SAINTS boss Kristian Woolf and his Tongan players are “wishing, hoping and praying” for news of friends and family following the devastation caused by the underwater volcanic eruption in the Pacific.

Saturday’s eruption showered the islands of Tonga with ash and triggered a tsunami – but with the country’s phone and cable damaged, the full extent of the destruction is still unknown.

Woolf, who is also the Tongan national coach, paid tribute to how Ignatius Paasi and new recruits Will Hopoate and Konrad Hurrell have handled the news without it affecting their pre-season training.

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Hurrell still has close family in Tonga and he has posted numerous messages on social media with the events understandably at forefront of his mind.

"They all have really close connections back in Tonga and, in Koni's case, he spent the majority of his life growing up there and that is what he knows as home,” Woolf said.

"They have dealt with it exceptionally well and I say that because it’s really tough circumstances for them, knowing that there is a tragic situation but not being able to have any contact whatsoever with any of their family.

“That makes it really difficult, and they just want to know how their loved ones are and for reassurance.

“From their point of view the unknown is probably the worst part of it, hoping, praying and wishing but not knowing what is going on.

“I know they have got a lot going on and have a lot of worries there, but they've been able to come to work, put a smile on their faces and train really well and put that aside.

“But I'm sure they're thinking about it very heavily once they get home.

"It's a really sad, tragic circumstance – and completely unforeseeable.

“But we are such a tight-knit group, they're well supported by their mates within the group.

"All we can do at the moment, with the lack of information and communication that's coming out of there, is have the people of Tonga in our thoughts and in our prayers.

"Whilst we understand there's going to be a lot of devastation, we hope there's not a large loss of life.

“That is all we can do. I know Australia and New Zealand are starting to get support in there and that is great and means there is going to be more communication.”

The rugby league community in the NRL, where approximately 13 per cent of players are believed to be of Tongan descent, have come together to raise funds and Woolf expects that to support to spread throughout the game.

“After everything is assessed, I certainly hope that the presence of Tonga in the rugby league community and the number of Tongan players, then rugby league does what it does best and come together and find ways to support those players and the Kingdom of Tonga as well.

"One thing I do know is that Tonga is full of very tough and very strong people - and they will pull together and they will come through it and that is what they have done plenty of times before," he said.