Kristian Woolf believes St Helens have credentials to make it five in a row

Departing St Helens coach Kristian Woolf believes his side can create even more history by winning their fifth successive Grand Final in 2023.

The Saints became the first Super League club to win the Grand Final four times in a row. They beat Leeds 24-12 at Old Trafford on Saturday night.

“I’m extremely proud,” Woolf said. “I couldn’t be prouder of this group of outstanding players.

“I don’t think it gets enough credit to win four in a row. It is hard to have the same hunger and drive year after year but to still put yourself top of the table and then give yourself the opportunity to win is outstanding.”

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Kristian Woolf backs St Helens to win five

Woolf won’t be in charge of St Helens next year. He will return home to Australia to take up a position on Wayne Bennett’s coaching staff at the Dolphins, the NRL’s newest club.

However, he has all the faith in them to win the Grand Final for a fifth time in a row next year without him.

“I know it’s a debate and people like to talk about it, but what you can do is compare results,” Woolf said. “There is no doubt in my mind that this is the best team of the Super League era.

“With the way they fight the way they work for each other I’ve no doubt they are going to give themselves the best chance to do it again next year.

“We’ve been through a lot of adversity this year and I don’t think it’s been recognised about how many key players we’ve been without. We’ve kept overcoming adversity.

“When you’re the champions, every team turns up every week wanting to play their best, particularly when we’ve won it a few seasons in a row.

“Our desire was on show again tonight, it was the same last year, the year before that and the year before that. It doesn’t matter how many things are going wrong, if they show up every week then they give themselves every chance.

“Do I think they can go and do it again? Yes.”

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