I'd love to see sky run that clip of...."its goin' in the box!" again, pre match.

lol

So it's fare to say both teams are missing several regulars!!?

When are Saints NOT having an injury crisis?

ahem......... Gary Wheeler is injured, you'll be surprised to hear..!!!

Indeed. We've been debating that point since the year we played at Widnes. We just don't ever seem to have a full strength side out. I cannot remember the last time we had an established 6 and 7 on the same pitch.

Yet despite that we're champions and top of the league, what does that say about Super League?

Roby is a massive miss for them, he is such a great player he would be a massive loss for any side.

Wigan last year were the best team and just imploded in the final.
Bit like us v Leeds in the semi at HJ.

Still the history books will always say Saints 2014

Can i pay on the gate at Saints or is it ticket only /barcode entrance ?

I would imagine so, won't sell out

Ticket only innit? Unmanned booths

So, have to go to ticket office at the ground on the night and then go through unstaffed turnstile?

And every other week I assume, given they (and every other team) finished below Saints.

Saints were the best team until the injuries started, then still finished top and won the GF with all the injuries.

Looks like we may have to do it that way again this year.

Yeah, because we know how everyone takes finishing top seriously.
Huddersfield 2013 were not the best side in SL.

What barometer are you using to measure the best team in the league then? If it's not via finishing position, then surely you're just talking about 'potential'? Which opens a whole new can of worms. Whoever finishes top of the league will go down as the best and most consistent side in the league THAT YEAR. At least you finished top in 2011 and can rightly use that to say you were the best team that year, but Wigan last year? Really?! They were crap apart from the run through May and June where they looked great, which they seem to have EVERY year... We were certainly questionable at times, but nobody played better rugby than us in those first 9 games in which we won all of them. If you're talking about 'potential' then surely, you'd have to say we could possibly have walked the league before all of our injuries hit.

As for Thursday, think we'll lose! We're used to dealing with injuries but Robes doesn't miss many and he's massive for us. Still, at least we still *fingers crossed* have a halfback on the field, so we're already in a better position than last year.

Wigan looked strong going into the final, Saints were lucky.
The ape pumped them too much, they go a man for almost the entire game and you sill struggled creating overlaps.
Flower stays on Saints get pumped, now don't get me wrong, given the choice i wanted a Saints win all day long but you got very lucky at just the right times.

I agree that they were strong going into the final (although that really doesn't mean they were the best team all year), whereas we kinda limped into it (albeit with pretty convincing wins over Castleford and Catalan), but as for the final... I'm hardly surprised we struggled to create overlaps with our main (and only) playmaker on the field taken out within the first two minutes. Wellens and Flanagan at half back, LMS in the centre? It feels ridiculous even typing that out.
We may well have lost 13 v 13, but it's not nearly as cut and dry as people are making out. Our defence was up for it that night, and had Lance not been taken out of the game (typical Wigan tactics, btw) then we may well have scraped the game anyway. Wigan weren't too hot on the night.

If Joel is fit, I presume he'll slot back into centre with Currie returning to the pack (bench?).

Similarly if Harrison is fit, he'll go back in place of King.

Good strong team in that case -

Ratch
Russell Atkins Monaghan Penny
Bridge (or Wheeler, whichever is least crocked) O'Brien
Hill Clark Sims
Laithwaite Currie/Philbin
Westwood

Higham, Harrison, Philbin/Currie, Asotasi/Evans

No reflection on Philbin that I'm considering him for the bench. I don't think a starting place means that much nowadays.

Really like the look of this backline..... Russell and Penny have to stay on the wings for me after the Leeds game.

The likely Saints team going off the KC press conference today:

Wellens
Makinson Turner Jones Swift
Burns Wilkin
Amor Roby Walmsley
Greenwood Vea
LMS

Masoe Richards Thompson Hohaia/ Savelio

Obviously it would of been nice to see both teams at full strength, but it's an interesting match up!

I like the look of Saints this year, Percival looks a belter now he's beefed up a little. They're so much better than last year. I also like the look of that big mofo, think it's Greenwood?

Must have missed Hudds backing up the LLS by winning the GF like saints did.

You can talk about details as much as you like, but a team that wins the LLS and Grand Final despite missing all of its creative players is the best side in the comp.

You can say what if Flower hadn't got sent off, I can say what if saints had a remotely full strength team. The only truth is that saints finished top and won the GF, being the two tests of who is the best team depending on your view of life.

if you finish top you must be the best team in the league,if not what did that make us when we won our final game at hull a few years back...the league doesnt lie

make your mind up, we have constantly been reminded that the league means nothing. Unless you win the GF it's not "your" year.

Don't need to make our mind up, we won both

that's kinda the point.

Agreed!