Joey Lussick is on for Saints, offering a different option at hooker, with James Roby going to loose-forward.

What a combination that is, even with Morgan Knowles getting a welcome break.

Not great for Catalans, who are struggling to release the likes of Sam Tomkins, Mitchell Pearce and Josh Drinkwater in good ball areas.

Lewis Dodd takes the shot from 10 away after good work from Saints to force Catalans offside.

Kicks it. Finally the kickers are on the board.

Image source, Rex Features

What a passage. Saints unload on the line, Jonny Lomax and Lewis Dodd unsettling with testing footwork.

The home side seek a kick in behind from Jack Welsby, which Mitchell Pearce then pinches.

It's stolen back, and then Catalans are offside.

Saints will take the two here...

Panicky work from Catalans, who cough up possession to Saints far too easily with a sloppy shift.

Saints then seek to ramp up their carries off the line, but Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook earns his side a penalty.

Catalans' early search for points in this half has produced nothing. Now, Dylan Napa catches a stooping Morgan Knowles high, after neat footwork from the England man.

Territory is with Saints.

Michael McIlorum makes a hash of the pass from the base of the ruck for Catalans but a set-restart gives them zero tackle.

Saints are under the pump but seem to relish these defensive moments.

Dylan Napa is unloaded on the line but taken over the whitewash, so Catalans must go back to the 10.

Tyrone May is then creamed. Feeling it as he stays down. Ferocious again.

Will Hopoate makes a really key take almost on his own goalline as the kick is looped up.

St Helens survive the raid with plenty of running pouring through.

It's only a shortlived reprieve, as Konrad Hurrell loses control at the ruck. Knock-on.

James Roby is receiving running repairs after opening a gash on his head.

Catalans have good ball here. Ten-away from the line.

Catalans get a leg up having toiled in their own end of the field, after Joe Batchelor and Saints are caught offside in their chase.

Kick is fizzed to touch and Catalans are in the Saints half.

Sione Mata'utia has just lifted the crowd with an axe-like cut-down of Sam Kasiano. Got underneath the big Catalans prop and lopped him.

Saints get the ball back from the kick and are just rampaging down field.

Then a knock-on on tackle four by Jonny Lomax after Dean Whare got in his eyeline. Good linespeed from Catalans.

Catalans interchange Jordan Dezaria is feeling the effects of trying to stop Agnatius Paasi in full flight. The big forward shuttled through, and Dezaria got his head in the wrong spot.

Medical staff are on, but he might well be coming off if the news isn't good. No, he's all good.

Image source, Rex Features

No let up in the intensity after the break, as both teams look to have come flying out and setting about each other again.

Both sides sets finishing on halfway. That's normally the barometer of who's dominating, where the end of set plays are being made.

Catalans Dragons have it all to do then.

They're going to need all the magic they conjured up on this ground 10 years ago when they fought back from 26-8 down to win 34-32 in the last minute with a try from Daryl Millard.

What a game that was. This is a different Saints side though to be fair, in terms of mettle and morale.

Off we go. Both sides out. Dragons kick off.

Image source, SWPIX.COM

Hull FC's dramatic fall-away last season saw them miss out on play-off football, after it all looked so positive for Brett Hodgson in his first season in charge.

The Airlie Birds have made changes to try to avoid the same fate, with a switch in terms of playmakers seeing Luke Gale replacing Marc Sneyd, and new blood in Kane Evans and Joe Lovodua to name but two.

"There's always pressure," Hodgson told BBC Sport. "We need to learn from last year and make sure we're not making those mistakes again.

"We spoke about what happened last year, need to make sure we are consistent, and by performing on on the field we need our behaviours off the field to be consistent too.

"There are a lot of challenges for the players, but they're rising."

Image source, SWPIX.COM

Having served his apprenticeship seemingly for decades as an assistant coach under the likes of Brian McClennan and Tony Smith, many in rugby league couldn't have been happier when Willie Poching finally got a crack at a big job, with Wakefield Trinity.

While there's been a bit of movement at Belle Vue, Poching has made some smart signings such as Lee Gaskell, Tom Lineham and Liam Hood, and just cannot wait to get cracking.

"It's just excitement," Poching told BBC Sport. "We're excited about the year ahead.

"It's been immensely enjoyable this pre-season, and how the players have applied themselves goes a long way to securing that.

"How they go about it, how they buy in, and it's been fantastic."

Image source, SWPIX.COM

Huddersfield Giants need to get their key 'spine' players playing regularly if they are to match the Super League's successful clubs, says head coach Ian Watson.

Giants signed St Helens scrum-half Theo Fages and re-added full-back Olly Ashall-Bott, to add to the complement of Oli Russell, Tui Lolohea, Will Pryce and a wealth of hookers.

"It's always about the people and the player," Watson told BBC Sport. "The higher quality of player you get the better it is, it's as simple as that.

"You look at St Helens over the past few years and they've had a really consistent spine, and at Catalans and they have built on the back of that.

"We need to get that consistent spine and going forward, keep them fit and healthy."

Image source, SWPIX.COM

Toulouse Olympique are making history when they become the third French team to appear in Super League since its inception in 1996.

Their promotion now means there are two French clubs, along with tonight's visitors Catalans Dragons, in the top tier.

While the Dragons have built steadily to get to the Grand Final in 2021, TOXIII will have to hit the ground running in their opener against Huddersfield, to ensure they make a smooth start.

"We have given them some targets, we'll break it into a few blocks," Houles told BBC Sport.

"Then we'll look at things to aim for. Our mentality since I've been the coach is to make sure we take it day by day.

"We want to improve, and that won't change. We'll go from game by game."

Image source, SWPIX.COM

Head coach Daryl Powell is keen to see how much progress has been made at Warrington Wolves when he takes charge of his first competitive game after replacing Steve Price this past winter.

Saturday's trip to Leeds Rhinos will kick off the Wire's first campaign under the former Castleford boss.

Powell has had the squad in training since November's pre-season start, but had just one full squad friendly.

"Initially, players just need to get out there," Powell told BBC Sport.

"It's about getting a philosophy out there to the players and seeing how they deal with it - it's all right in training, and even on 13 v 13 as you don't have that same pressure [as a match].

"We saw that in our warm-up game [against Wigan], the pressure of a game is more difficult. There are some areas we need to embed and work on and refine.

Image source, SWPIX.COM

Head coach Richard Agar is quietly excited by the promise within his Leeds Rhinos side for 2022, going into their Super League opener against Warrington.

Rhinos kick-off their season at home to the Wire on Saturday, the first match shown on terrestrial TV by Channel 4.

The arrivals of star halves Aidan Sezer and Blake Austin, fiery back-rower James Bentley and X-factor winger David Fusitu'a have added depth to the ranks.

"It is exciting, but I have to balance that out," Agar told BBC Sport.

"We can't get too excited. The potential in the team, what we can achieve and the style of football it can play, I think we just sometimes have to get that balance and rein it in. We don't want to do it too much."

Right, half-time in tonight's game.

Let's continue our look at the rest of the opening round games and teams.

Starting with Saturday's first game on Channel 4, Leeds versus Warrington.

Image source, Rex Features

St Helens took a while to rouse at the Totally Wicked Stadium but once they found their gear, they blew an otherwise game Catalans Dragons away.

The Dragons opened the scoring with a fine try from Fouad Yaha, but once Saints hit their stride it was irresistible.

Tommy Makinson went in twice, with tries from Lewis Dodd and James Roby adding to the dominance.

Only thing Kristian Woolf will be pondering is - who's going to kick a goal today? All four conversions have been missed.

Sam Tomkins boots it.