Kristian Woolf reveals which four Super League teams would compete ‘very well’ in the NRL

St Helens head coach Kristian Woolf does not believe there is a huge gulf in quality between Super League and the NRL.

Despite the fact that the NRL salary cap stands at just over £5 million compared to Super League’s £2.1 million, Woolf believes that playing four teams in Super League fixtures are like playing in the Australian competition.

“I think your top teams here would be very competitive. When we play a team like Wigan or Catalans or Leeds or Huddersfield, they are very much like NRL games. Across the board those sort of teams would compete very well.

“Where it becomes difficult is where the salary cap comes in and that impacts on your depth. That needs some time and attention in how we develop squads of English players so when you do lose players you are able to bring in a similar standard of players.

“If you lose two or three players in the NRL, you have some real athletic players you can bring in, but we’ve got a bigger drop off from our best players to younger guys coming through here.

In terms of the Saints boss leaving, he has revealed just how difficult a decision it was to leave for the Dolphins.

“It’s been a very difficult one and for a number of reasons,” Woolf said.

“That’s been difficult because of how much I enjoy being here and I love this club and the fans and the playing group that I get to work with.

“They are an outstanding group and they are everything you want in a footy team.

“It’s the right time for the family to go home, we made that decision a while ago that that was needed to do, but then I had to make sure I had something to go to as well.”

Woolf reveals he has had numerous conversations with Wayne Bennett about the role, though he hasn’t been too involved with recruitment.

“I’ve had a number of conversations with Wayne, I speak to him all the time and I was speaking to him before the Dolphins were even mentioned.

“He’s kept me afloat of something that they have done recruitment wise. It’s not something I’ve been really involved with as I’ve got a job here to do and he’s really supportive of me to go on to my role at Tonga.