SAINTS coach Ian Millward paid tribute to his players after they had collected their third trophy in seven months and said they can now be considered up there with the best sides of the last 100 years.

After Saints' clinical display of precision kicking and tenacious tackling had kept the Bulls at bay to clinch the concluding part to a unique treble, Millward was keen to credit his squad.

The Aussie coach, who has had the Midas touch since joining from Leigh at the start of the 2000 season, said: "I am really lucky to have such a talented bunch of players. They have a great attitude and are keen to challenge themselves and have a desire to be successful.

"It is very unusual in the modern game for a team to win a trophy and back it up with another one. It is hard to maintain that because you can drop your intensity and take things for granted. The opposition are more aware of you and take advantage of that. The competition is very tough and the quality of imports is outstanding. My players deserve a lot of credit."

After clinching the treble trophy haul, comparisons are being made with the Wigan side, who, as the game's only full-timers, dominated the Challenge Cup with boring monotony between 1988 and 1995.

Millward said: "I know Wigan had a great run, but that was a little lob-sided at times. Everyone is full-time professional now. Wigan will go down as one of the greatest teams in the game and had some of the best ever players, but I think my players can start putting their hands up now.

"Going into the game I said if we won we would not be the best team of the last 100 years, but at least we can be talked about up there with them."

Lance Todd Trophy winner Sean Long, who was at the hub of everything in both attack and defence, was singled out for the coach's praise.

"Sean has an old head on a young body and he was a steadying influence in that second half. He played a major part, playing different roles in both attack and defence," Millward said.

With the weather dictating the way the game was played it was appropriate that a final so heavily influenced by the boot should be staged at Twickenham - the home of kicking. But after Anthony Sullivan's nightmare the previous week against Warrington, there was surprise at the few times the Pauls kicked to the Saints wing.

But Millward had his own theory. "Bradford struggled to get the field position they would have liked and did not get the opportunity to isolate and put pressure on Sullivan. So I think we helped contribute to that tactic.

"We started really well and had an outstanding kicking game which to start with gave the opportunity to mount pressure. That gave us good field position which allowed us to dictate the way the game should be played. I thought Tommy and Sean were great in that first half."

Notions that the move to the summer, the dominance of Super League and the unavailability of Wembley had diminished the allure of the Challenge Cup were dispelled by an elated Saints coach.

"I still think the Challenge Cup is the number one trophy. Some great Australian coaches and players have won it and for me to be involved in the history and romance of the Challenge Cup is very special to me. It is something I will be able to look back in my life.

"I was a lot more controlled (after the hooter) than after we won Super League and the World Club Challenge. I just made an obligation with myself before the game to take it all in. Just before we went up the steps at the end Sean Long said where are we going and it just brought it flooding back - all the great players and coaches, both Australian and English, who have received the Challenge Cup and I am part of that now."

Saints have now deservedly earned the tag of a team for the big occasion - they have not lost a competition under Millward.

"I can't give my players enough credit. We have been under a lot of pressure, but we handle it well. Pressure comes with success, and with success you get recognition. We could all freeze up and say 'this is getting too much.' But we have played some big games now and I think our preparation is pretty well packed. How to handle the week, the build up and the game," Millward said.

With the intensity of the competition becoming increasingly tough at the top, the full magnitude of Saints triple trophy haul may take a while to get its full recognition.

"If we had not won today I would have said it is going to be pretty hard for a team to get that treble and the way the modern game is it is not going to be easy," he said.