MORGAN IS A MAN IN THE KNOW
Get claws into NRL’s Panthers and Saints will rule the World again
MORGAN KNOWLES can’t think of any better way to kick-start St Helens’ latest Betfred Super League title defence than dumping NRL premiers Penrith Panthers.
The new season gets underway when Warrington Wolves host Leeds Rhinos on Thursday, while other opening weekend highlights include newly-promoted Leigh Leopards hosting Salford the following night.
Red-hot champions Saints are 2/1 favourites to make it a remarkable FIFTH domestic title on the trot this season.
But their round one fixture is delayed as they are in Australia – looking to make history against Penrith in the World Club Challenge final showdown, this Saturday morning UK time.
And England loose forward Knowles would love to cause a shock in New South Wales – especially after suffering World Cup agony last autumn, when five Panthers stars, including Jarome Luai and Stephen Crichton, were in the Samoa side that left England heartbroken in the semi-final.
Knowles maintains that loss is not fuelling his fire but said: “It is easy to get excited about what’s coming up for Saints. Coming out here rather than going into the Super League kick-off and those wet couple of months.
“The opportunity to play the World Club Challenge has been taken away from all of us the last couple of years [due to Covid] so I am really looking forward to playing in it and hopefully winning it with this group.”
Super League sides, though, have won just two of the last dozen World Club showdowns, with the Aussies generally ruling.
Wigan were the last team to win Down Under when famously beating Brisbane Broncos way back in 1994.
But Knowles hopes bitter rivalries back home will be put to one side as Saints carry the Super League banner against the NRL’s revered back-to-back Grand Final winners Penrith.
He said: “They’re up on a pedestal and we’re over here not only for Saints, but representing Super League and England.
“We want to put on a good show and make everyone proud.
“You generally don’t get behind rival clubs but hopefully people do show us a bit of support for the World Club Challenge.” Knowles was part of the Saints academy side that visited the Sydney outfit in 2013 and beat the Panthers.
Star Penrith No.7 Nathan Cleary, who guided Australia to World Cup glory last year, was on the opposition team that day.
Did Cleary always look like he was destined for greatness?
Knowles, 26, replied: “No. Not really. He was the big name but I can’t remember him standing out. I do remember Danny Richardson was man of the match after scoring a hat-trick for us. He had a great game.
“We stayed in Penrith and got to use all their facilities so I knew a bit about what it was like before we got here.”
Knowles’ battle in the middle with Australia No.13 Isaah Yeo should set the tone and prove one of many classic match-ups.
The hard-hitting Cumbrian has been known to lose his cool, but he is not worried about getting riled by the locals.
He said: “I don’t think there’ll be any game plan to do that, but obviously it’s a big game and tensions will be high. It’s going to be two good teams, both wanting to win. We’ll be going at it. It’ll be good.”
Knowles didn’t feature in yesterday’s impressive 30-18 warm-up win over St George Illawarra when Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Lewis Dodd, Joey Lussick and Tee Ritson all scored tries in Wollongong.
Saints coach Paul Wellens said Knowles had been “under the weather” so wasn’t risked, but is fully expected to return for the Penrith showdown.