It is a poor league compared to those seasons you mention, you only have to watch it to see that. You may disagree, but IMO the 2006 Saints side would demolish this one.

Wigan weren't the only full-time team, and had won multiple league and cups in a row before we went full time but good try though.

On your second point, you're completely ignoring that it's been an uneven comp during 2 of the years you've won it. We credit Saints for being the best over this period but you can't expect to be lauded in the same way as if you'd done it over normal seasons. Moreso, when Woolf is more than happy to use the situation to his advantage. And please don't pretend that didn't happen.

Of course you've won it 3 times. That's in the record books and credit to Saints for that. But similarly it needs to be recognised by yourselves that it was done across a skewed competition. One where you didn't even need to play the same number of games as some of your opposition.

I'm not talking about Sky, I'm talking about fans of other clubs.

Players are bigger, faster and stronger than ever before and defences are harder to break down yet all of a sudden it's a poor comp. Suddenly when Saints are winning- its a poor comp. Funny that.

We've had luck in finals- so what, it won't say that in the history books will it. What about when Wellens got injured during the 2011 GF and Shenton had to go FB. We were beating Leeds up to that point and they scored to win it down the side where Shenton had been defending, was that not bad luck for Saints?

As I say it riles me that we don't get the credit we deserve. Now we are only a one man team with Walmsley, however if I'm honest I think losing Lomax would have a much bigger impact than losing Walmsely. We didn't lose to Toulouse because Walmsley was missing.

Just for clarity Stu, are you saying you would have still lost that game with Walmsley in the team?

Ok then. I'm a Utd fan for my sins. So by the same context do we say that Liverpool winning the league in 2020 for the first time in 30 years should be under valued too? Whether it's a skewed competition or not, the fact remains you have to finish high enough to qualify for the play offs, then win your play off games and a Final. There's no change there.

Yes. We were completely off, got hammered for pens (through our own ill discipline) and Hurrell/Simm in defence were awful. Roby only came on after 60 mins too, lots of variables. I don't think that Walmsley playing automatically says we win that game. Let's not forget also that he only plays approx 40 mins every game.

They played the same number of games as the rest of the league and the league wasn't based on "win percentage"

I don't follow football Stu so I simply don't know. Did they, for example, play less games than their opposition?

Doesn't matter. There was an enforced break during the season (unlike any other in the history of the Sport) players missing through Covid, no crowds. It was an extraordinary season.

As I said, we had to finish top 4 regardless and then win the knockout games. We did that. Last season we also won the CC so played more games than most due to that also.

40 minutes for hundred and plenty metres. Something none of the rest of your team managed as I recall. Only one player topped 100 metres. You lost by 2 points. Are you now saying Walmsley isn't good enough to close even that small a gap?

Anyway to be honest its a lonely place on a rival fans forum up against lots of others. I've made my points so I'm happy I've done that.

No doubt if we become the first team to win it 4 in a row it will only be because the league is poor, the refs favour us or we don't have any injuries.

We lost that game through missing two conversions. Hankinson nailed his, Makinson missed two.

And you wonder why opposition fans don't give you credit? You haven't acknowledged or accepted a single point any of us has made. Are you actually saying they aren't true?

No, you lost it because you didn't dominate Toulouse in the way you're used to. That is due to not having Walmsley put you on the front foot. You've missed kicks before and still won. If you truly can't see the difference a world class player like Walmsley makes then there's little point discussing this.

You might not like it but the standard of the other sides is diabolical. We finished 4th last year, 4th! We were embarrassing and scored less points on average per game than Leigh and a similar amount to the worst top flight side I can recall in Workington 25 years ago. That sums the comp up.

Saints shouldn’t take offence to the fact they’re dominating an English top flight that is at its weakest I can ever remember, in fact they should feel huge pride in having their standards so high whilst other clubs limp along and I’ll give them huge credit for helping raise standards should another club/s get their backsides in gear and actually challenge them.

I give Saints huge credit for many things. I’ve fought the corner of a guy like Morgan Knowles on here and feel I’m pretty fair but I can’t sit here and lie and say you’re beating much. If that’s not giving you the credit you deserve, feel free to call it that, but I just call it speaking the truth.

Didn't Wigan win it seven times in a row or was it only six.

I admire you for coming in here and speaking up for your club. Let’s face it, we’d do the same and we wouldn’t like to hear things said that may take a gloss off some great achievements either.

You have to have it straight though. Nobody is questioning refereeing decisions and we’re talking about an injury ‘crisis’ you’ve not had to face, not just single injuries here and there. The quality of the league is dire on the whole as well but that isn’t criticising the quality of Saints. They’re a top quality outfit but it’s all relevant and the challenge they’re being given from across the game is very poor. That’s not Saints problem though, that’s our problem and the other clubs and the fact nobody looks able to get near you, when your game plan isn’t rocket science is something all the clubs should feel pretty embarrassed about.

At least you've come on, our resident Saints troll, W/W'69 has been noticeable by his absence this weekend

Looking at the way Woolfe, and to a certain extent Holbrook, manage their injuries, it is probably part of the reason why they haven't had any injury crisis in the last few years. Any time there is what is perceived as a weak fixture, players are missing. Injured say Saints, rested says everybody else. In truth it is probably players with niggles etc that are rested. That way niggles don't become injuries. Perhaps other clubs should learn. Losing a couple of times to the likes of London, did little to affect the outcome of the Grand Final.

If other clubs follow the Woolf playbook we might have to cancel that mid season England fixture, as England will have half a team and we’ll have nobody to play.

Some clubs don't have the luxury of resting players with niggles because when you're already missing 6, 7 or 8 players and playing players out of position you can't make many more changes.

They'd practically already won it before the break

Wasn't the break the same for everyone anyway? I'm not sure how that makes it an uneven comp. Only if Liverpool got a break and others didn't would it be equivalent.

I know you know Rogues but for those that don't recall it was seven times in a row. However, that also included four doubles, two trebles (WCC). Oh and I have not added three years we won the Premiership (1992, 1994 1nd 1995) and the Lancashire Cup 1993. I remember all the loving and respect from opposition fans do you?

It's this from Stu, who to be fair is generally a good poster, that makes me laugh. He's here saying they don't get the credit they deserve but thinks nothing of posting:

What about when Wigan dominated all those years? They were the only full time team then so hardly a fair competition. Now that the playing field is level, they haven't dominated in the same way.

In other words "it's an unfair comp when Wigan take an advantage but a level playing field when Saints do".

They can't have it both ways.