Had to laugh at the BBC headline I just read from last night- ‘Injury hit Warrington lose at Wigan’. They were only missing Charnley, Austin and Hughes from there from there first choice side were they not? I raise that with Burgess, Manfredi, Flower, Bullock and O’Loughlin from ours. It’s always amusing how these things get reported.

It’s not like the BBC to be biased in any way.

But if we had carried on and won by 40/50 it would have closed our points difference right up and given us a chance of overturning their advantage.

Don't forget Davies and also the fact that we have never replaced T or Hamlin.

Aye, I was leaving Davies out on the basis Manfredi and Burgess would probably be first choice and Tautai wouldn’t be in our best 17 but Hamlin probably would’ve been. I guess you could say that for Kev Brown also though, had he been fully fit.

All in all based on fully fit squads at the start of 2019, they were 4 first choice 17 lads down and we were probably 6 down. Only goes to prove the headline was bonkers.

Marshall is in front of Burgess, I’d have Hardaker Manfredi Hankinson Gildart Marshall French Hastings next season

I wish that more of players played with his spirit, especially in the forwards.

It's role reversal for our respective clubs in the last two months, where Wigan had problems in the camp that now appear to be clearing, whereas were in a right hole, with a serious attitude problem in our camp.

I can't remember having such a low expectation of an impending cup final.

Bottom line is, I cant see anything other than a treble for Saints.

I'd argue Brown too as a pre season was wasted and we'd only just signed Smith.

Aye, I mentioned him a bit further down. Realistically you were 4 down on a first choice 17 and we were minimum 5 and probably 6.

Not like it matters, everyone (bar Saints these past two years) gets runs of injuries are rarely go in with anything less than 4 or 5 players out. It was just a silly headline from the BBC.

Boring game which was finished by half time. Wigan played alright, Warrington were dreadful and if Price doesn’t manage to fluke a final they should get rid. Looking like a Saints vs Wigan Grand Final with a Saints win. Wigan and Warrington are both nowhere near.

Shockingly poor trolling, must try harder

if youre going down that route then I would throw in Hamlin and Tauti

Enjoy the treble.

Admit it, you’re bricking it

In all honesty, I'm where I've been most of the year - that Wigan have built up some form based on playing poor teams. The two wins against decent sides (Hull and Wire) have been the week after the CC Semi and week before CC Final respectively and haven't overly impressed me.

The pack that people are saying stood up so well against Wire is broadly the same pack that couldn't get out of its own half against Saints recently. I think Clubb in for Bullock - anything else?

I think Wire were very poor and Wigan were OK. I still think the Saints pack will have little trouble against that Wigan pack. Or maybe that should read "should have" given our recent big game bottling.

I think that’s a fair assessment.

I don’t think our pack is a match for St Helens’ though it is improving. Smithies, Partington and Byrne have had a few more games under their belts since the St Helens game. We shouldn’t forget they are squad numbers 24, 34 & 38 though! This shows where they were at the start of the season.

If we make it to the GF, and that’s still a big if imo it will ultimately come down to who plays better and handles the occasion on the day. I’m very happy with how our season has turned around though I think the GF will be one step too far.

And your pack is broadly the same one that bottled it last year. What does that prove? The fact is we are 9 from 10, playing better by the week and with Flower, O'loughlin and possibly Bullock to add to the pack that is now going well. The young lads have come of age since the Saints match too so I'm not sure it is the 'same' in real terms.

Will it be enough come October? Who knows but there's certainly room for optimism. Will Saints bottle it again come October? Who knows but again there's room for optimism.

One thing I do know and that is if we're lining up against you at Old Trafford you won't be going into that game without worrying we'll do a number on you.

Don't know about that - we played most of last year without our best prop Walmsley and had a badly fading Wilkin and plodding Luke Douglas in the pack that lost to wire. The likes of Thompson/Ashworth/Lees/Knowles are another year and another offseason on too. I'd say our pack this year is a long way stronger than the pack we took into the play-offs, but I take your point.

That said, I don't think we lost out due to our weaker pack last year, what cost us was Barba/Richardson being very flimsy in defence late on in a game we were winning.



Just my opinion - the young lads have been playing well for sure - no question.



I said as much by referencing we could well still bottle it - so of course I would be worries in the same way I am worried we might lose to Wire on Saturday. But it is not your form or teamsheet (or that of Warrington) that concerns me, but our potentially flakey mentality.

Like I said though - just my opinion.

Fair enough. I guess we're likely to find out soon enough.

I spoke at length with Greg Bird prior to last seasons semi-final and he said he was happy to draw Saints, when I asked him why he said, 'Because we think their pack is soft'. I think he was proved to be right, however I do take your point that there has been an improvement this season. Much will depend on injuries in the run-in as always in the salary cap era.

St Helens just seen a more complete unit this year. They are better for not being dependant upon one star name. Very few have a good word to say about Grace on here yet he fits well into their system, you could call it synergy. For all of our improvement we still do not have the go forward and relying on our defence is still too negative. We have rightly praised the youngsters but it will be a while before they regularly make the kind of dents in the defensive line that allow the backs to sweep through hence our purchases for next year.

I think that is spot on.
Saints are 20 points better than us on a bad day because as you say our go forward is too weak and too slow to cause them any consistent issues from an attacking perspective.

I happy with the change in our attitude and fortune In the past few weeks but for me saints are far superior in most areas and unless they implode again I cannot see anyone stopping them winning the gf.
Next season will interesting though.

Greg Bird's got a cheek to talk about soft, after some of les Cats' performances this season!

Can't argue with Saints looking far better. I still think they're only a couple of injuries in the pack from looking much more fallible than they seem at the moment.

Their forwards have been running over everyone this year, but take Thompson out of their team, put a fit Flower and SOL in ours, all of a sudden I think we can compete. Obviously all ifs and buts however and you'd make them huge favourites against anyone if the GF was tomorrow.

Wouldn't disagree with your comments at all.
We would have to be at full strength and at our best and saints would need to be below par with maybe as you say an injury or two to key players to give us a realistic chance