IF pre-season is anything to go by, Saints are in for another successful season.
That’s the view of Lance Hohaia who says confidence is high in the camp and the team look sharp.
The 31-year-old will take part in his fourth season at the club fresh from a trophy laden 2014.
“We have a more experienced squad this season and we’re confident of success,” he said. “It has been a fairly quick turnaround for us – we had four weeks off after the Grand Final and now we’re deep into pre-season.
“It has been tough but I like what I see. There’s confidence and we are growing as a team as well as improving as athletes.
“We’ve had a lot of gruelling sessions but we have been using a lot of science based research to help improve ourselves as athletes and a team. I am happy with where I am physically.
“I’m likely to be playing a utility role but the important thing for me at this point is to get fit and get ready for the season. Everything else will take care of itself and I know if I play well then I will fit in the team somewhere.”
Lance has played 73 games for the Saints, scoring 20 tries, and the crucial drop goal in the win over in Leeds last season.
He also appeared in the controversial but ultimately successful Grand Final which saw him felled by Wigan’s Ben Flower and then hit on the ground.
Whilst that incident is still on many people’s lips, Larny just wants to focus on this season.
“I was disappointed with what occurred in the Grand Final, it was a big game and we’d had a tough year,” he continued. “It was a chance for me to step up, lead the team around the pitch and to be the half we needed.
“I was disappointed I didn’t get to play a bigger role but we got the trophy in the end so I was pretty happy about that. I spoke to the media afterwards and said once I walked off the field that was the end of the incident for me. I put it to bed then and I don’t see any reason to discuss it further.
“The lads did a great job without me; we were a man down and they were too. Wello, JT, Tommy Mak and Robes played well in those key positions then Greg Richards, Luke Thompson, Mose, Sia came to the fore too.
“There’s a part of me that would go back and change things but we move forward. The season was a successful one; we were League Leaders and Grand Final winners too.”
