SAINTS number 9 Daryl Clark put down an early marker of what he wants to bring to his new club after swapping the primrose and blue of Warrington for the red vee.

The pace and evasion he showed on his 75-metre try against Salford caught the eye, but perhaps a little less noticed was the crispness of his delivery from dummy half.

Here is a player that is under no illusions about the scale of the task he faces in jumping into the boots of legendary former skipper James Roby, who retired after 20 years.

The England hooker will not be living in his predecessor’s shadow, instead he will be his own man and that is exactly what coach Paul Wellens wants.

Clark said: “I knew the challenge when I signed up for it.

“I know I’m not going to be at this club as long and I’m not going to achieve as much as Robes has done at this club, but hopefully I’ll be part of some success and write my own little part of history.

“I have already spoken to Robes and I’m sure he will be there to give me some tips and advice going forward. But it is important that I am judged by my own performances and not against his.

“The main reason I came to Saints at this point in my career is because I wanted to be involved in the big games and win some silverware and that is what I have every intention of doing in the future.”

Clark was targeted by Wellens as soon as it became clear that 2023 was going to be Roby’s last.

St Helens Star:

Wellens said: “You can’t get away from the fact that Daryl is a top class number 9 and is England’s number 9.

“He’s an international and he’s been a high quality player for a number of years.

“I have no doubt that Daryl will improve the team and he’ll improve the team by going out there and being the best version of him of himself, not by going out there and trying to be James Roby.

“And if James Roby was sat here now answering the same questions, I’m pretty sure he would say the same things.

“So I’m excited about the impact that Daryl can have. I’m also excited about the impact that Waqa and Matty can have and these new players will improve us.

“Daryl is an experienced player in his own right, who knows what the game looks like at the highest level, so I told him to ‘just go out there and be you’ and that’s what the players and certainly I will respect.”

St Helens Star:

There will be interviews with Alex Walmsley and Waqa Blake online today and tomorrow especially for our subscribers.