JUSTIN Holbrook says the Grand Final-winning Saints should be remembered as one of rugby league’s great rugby league teams – and believes they deserved more recognition for the way they played all season.

Saints finished the regular 2019 campaign a record 16-points clear – with an unbeaten record at home, losing just three games in the league season.

They topped it off by winning the Super League title for the first time since 2014 after beating underdogs Salford Red Devils 23-6.

After such a magnificent domestic season, the pressure was on Saints to deliver – with Holbrook admitting they would have deserved flak if they had lost in the final.

Holbrook said: “We knew we had to win that final or otherwise we have copped a hammering in that area.

“And that would have been justified if we had fallen short again.

“Now that we have won we can look back and say that side deserves so much more credit than what we have got this year.

“Everyone loves a fairytale and an underdog – but when a side can finish 16 points clear and have the record margin over second on 124 years in this country – to not be talking about that side as an absolutely great rugby league team I thought was disrespectful.

“I understood the Salford story and what Ian Watson and his team had achieved, but to not give our side the recognition they deserved was wrong.

“Before the semi everyone was talking about Wigan and how they always come good – our boys blew them off the park but the doubters were still there hanging over ahead of Salford.

“For them to go out and dominate that game made me so happy for the boys.”

He credited the whole squad contribution – at both ends of the age and experience spectrum – for the way they contributed to this year’s success, something that augurs well for the years ahead.

“It was a great mix - senior players mixing with those young guys coming through.

“It was great to see the whole squad play a role and we did not have anyone not feel part it. “Everyone contributed to that Grand Final winning side,” Holbrook said.