FIT again Saints pack star Chris Joynt had a spring in his step when he returned to match action on Friday night.

With his hernia operation now well out of the way he can concentrate on steering Saints towards the Grand Final.

He said: "I got the all clear from the club surgeon on Friday and I told him I felt like a 10-year-old again. I think the month break has done me good."

Joynt's second half spectacular try was reminiscent of some of his more prolific scoring days with Oldham.

He said: "It has been a while since I have run that far to score a try. I had another chance a couple of minutes later but I was content with the one I had so I gave the ball to Anthony Sullivan. He's faster than me anyway."

Joynt was pleased with the team's performance against Sheffield but knows that there is a lot to do before any talk of an Old Trafford finale on October 24.

He said: "We've got attacking ability in the side but this comes on the back of defence.

"At times we looked like a good defensive side against Sheffield but still have to work on it a lot.

"We concentrate on it week in, week out in training. We know if we're going to go anywhere in this Grand Final series we've got to get our defence in order.

"The team goal against Sheffield was to nil them up to half-time and we went out and did that."

Coach Shaun McRae was also pleased with Saints' defence.

He said: "You have to be pleased to score 50 points in any game but more the point is that we didn't allow Sheffield to get across our try line."

Saints made several team changes for the Eagles clash, with Paul Sculthorpe and Julian O'Neill being the main two to sit it out while Brett Goldspink was suspended.

It gave Paul Anderson his first start of the season and there was substitute appearances for youngsters Paul Wellens and Tony Stewart.

McRae said: "On the back of this performance it gives me a headache in terms of team selection for the Bradford game. There were some good things to come out of it."

McRae said his team will be calling on all of its experience in the play-offs.

He said: "I'm hopeful that things like the cup finals we have been in will get us through the play-offs as we step up in class."

Saints have injury worries going into the series. Apollo Perelini (shoulder), Ian Pickavance (knee), Paul Atcheson (groin) and Damien Smith (groin) are all concerns.

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