SAINTS' crop of 2006 was liberally littered with genuine superstars - both home grown like Paul Wellens and from further afield like Jamie Lyon.

But Saints' clean sweep of that season was a collective effort - and one of the unsung heroes of that team was the industrious Jason Hooper.

And he is our choice on day 21 of Great Saints for November - a player who embodied a spirit of battling back against the odds when his career seemed over.

Hooper was given the nitty gritty jobs - cleaning up, pushing up, scrapping for every loose ball and with little thought for life or limb, would be the man who would fly in to put pressure on the kickers.

It may have not won him many friends in the opposing ranks, but his play certainly helped Saints win key battles - allowing those with the silky skills to strut their stuff.

St Helens Star:

Although he was signed by then coach Ian Millward from St George as a 6, replacing Tommy Martyn, he played his best rugby at loose forward when skipper Paul Sculthorpe was in and out with a debilitating knee injury.

Coach Daniel Anderson said of his role that year: "Although every player has their own assets, he does things for us that other players do not."

Hooper gave Saints every ounce of his body, in collision and in carries - and it no doubt left its mark on his body when he retired.

A great clubman - and one who really bought into what it meant to be a Saint after he had stepped upon the club's timeline.....he even flew back to England after retirement to run the water at Wembley.

Jason Hooper scored 44 tries from 110 appeareances in the red vee between 2003-07, but that does not tell the whole picture of his contribution to St Helens.

A great 100 per cent Saint, who gave absolutely everything, with those streetwise qualities that every team needs to be winners.