Kristian Woolf on how Roby and Lussick will combine for St Helens in 2022
St Helens head coach Kristian Woolf has explained how hookers James Roby and Joey Lussick will combine in 2022.
Club captain Roby enters his 19th season at the club. He made his debut in 2004 and has gone on to make 485 appearances for his hometown team thus far, scoring 110 tries.
Lussick made the move back to Super League with St Helens on a three-year deal during the off-season.
Wearing the number 14 shirt in 2022, the Australian could arguably start at hooker for most Super League clubs but will be competing with one of the greatest of all time for minutes on the pitch.
Woolf has explained how he will manage both his talented hookers this season.
Kristian Woolf explains hooker options in 2022
“Like a lot of things, I think that’s going to evolve a bit as the year goes on,” Woolf told Love Rugby League.
“He’ll (Lussick) play a bigger role than 20 minutes. I think he’s too good a player to sit on the sideline and play 20 minutes.
“There’s a guy that we think and, obviously why we recruited him, we think he can have a real impact in our team.
“We think he’s got a great skill set that complements Robes (Roby). He’s also got some different attributes that again complement Robes.
“I remember him playing for Salford. He was a guy that you put on the team sheet every week because of his ability to beat you with ball in hand. And his ability with his kicking game and his ability with his passing game.
“He was a real key player for them and I think he’s going to evolve and become a really key player for us as well.”
Team news: Quartet set for Saints debut
St Helens open campaign at home to Dragons
St Helens open the Super League campaign on Thursday, February 10, in a repeat of the 2021 Grand Final. They host Catalans Dragons at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Lussick has been named in the squad and could make his official debut for the club.
During his pre-match press conference, Woolf explained how the two will work together in 2022.
“So what he (Lussick) gives us is the ability to manage Robes,” said Woolf.
“We put a lot of pressure on Robes last year playing big minutes every week. Doing that every week, and we didn’t really have as much ability to give him a rest some weeks or give him less minutes some weeks.
“But I think what Joey gives us the opportunity to do is we can start the year with Robes not having to play quite as big of minutes and carry quite as big responsibility.
“There’s going to be games where Robes will play 80 minutes and there are going to be games where Joey can play 80 minutes.
“He’s done that plenty of times for Salford and Parramatta last year. So we know he’s got that ability.
“And what I think you’ll get at the end of the year is two really fresh players who are chomping at the bit ready to attack the finals.”
More on St Helens
Curtis Sironen on ‘world class’ Morgan Knowles and working under Kristian Woolf
Joey Lussick relishing chance to team up with James Roby
Jack Welsby likened to Tedesco and Trbojevic by team-mate Curtis Sironen