done without announcements being made.

"The next couple of weeks would be a good opportunity to announce some of those." 

Woolf is also out of contract at the end of this season with his track record over here and with Tonga sending the rumour mill into over drive in the NRL, linking him to potential vacancies there.

When asked about his future he said: "It is not something that is cemented just yet.

"My commitment is 100 per cent in St Helens and what we are doing here.

"I do understand there is speculation out there and things happening in Australia, but for me to be worried about that would mean that I would not be showing respect to this playing group and where we sit in the competition right now and what we have the ability to achieve.

"That is where my focus is and my attention is, 100 per cent with this group of players.

"I thoroughly believe we can achieve something really special here this year and know we have a playing group that is capable of that.

"We have had some hardship, some injuries and have lost some for the season, but I still have faith in what this group can achieve.

That is where all my energy and all my focus is going to go.