TODAY is Australia Day - and the celebrations give us an opportunity to reflect on some of the top Aussies that have donned the red vee.

St Helens has been well blessed - particularly since after the overseas player ban was axed in the mid-80s with Mal Meninga and Phil Veivers leading the way to Knowsley Road.

There will be plenty of debate on who is the best, and a few grimaces at the out of postion selections.

But here is a stab at a Saints XIII.

St Helens Star:

1 Lachlan Coote.

A fantastic footballer, great left foot kicking game and with vision and skill to find that killer pass. 

Coote was instrumental in helping Saints win three Super League titles in a row.

St Helens Star:

2. Darrien Albert

Ian Millward summed him up after an early game at Knowsley Road in 2002, “We just gave him the ball and then whoosh!”

It was not simply about sheer pace, which he had in abundance, but Albert could read the game too and knew exactly where to be.

His was one of the key carries in the crucial last play of Saints Grand Final winner of 2002.

Albert had four great seasons at Saints, winning the Challenge Cup in 2004.

St Helens Star:

3. Matt Gidley.

The man who taught Jamie Lyon the arts of the sublime flick pass. Intelligent footballer, steady influence on the team and a fierce competitor.

Players in the current crop who were youngsters in the team when he was here cannot praise him highly enough.

St Helens Star:

4. Mal Meninga.

Big Mal made a huge impact in just one season at Knowsley Road, helping Saints to two trophies following a seven-year drought. In both of those finals - the Lancashire Cup at Wigan and Premiership Final against Hull KR - Big Mak helped himself to a brace of tries.

A Kangaroo legend - still revered in these parts.

St Helens Star:

5. Ben Barba.

Although he played only full back at Saints, his electrifying pace, broken field running, finishing prowess and dazzling entertainment value meant he had to be slotted somewhere in the team.

St Helens Star:

6. Jamie Lyon

An amazing talent who re-discovered his love for rugby league in a two-year stint at St Helens between 2005-06. Another fierce competitor, try scorer, creator and goal kicker – although the Prince of Centres we have to do what Daniel Anderson did at the end of 2005 and move him to stand off.

St Helens Star:

7. Luke Walsh.

Superb tactical kicker and a bit of a jack-in-the-box at 7. Who knows what he’d have been capable of had he not suffered that horrendous leg and ankle break?

St Helens Star:

8. David Fairleigh.

An immense front rower who fearlessly took the ball in hard for one tumultuous season at Saints. He was the cornerstone of the pack that beat Brisbane in the World Club in 2001, following it up with the Challenge Cup where he helped face down the ‘awesome foursome’.

St Helens Star:

9. Phil Veivers.

A superb Saints clubman, who although an excellent full back in the 80s, he played nine a number of times when asked to by Eric Hughes in the mid 90s. We could not leave him out - although in years to come Joey Lussick will have his eyes on this spot.

St Helens Star:

10. Darren Britt.

A 2002 Grand Final winner, Britt was not simply a big man, but one who was adept at slipping the pass to set up the second phase. His presence was under-rated but at one stage in 2003 the onus of the front row duties were on his broad shoulders.

11. Derek McVey

Signed from Balmain Tigers, McVey was very hard runner and great offloader in that Saints team that won the inaugural Super League title in 1996.

St Helens Star:

12. Peter Shiels.

Stretch arrived with David Fairleigh – making his debut in the 2001 win over Brisbane and signing off with the 2002 Grand Final win over Bradford, so not a bad way to bookend a Saints career.

St Helens Star:

13. Jason Hooper.

Hoops was the hard-as-nails chaser of everything during Saints’ Grand Slam-winning season of 2006. He did all of those unsung dirty jobs that largely went unheralded. Not on the Christmas card list for many opposing kickers from that time.

Of course Barba on the wing,  Lyon at 6 and Veivers at 9 are not ideal....but what changes would you make to this 13?

Any shout outs for Paul Vautin, Brett French, Brett Clark or Australian international Sione Mata'utia 

And which Aussie would you pick as coach - Shaun McRae, Ian Millward, Daniel Anderson, Mick Potter, Royce Simmons, Nathan Brown, Justin Holbrook or Kristian Woolf?

Pictures: copyright Bernard Platt.