Talking about the virus and postponed games and rearranging fixtures.

What is the deal with the final. It's one of the biggest games of the year. Are we a reserve team if in the event cas can not field a team much like last year when there were reserve teams ready to step in at the last minute for the playoffs and final last year.

Have the rfl actually got reserve teams this year???

Yes, I read an article that said Wire and Hull are (or were) reserve teams but fingers crossed it goes ahead with the two 'proper' finalists.

What is the crowd capacity for the final considering the Euro game capacity ?

45,000

Both teams have been given the all clear so they'll be good for the final. Sione Mata'utia looks set to miss it with a ban though so won't get to play against Pete which is a shame.

It's a rubbish rule. You shouldn't miss a final due to a minor-grade ban.

Saints set to appeal against the ban.

They'll probably be appealing against the referee as well.

He has received two bans. I think he deserves to miss out.
Late tackle on the kicker and dangerous tackle. I am sure the kicker who got crunched by him late also has little sympathy for him.

Then write (another) angry letter from the Chairman if they lose (again).

I agree, this has happened for years, with bans being downgraded due to a Wembley final.

With TV evidence supporting all SL disciplinary cases these days, an offence is offence and if worthy of a ban, then Wembley is irrelevant.

If a player hit a player in the face with a high tackle, it wouldn’t hurt any less because the offending player was playing at Wembley the following week.

So if the ban handed out was correct in the first place, it should stand.

Powell making sure he has a full compliment. Don't think he played any of first 13. Howling Wolfe doesn’t understand the challenge cup just like his predecessor.

I think the Cas 17 may come into this final a bit undercooked. Saints could win by a big score. Hope Daryl gets his first major trophy though.

That made me check to see if Chris Hicks was Saturdays referee, and I was disappointed.

well i would be amazed if he had been given the gig.

amazed

flabbergasted

bamboozled

Who is the ref for saints

I would love to think that our incumbent coach could hatch a game plan to beat our scouse neighbours.

Could be a big game for us really.

The biggest criticism of Powell has been his ability to win the big games and get silverware. He has a chance to put that right before stepping through our doors.

Our incumbent coach has a great record against St Helens. Powell not so much.

Nah we are concentrating on winning yet another SL title. How’s that going for you amateurs lmao

Back to 'we' this week is it?

Neither of the two incidents even warranted a penalty though and Wakefield's CEO included them on his rant against the RFL yesterday too. Incredibly harsh to miss a cup final for what he did. Matautia is a player with no previous disciplinary issues in five months of games so far too, what happened to that being factored in? There were 14 incidents referred from the Wakefield v Saints game. A decent, competitive game with no incidents at all.

Compare and contrast with Salford's game with Cas. There were two high shots with very questionable technique which resulted in players getting concussion injuries, yet neither were even referred by the match review panel. The reason for this is that they know Salford would have just called their next game or two off, so they let them off. It's incredibly unprofessional.

That's a contradiction!!!!!!

Although I must agree with you Sadman that it is harsh on Matautia missing a cup final but it happened to Sita when we played you in 2019.

The most ludicrous decision all season was Lineham's three match ban following the game against Swinton. Where was everybody moaning about that decision?

Seems, as per criticism on the thread about Superleague's future, that certain owners' only express their abhorrence when it impacts their own clubs.

Just asking out of curiosity..does anyone want saints to win