Lessons learnt

Lessons learnt

By Paul Sculthorpe St Helens and Lions star

I am hoping that the World Club Challenge defeat at the hands of the Sydney Roosters might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

The way we reacted against Bradford in the opening game of the new Super League season suggests that the team learnt a few valuable lessons from that defeat.

We knew we were better than that performance against the Roosters and we proved that on Friday.

I'll be looking to get on the try sheet again after my double against Bradford

We didn't prepare any differently for the Bradford game, but it was the way we transferred all the hard work we always do in training on to the field that was the difference.

If you don't get the simple things right against the top teams - or any team for that matter - you will get punished.

As part of our preparation for a game we watch a video of our previous week's match so we can pinpoint the areas that we can improve on.

We learnt a lot from the Roosters' video nasty, and it proves how important it is to get the little things right.

Obviously we will be hoping to take those lesson into Friday's Challenge Cup game against Batley.

You only get one chance in a Cup game, so we have to be fully prepared.

Challenge Cup preview

Batley have been playing well in their own domestic league and they will be fired up for their trip to Knowsley Park.

Obviously we are feeling confident because we are a league above them.

But we certainly won't be going into the game feeling cocky and thinking we've won it before we even step out on to the field.

I'll be looking to get on the try sheet again after my double against Bradford, but of course the result is more important.

I don't tend to set myself any targets ahead of the season in terms of how many tries I want to score.

I just hope to perform every week and keep that consistency going.