Image source, SWPIX.COM

What a start to the season then by St Helens, who came up with a huge display after facing a bit of early adversity.

How good was Konrad Hurrell? A bulldozer on debut. But it was also the likes of Joe Batchelor, Alex Walmsley and the creative trio of Jonny Lomax, Lewis Dodd and Jack Welsby which also played a key role.

Steve McNamara knows his Catalans side will have better nights than tonight, certainly with regards discipline after Dylan Napa was dismissed.

On the field, it was a scratchy one for Mitchell Pearce, Josh Drinkwater and Sam Tomkins. It will click for them no doubt. It's only round one.

Thanks for joining us, we'll be back soon.

Kevin Brown
Former England international half-back on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

I came here tonight sort of expecting a really tough game, I fancied Catalans a little bit, but the lads stood up.

All of the new signings stood up and that cog that is St Helens keeps on going. The defence was ferocious and it's an ominous sign for all the other teams in Super League.

Kevin Brown
Former England international half-back on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

He's great for the game, he always seems like he's having fun. Tonight he's been a handful.

That's it. St Helens do a number on Catalans Dragons, who finish the game with Dylan Napa sent-off and a 20-point defeat.

Fouad Yaha got the ball rolling for the visitors, but it was a false dawn.

Tommy Makinson scored twice, while James Roby and Lewis Dodd established a first-half lead.

It took time for a second-half flurry of points to come but eventually they did late on - Joey Lussick and Konrad Hurrell scoring to put the game beyond doubt.

Image source, Rex Features

Tough night for Catalans this. Even the usually impeccable Sam Tomkins can't keep the ball in his grasp as the Dragons pushed an opening out wide.

He would have been in if he's kept it.

This is deteriorating rapidly.

Curtis Sironen - whose dad Paul was a tough, tough man of the 80s era - gets right into it with Catalans prop Gil Dudson, who's a big ferocious Cardiff lad.

Liam Moore has brought captains James Roby and Ben Garcia together for a warning. Two gentlemen amongst the bruisers.

The replay is not good for Dylan Napa, who plays on the edge anyway, but he can't smash a player about the head like that.

It was like an Adrian Morley shoulder-charge from the early 2000s. It was legal then. It's not now.

He'll be seeing a ban of a few weeks for that.

Morgan Knowles is also sent to the sin-bin for Saints.

Like Kevin Brown says, there's a fervour about St Helens defensively. Always getting two in the tackle at least. Players flying in from everywhere to shut it down.

It's off again by the way.

Dylan Napa has well and truly clobbered Mark Percival. And Napa is steamed into by a flurry of Red Vees.

Morgan Knowles went straight for him.

TRYSAVER FROM JONNY LOMAX.

Sam Tomkins takes a tap back from Samisoni Langi as Catalans made a rare raid stick from the kick.

However, there is Lomax swooping to dislodge the ball from the England full-back as headed for the line.

Might have been a knock-on that. But Saints get away with it.

Kevin Brown
Former England international half-back on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

It's consistent pressure from St Helens. They're up in their faces. It's just relentless.

Image source, Rex Features

Catalans make a hash of another move in midfield. Sloppy hands.

Then Matty Lees puts a ball down from a simple play-the-ball as Saints come forward themselves.

Few errors creeping in. Perhaps a bit of 'fatigue', as the French put it.

So close from Catalans, who show some real class between Dylan Napa and Jordan Dezaria.

Napa smuggled a little pass away to Dezaria, who bulldozed through but then fudged his ball to Mitchell Pearce and Saints recover.

Points at a premium here.

Saints thump away on the Catalans line.

Jonny Lomax tries to tip on to Curtis Sironen in close-quarters, but the big Aussie spills his short-ball.

Catalans get a breather, a scrum, and a chance to strike.

Kevin Brown
Former England international half-back on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

I was so looking forward to Catalans this year with Mitchell Pearce in the halves and Sam Tomkins, the best player in the league last year, and Josh Drinkwater, but at the minute they can't come up with the answers to this aggressive defence.

Lewis Dodd breaks the line! Passes to Jack Welsby... Saints are through... ankle tap!

Saints work the ball wide right, ball goes to touch but it's off a Catalans hand and it's a home team scrum.

Catalans being forced to go a little lateral by the suffocating pressure of the Saints side.

The last tackle kick goes up, but the first man to the ball is Saints forward Curtis Sironen. That's not the kind of thing they signed him for, but it's more than welcome.

Steve McNamara's side lacked a bit of calm and poise there in a good position, 10 away.

St Helens' offloading game in midfield just undoes their good work as Catalans get a penalty.

With the kick, they're into the 20 here...

Joe Batchelor is on one tonight for Saints.

He's just raced across field to scragg an onrushing Tom Davies, grabbed and sacked him.

Superb. Davies is no slouch.