Despite me saying earlier in the week that I think we will get stuffed on Friday I have a renewed sense of confidence. Wigan from what I am told are resting a number of stars to get themselves ready for a Grand Final assault. This could work to our advantage. We havent been playing well for a considerable amount of time now and nows our chance to really get some form together. St Helens are famous for playing there best football when under pressure. We where written off last year as also rans coming into the play-offs and managed to get through the GF beating Wigan twice despite not beating them during the regular season. Its more than possible we can beat Wigan on Friday and gain some momentum for the play-offs and shock Warrington. Us as supporters and our players need the belief and desire this can be done.. And if anyone can..........

That's all well and good apart from:

1 - What does winning achieve exactly? Why are we particularly motivated to win?
2 - Saints aren't famous for playing their best under pressure. This current squad falls to pieces and become jellyfish whenever faced with a half decent or semi motivated team. There is absolutely no team spirit in this side at all, the passion left on the plane with Jammer.
3 - And if anyone can......... Leeds can maybe? I just can't see who you are referring to here?

How do you know there is no team spirit? Do you talk with the lads every day on the training ground?

The team need to come out of this game with confidence, the only way to do that is to go full on to win the game.
It would avoid the 3 derby games in 4 weeks scenario and I reckon we can beat Warrington on there own patch if we win on Friday........Confidence is the Key.

We have the players to cause damage that there is no doubt in my mind. If the forward pack can start firing the backs will score points. It proved against Leeds (H) and Warrington (A) that if we can match the opposition forwards the backs can finish off and score points. Lets be quite honest we have been slating the side for much of the season and most of it justified but nows the time to get behind the lads and see what damage we can cause in the play-offs.

We could try playing the type of rugby that we're famous for. Let's face it we've nothing to lose.

C.O.Y.S.

Saints history shows that the last game of the season has very little bearing on the play off results. We have often been turned over in the last game only to stuff the same team the following week. Winning or losing next week will prove nothing.

But this year is different we need to hit the ground running for the playoffs.

Nonsense - there is absolutely no difference this season to last whatsoever. By far the best thing we could do is to rest a few players on Friday - nothing would be worse for our confidence than going into this game fired up trying to win and still getting beat by a reduced Wigan side anyway (as could easily happen). Even if we were to win 40-0 against a scratch Wigan side it will have little influence on playoff results or confidence anyway. We will probably have 2 playoff games after Friday where we can try to build up a bit of momentum and try out a few things instead (assuming we don't get Leeds in the 2nd anyway) ready for the semi.

I can't see us trying anything new in the playoffs as the time to experiment has passed. When it comes to knock out rugby it's more safety first.

We can hardly be on a high with confidence against Wigan this year after the beatings we've taken a further beating this weekend if Wigan are resting players will not help. Although the season rests on the final 3 games, it's not a matter of turning a tap on and off confidence wise.

We're not capable of winning the GF, so exiting the play offs in the least painful way is the way to go IMO. I would play the first choice team on Friday and go all out to win, same in week 1 of the playoffs. I'd then rest the entire team for week 2 and exit the play offs to Catalans or Leeds.

I cant accept going out gracefully in the play offs its not the St Helens way at all. I am convinced we can hit form in the play-offs and really make a dent in them. We have the players and experience to do that. Having said that certain players really do need to come to the party if we have a chance. Ok granted we have not been great this year by any stretch of the imagination but too write ourselves off is plain stupidity.