The only change from the 19 that was named before the semi final with Catalan sees Matty Dawson come in for Gary Wheeler.

Nathan Brown will choose from:

2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Jordan Turner, 4. Josh Jones, 5. Adam Swift, 6. Lance Hohaia, 8. Mose Masoe, 9. James Roby, 10. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 11. Sia Soliola, 13. Willie Manu, 14. Anthony Laffranchi, 15. Mark Flanagan, 16. Kyle Amor, 17. Paul Wellens, 18. Alex Walmsley, 22. Mark Percival, 26. Matty Dawson, 27. Greg Richards, 28. Luke Thompson.

Same team as Catalans for me...

Wellens
Makinson Percival Jones Swift
Hohaia Flanaghan
Amor Roby Masoe
LMS Thompson
Turner

Manu Soliola Walmsley Richards

Can see Laffranchi in for Richards though...

Same as last week for me.

He's said on Facebook that he's going with the same team, but do you believe him?

I wonder weather he'll leave Swift in the same place or swap him for Dawson?
If he anticipates Wane targeting him in defence, he may try and outfox him by moving him around.
If your master plan hinges on Matty Dawson, though, it may not be that great.

Dawson on the wing it is then...

Same 17.

I think Brown will show some loyalty and choose the 17 from last week who got us to this final.
My prediction is that Luke Thompson will play a blinder.

It's a tricky one. Swift is more likely to be exposed by Wigan's threequarters, but overall he's clearly better than Dawson. One thing that he does well, despite being small, is making yards when carrying the ball in our own half, either from kicks or from dummy half on tackle 1 or 2. Getting our sets off to a good start is going to be massively important, and Dawson is completely useless in that respect. For me the benefits of picking Swift outweigh the drawbacks, and I'd be inclined to pick him ahead of Dawson, but it's a risk.

I'd play swift everytime, but who knows what trick Bonkers Brown is going to pull.

Good balanced post that. I, like most Saints fans, know that Swift has an abundance of potential (a lot of it already fulfilled), but he will be a huge target for Wigan out wide as he still can't pick the wide play in defence.

Our 19:

John Bateman, Matt Bowen, Joe Burgess, Josh Charnley, Tony Clubb, Dom Crosby, Liam Farrell, Ben Flower, Anthony Gelling, Blake Green, Jack Hughes, Michael McIlorum, Sean O'Loughlin, Eddy Pettybourne, Sam Powell, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Scott Taylor, Joel Tomkins

Id expect the same 17 from the wire game

There is the risk of Swift being exposed in defense. However, with a larger pitch Swift will also have a lot more space to expose the Wigan wingers.

Personally if I was him, if you know your strengths and weaknesses I'd be wanting to give my opposite winger and centre plenty to think about, wear them out in defense.

Charnley isn't the best in defence either and neither is sargison.


I'd 100% play swift.

We have to pick swift. He's a danger with ball in hand and with the fact we've lost our two most attacking players in Walsh and Lomax so we need all the attack we can get. Matty has done well this year but he's not a patch on swift and I honestly believe swift would be playing in the play offs no matter what.

So for me, we have to pick swift as he's one of the very few who can beat a man In our backs.

I'd have Swift any day, but especially on Saturday. We are not the most fluent and creative team at the moment and he gives us that extra flair and speed.

The 19 sort of confirms that Wheeler is going or is he injured again?

I could see us playing Dawson, if we had Walsh/Burns and Lomax. As our attacking threat would be great. Without them, we need to risk more.

I'd be tempted with Dawson.

We are going to win this game through the middle, so we need to be as solid as possible out wide. I'm not confident that swift provides that.

Its not like Dawson is a defensive rock though, and he offers alot less going forward

Dawson is poor in defence. He's poor under the high ball and doesn't beat a man on kick returns.

Swifty Is a good defender (does make wrong calls in defence), he's safe under the high ball and a big threat with the ball in hand.

I think wane and Wigan would be delighted to see Dawson on the wing instead of swift.

I think people are generally harsh on Dawson.

I've not heard anyone call him mate. I've heard people say how much he's improved but at the end of the day he gives his all but doesn't offer anything.

We might only get one chance to finish it and if that falls to Dawson then I don't expect him to finish it.

What does Dawson offer in your opinion ?

his effort is always there, but he'll never be more than average. I dont count him as a young player either, hes older than T-Mak and not in his class

I think I would agree with St Pete, generally Dawson is OK when attackers are running at him and quite often he makes valuable metres clearing the line but he is a bit flat footed for taking high kicks and is not quite quick enough when a break is on.
Swift is more dynamic and unpredictable and a real attacking threat which we are in short supply of at the moment, whether Browny sees it that way as well I dont know, for me I would pick "on form" and that would be Swift.

I think Wigan will be rubbing their hands if we pick him over swift. It's one player they don't need to worry about.

We talk about swifty making wrong calls in defence but he's a good defender when his decision making is good. Matty Dawson is not so great in defence and Wigan will kick to him all night as he's no danger on kick returns.

With wello being at fullback and it's not very often Tommy beats a man then playing Dawson on wing makes our back 3 dead with the ball. They will pin is back all night if need be and we will me on back foot all night.

Our back three need to put is on front foot on kick returns and IMO that will be crucial in this game.

Swift for me.... long wide pitch with plenty of space. Give him the ball and tell him to stick his head down and take them on.