Cayless is out for the season. Maurie ... well, we'll wait and see!

It's a big ask in such an important game to bring him back. On his game he is quality but has had a lot of time off. However if it is just to get him back to match fitness ready fro the play offs the why not, that's if you are ready to not bother for the LL shield in order to give yourselves the better chance for the SL title. He can be a game breaker even in short stints

Can't see Saints getting anywhere near a result on Friday.

What I can see is the sudden glee of Leeds posters in winning the hubcap though, you know, the meaningless end of regular season trophy.

I think the LL shield is worth having. Any trophy in this comp is worth having.

I don't disagree. However, a lot of RL fans think it's meaningless.

I agree.

I think the club agrees too. I know our chairman likes the silverware! And why not? But I don't think we'll win the hubcap this season, with or without Maurie.

On your point about Maurie, it [iis[/i risky playing someone returning from injury in a match which will go 50% of the way to securing the silverware but we have no choice. We've been hard hit with injuries for a couple of months now and so there simply is no good time to reintroduce a player. If he's fit, he plays. Simples! (And half the time if he isn't fit, he plays!)

It annoys me a little does that, not you BTW. Fans downgrade that trophy and i think its a shame. Sure it's not the main prize and every team knows that but at the end of the day your team will have won something. Refering it to the Hubcap as well is IMO derogatory.

Thats down to the fact that we have had it for the last four years .... when, as a club, you dont win anything it is easy to discount the success of any winning team. Just watch the posts from the puddings , should they win it

I don't quite understand that as, as a club we have won something, notable the SL title, back to back, yet still i have said would love to win the LL shield, or Hubcap as some of your supporters so proudly pronounce it. Sorry denounce it.

Until about 3 weeks ago we were clear top of the league with a massive points difference advantage and in the CC semi final, I'd hardly call that being out of form all season.

Leeds n saints games are always too tough to call!! So give it a rest!!you lot are getting boring!! I don't buy alll this saints are doomed bull $hit from you lot! a win will see you lot on for the big prize where as the wheels will have come off at Leeds!! Vice versa if we thump you it will be saints are done for the season. The truth is never right off these two teams in the current era!! As on their day they can hammer anyone especially each other!!

From memory it was not a Saints fan who labelled it the hubcap.


It just became called that by most due to the low regard/value it was given by most fans(non Saints) I might add.

I would love it to have a higher regard with all fans as the records show we've won it every year since 2005 (inclusive) which is no mean feat. However we won't be winning it this year barring a miraculous turn around in form.
The best we can hope for on Friday is respectability and a few signs that we can get it together for a tilt at the play offs. Let's be real, it would be very hard to go from woefully out of form to beating Leeds away who are showing real attacking flair and speed at present.

Did you not see us on Sky vs Hudds reserves? If we play like that we won't trouble the scorers. I could be wrong but I doubt it. I could say to Leeds fans 'don't give us all this you ain't playing that badly' garbage because we are! It really is that bad unless Potter can get us back on track and playing some decent rugby in attack and defence.

Friday away, I'd honestly settle for a an 18 point defeat with us scoring three tries at least. That would give me real hope for the play-offs.

spot on. this result and the hubcap is meaningless(to everyone but jon wilkin

). you will still be there or thereabouts come GF time. the week off will have done you the world of good. i fancy us on friday but i think it will be closer than a lot of people think

To be fair I don`t think Leeds have been too good this season either.
For two teams who by their own supporters admission think they have underperformed.
I would say 12 other teams in the league would happily swap places with us.
All of a sudden we have beat 2 pretty poor teams by plenty and our past poor form has been forgotten.
McLennan did say he was looking to push on starting with the Cas game and up until now that is what we have done.
Maybe Saints are trying to peak in time for the play offs.
Whoever wins on Friday will count for nothing come the GF.
Hopefully we will both be there and we can claim the hat trick of wins

It wasn't as I meant it, not an attack on your success(leeds) as a club, more in a general was that as a club(any club)would be etc .... hopefully that clears it up for you

That's because the fans who are saying we have been out of form for most of the season are those who are comparing us to us, not comparing us to other teams. I think it says quite a lot about the league this season that even though we have been out of form for most of it, we could still be topping the league until Leeds got two byes with a rubbish Castleford performance and a Celtic team decimated by injuries and deportations.

All the stuff about the LL shield been meaningless is a load of tosh and is just disrespectful to the competition. Ive always wanted to see the Rhinos win the 'Hubcap' and every time Saints have won it in recent years i have felt a bit jealous over it. You want to see your side win every trophy on offer, especially one which is earned over a massive 27 games. Without a doubt the GF is the main one as your branded as 'Champions' but the 'Hubcap' is also pretty special imo. Supporters of the less fortunate teams would give them left arm to finish top of the bunch after 27 rounds.

Leeds Rhinos v St Helens 8pm (SKY)
Ref P Bentham
TJ J Child
TJ T Roby
RR G Dolan
VR S Ganson
MC I McGregor

James Roby's Dad as a touchie and a season ticket holder as VR? We can't complain if we don't win can we...

No surprise at the choice of ref! After the last encounter between Saints and Leeds I think he got full marks for handling the biff. Those were the days when we could still put in a good performance! *sigh*

All we have to do is score some tries that require going to the VR then!

Ah mr Bentham!! He loves to penalise the hell out of Leeds not for the normal stuff, just things like not playing the ball right, moving of the mark, pushing the marker at the play the ball, foot up in the scrum , two feet behind the goal line! You know? The stuff that happens week in week out and refs do nothing about it! Bentham loves to get Leeds for this!

My favourit was seeing him pen us for a Leeds player getting punched in the head lolol you gotta love that Bentham!! He totally lost control of the game at kr and caused the frustration which lead to the biff!!

So a ref that actually sees what Leeds do ? Pity he doesent penalise your obstructions either.

Not to mention the forward passes!