SAINTS will pick from a full strength squad – apart from Regan Grace – for the opening Super League clash with Catalans Dragons.

Thursday’s opener at TWS (8pm) sees a repeat of last year’s Grand Final – one that is whetting the appetite after three months off.

Coach Kristian Woolf explained today that loose forward Morgan Knowles and second row Curtis Sironen are both fine and right to go after both missed the Alex Walmsley testimonial.

Woolf said: “Morgan had a bit of disruption with his surgery, but he has been fit since before Al’s but he has not done a lot of contact or heavy running.

“For us to throw him out in a friendly would have been too much of a risk for a player like him, who is so key to us.

St Helens Star:

“Curtis obviously had that little bit of a problem where he couldn’t do anything for 17 days.

“He’d had a good pre-season and was in a really good spot before Christmas, but that (isolation) knocked him about a bit.

“If we had thrown him out there with the lack of running and contact he’d had at that stage, we were potentially creating a risk that could potentially become a bigger issue.

“He’s worked really hard. He’s fit and in a position to play.”

The game, on Thursday 10 February, sees Saints begin their title defence, bidding to make it four titles in a row.

And it is a tasty one to start with given last year’s encounters with the League Leaders Shield winners.

The Dragons have recruited well as they make their bid to close the gap on the three-peat winners.

Woolf said: “I have had the privilege of working with Mitchell Pearce before, he is a terrific half back and terrific character.

“He has a skill set that is really going to add to Catalans and he knows what it takes in big games.

“They have done well with their recruitment – and Dylan Napa and Tyrone May have also played in Grand Finals and are very accomplished players – and have done a good job in how they are going to improve themselves.

“We have done the same and have the potential to be a stronger side and add a new skill set to us, and add a new ability to how we play and that is what we have worked on through the pre-season.

“That is what our new players bring. They have that same hunger and drive and have a real toughness and work ethic that has won us the comp over the last three years.

“We are going to make ourselves hard to beat too.”