If you believe the initial guff from Penrith about treating this as an acedmy game I suspect you may be being a little gullible to the usual "it's only a friendly" tactics adopted by the Aussies. Then they always rip in.

It's just face saving in case they find themselves challenged or, god forbid, lose.

I hope St Helens win so you can join a pretty selective group of 1

They're definitely not inviting you over to let you beat them on their own patch.

100%. Make no bones about it they'll be playing a strong side.

What is the revenue for the travelling side these days? Is it a split gate (regardless of the result) and prize money - for the winner?

Really good questions - would love to know myself. Not sure it's public.

Isn't it the case that when NRL sides came over here, SL teams had to pay for their flights?

And I'll say right now, that if Saints were able to beat a full-strength Penrith side, I for one would be delighted. But I figure they figure they can play mostly kids, and still win.

They are changing the rules for Saturday. Game to be played in 20 min quarters and extra water breaks due to the forecast heat. Increasing the interchanges from 8-10 and allowing an 18th man.

Saw the temperatures are due to be around 40 degrees. Its a hell of a challenge - hope they go close.

I'm hoping we are competitive. Yes they will be undercooked but if they are at full strength (which apparently they will be bar Liam Martin) then that plus they are at home and the heat means we will struggle.

We made a lot of errors on Saturday against St George and whilst that was our first proper hit out too, you have to ace any opportunities you get in a game like the WCC and simply put we must complete at a higher rate.

I think they'll get us on the edges, Hurrell showed again on Saturday that he can be a liability in defence by overshooting the line and the likes of Cleary will love that, kicking in behind him etc.

Fancy Saints to keep it close. Kikau, Koroisau and Martin all massive players for the Panthers all not there for Saturday.

Whereas Saints are improved from the end of last year with Walmsley and Dodd (I would have loved to see Percival, Dodd/Lomax, Walmsley and Roby for England in the World Cup).


The battle in the front row will be great, JFH might be the best prop going at the minute and Moses Leota was unreal in the playoffs last year.

Fancy panthers by about 12 but depending on their motivation levels Saints could pull off something special.

Saints have the advantage in terms of personnel from last year to this, with them being stronger than the 2022 GF, whereas Penrith have lost a couple of massive players in Kikau and Koroisau and have Martin missing as well. That helps and brings the game closer but the conditions sound pretty brutal.

Looking at the warm up game on Saturday, we’ll need to find out if Saints played at that lightning pace for 15-20 and purposefully eased up or if that was just a natural dip brought about by not having to keep that intensity up when playing in Superleague. I suspect it may have just been a bit of an easing up, as though to say ‘we’ve laid a marker’ and they did not want to blow themselves out. It was extremely impressive that first 20 but the rest was a bit messy and if it wasn’t just a cue on the rack thing, the game could get away from them this week. That was possibly the worst team in the NRL they were playing and one nowhere near full strength, so it was very tough to make real judgments throughout.

Hand on heart, I think they’ll go well on Saturday. I can see it being pretty close for around an hour and Penrith to probably get home by about 10-12 points.

I agree that we were messy after that opening spell. However what infuriated me was the constant pointing out that St George weren't at full strength, however no reference to the fact that for the second half we had no Lomax, Dodd, Welsby, Percival, Roby, Hopoate, Batchelor and Makinson.

At one point Ben Davies made a break for Lussicks try that was disallowed for a forward pass and Corey Parker said it was great play by Welsby. He wasn't even on the field.

The second half was very sratchy with all the changes.

On a side note, Ritson showed his speed in open field with his try. He will definitely give us strike if he gets a few games, the lad can finish.

My favourite moment of the game by Corey Parker was him saying what a great battle it would be next week between the 1,6 and 7’s, listing players like Edwards, Cleary, Luai and…..DEAD AIR…..and Vossy has to chip in and throw him a lifeline by saying Welsby



There was a difference in strength of the teams from the off tbh. St George were probably at 50-60% with guys like Sloan, Hunt, Bird, Su’A, De Belin, Molo, Woods and Fuimaono not playing. I think Saints would’ve battered their full strength team playing at that pace in the first 20 minutes but it was a tough game to get a handle on. When the changes started to come through in the second half, Saints brought on top 20-25 players but St George were bringing lads on who won’t get anywhere near an NRL game this season, even if they pick up a load of injuries.

Saints can take huge comfort from that first 20 mins though and if they can replicate that over the 80 minutes, they’ll give it a real crack.

Stu do you worry that this trip would put Welsby, Dodd, Knowles etc in the shop window for the NRL?

Think a big factor in your recent success is keeping the core team together and not losing them to the NRL/Union (something the 2010s Wigan team couldn’t)

From what I’ve read it looks like Dodd is keen for the NRL in 2025.

Massively so. Also looking at their social media they absolutely love the lifestyle there. I know that they have been before with Saints Academy but this is completely different, they now have the better facilities, hotels, eating at better restaurants etc, worlds apart from an Academy tour that they more or less had to fund themselves by raising money.

To be honest I wouldn't blame them either. Take Welsby for example, a 21 year old kid who has already won x4 GF's and a CC. What else is there for him to achieve at Saints? Go and test yourself over there and if it doesn't work out then he's still young enough to come back here and get a marquee deal somewhere.

I know that some of the Aussies were particularly impressed with Dodd's cameo. Looks to me like he has put a bit of size on in the off season so looks even better. He'll be like a new signing as we were playing superbly up to him going off on Good Friday last year and being done for the season.

Yeah agree on the Welsby point.

NRL scouts will have noted the form of 21-year-old St Helens half Lewis Dodd - with a shortage of class number sevens in Australia, he could find some clubs knocking on his door.

Above is what Moley said in his column this morning.

In note both are out of contract at the end of 2025.

Could be some rebuilding task if they both go, especially with Lomax and Roby retiring around then.

Saints in a boat we’ve found ourselves in previously in wanting to win a WCC game but knowing that by doing so, it opens plenty of eyes over in the NRL. It’s sad for the game here that the likelihood of a British side winning a WCC just means we lose more of our best players.

If I look at it from a players POV though, they’d be mad not to go and give it a crack. I look at Welsby and Knowles in particular and why wouldn’t you want to go within the next couple of years? You’ve won everything here, you’ll get more money and a better lifestyle and you’ll get to really test where you’re at. Saints seem to be able to find ways of keeping these lads but they’ll be tested more than ever if they put in a good performance on Saturday.

I think the best guess as to when the current Saints dynasty will end would be around 2025. Roby and LMS will be gone and a number of key players will be in their mid 30s (Makinson, Walmsley, Lomax, Paasi, Hurrell) and if one or both of Dodd/Welsby leave then it may also be around that time. Id be surprised if they didnt give it a go as they would have the safety net of a Saints return whenever they wanted it.

There will be replacements when the squad starts to disband of course and no doubt they'll be good ones as they've made lots of great decisions in recent years. But 2025 would be the earliest I'd say that this current run will come to an end - it will still be incredibly challenging for the other clubs to get over the top of them in the meantime.

Agreed. I actually think that this season is our last one with this core team and the ages they are at. Nothing lasts for ever and I think that from next season onwards we will need some rebuilding and transition will follow.

Wigan will always be there and there's huge wraps on this current Academy team with by all accounts some real potential superstars in there. Warrington will come good at some point especially as they are investing in their Academy at last. Leeds are also going down the project route with some Championship players that if they get some of them right like Walmsley and Batchelor, then they will be much improved too.

As I've said before I'd love to see Welsby over there. Whilst it would weaken us I'd love him to go and kill it over there at some point.

I think it could be a year earlier. You look at the amount of rugby that the likes of Percival and Makinson have played and you'll see them picking up more injuries. Percival in particular has struggled of late and Makinson missed a few last season too.

So it's just a Friendly then ?


Best get an Asterix Ready

Let’s be honest. As much as Welsby and Dodd are fantastic SL players, there are just as many equally as good NRL players running around in reserve grade over there.

We cannot compete with the talent pool over there

Kick off time put back 50 mins due to the heat.

Suits me as I'm at CentreParcs Fri- Monday so won't have to get up as early