AMONG the positives emerging from Sunday’s friendly clash against London Broncos was the appearance of some of Saints' brightest young prospects.

Kristian Woolf introduced a cluster of teenagers from the bench in the final 20 minutes - all of them backing up from the previous night when they played at Oldham.

There were more than a few eyes on scrum half Lewis Dodd, who came on at the half time break and showed some nice touches on the ball and with the boot when he partnered, at various times, both Theo Fages and Jonny Lomax.

With Danny Richardson moving on to Castleford in the off-season, the door opens for another former Halton Hornets junior to get ready for any opportunities that present themselves.

St Helens Star:

Woolf said: “The important thing to remember from all those young guys is that they all played the night before.

“Lewis played 50 odd minutes at Oldham and did a good job and while he was on the field our team looked better last night.

“He showed some really nice touches there again against London.”

A goalkicking number 7, Dodd was in the first team squad that went to London last year but did not feature.

He has continued to impress the coaching staff - and is looking more than capable of stepping up should injuries arise.

“He is only 17 but he has handled the pre-season really well,” Woolf said.

“It is a tough challenge both physically and mentally and he has done a really good job and he has still got that bit of bounce in his step like he has got a bit more in him.

“He handled the physicality and the challenge there well against London, so he is doing everything there right at the moment to show that he is going to be a very good first grader.”

St Helens Star:

Meanwhile Sunday’s game was Matty Lees’ first back since that horrendous perforated bowel injury sustained last August, and Woolf was pleased with the prop’s contribution.

And he reckons this first run out will stand him in good stead for the weeks and months ahead.

“Matty Lees got better as the game went on. He did not start tentatively and looked like he was ready to go, he just seemed to warm to the contest as it went on and his second stint was a touch better than his first.

“It has been a long lay-off, for an odd injury, and one that would have some challenges mentally overcoming them and having to play again but I thought he did a good job.

“He will take some confidence from that and be better for it in the next couple of weeks too,” Woolf said.