STEVE’S STEELY BELIEF IN SAM
CATALANS coach Steve Mcnamara is not worried about the fact star full-back Sam Tomkins will not train before tomorrow’s Grand Final.
The newly-crowned Steve Prescott Man of Steel has not played since limping out of the final league game at Wigan on September 17 with a knee injury.
Tomkins (above right) has not even managed to train but the Dragons boss says he will be surprised if the 32-year-old doesn’t start at Old Trafford.
Mcnamara said: “Sam had his first training session at six years old, he doesn’t need to train too much 26 years on from that.
“He needs to get ready for the game – he’s in good shape, great form and I’m very confident that he will play.
“We’ve made the decision who will drop out internally.
“If you’d said that we’d get to this stage with a near fully-fit squad, you’d snap their hands off.
“Both squads are healthy and are ready to go at each other.”
St Helens coach Kristian Woolf insists his side want to see
by GARETH WALKER
Tomkins’ name on the team-sheet.
Woolf said:
“We certainly want to see him play. If we’re going to be good enough to win a Grand Final, we want to play the strongest team possible.”
Both coaches attempted to claim the underdog status at yesterday’s final press conference but Woolf was more focused on steering away from Catalans’ bid to create history.
“We’ve got our own reasons for wanting to win, and there’s plenty of them,” he said. “We just need to worry about ourselves.
“I think it’s absolutely outstanding what Catalans Dragons have done for the game and it’s good for rugby league that we have a French team in the Grand Final.
“That adds to the occasion but we have to worry about ourselves and our motives.”