Nearly spat my beer out when Mcmanus said warrington.

But there we have it

wigan v wire
saints v catalans

Next week's game between wigan and warrington is (in effect) the grand final as IMO whoever wins that will take out the title. Kinda feel bad for saints, it's looking like another old trafford defeat but the way the draws panned out they haven't had to play a real contender to get there so they're almost going to lose at old trafford again by default.

If Saints aren't careful Catalans will turn them over. Catalans seem to be able play well v Saints.

I said before the playoffs started I thought Warrington would win it and I still think that. I think they've got the mentality and ability to beat Wigan and Saints.

Wigan at their best would stroll it,

If they switch off thinking that tho then a surprise can happen.

Got £20 on Wire to win it at 11/2 in the believe that it'll probably be them or us to win it (out it on before last nights game).

I still honestly believe Saints are a shout though. Catalans are done so Saints are in a high pressure final and anything can happen in that atmosphere.

It's one from three.

We all knew that if wire were getting to the grand final we'd be playing Wigan at some point, I've been wondering if Smith has had one eye on the long term and been planning to try and combat Wigan's style like we struggled against I'm the second half,
. The way we defended on Thursday and that scrum penalty makes me think I'm right. How will we overcome the slow rucks g don't know, but we only need a couple of openings to get b roll on.


Fingers crossed

'By default' - your trolling is just embarrassing, Saints have beaten both Wigan and Warrington and continued to perform despite the constant criticisms of people like you. Ever heard of 'never write off the Saints'?

What I meant by default was, if they'd had to play wigan/warrington before the grand final they probably wouldn't get there because I don't believe they can beat either of those teams without a proper halfback. But as they've avoided them, chances are they'll lose in the final instead of the semi.

They beat both wigan and warrington with luke walsh. Had it not been for catalans beating cas they probably wouldn't be in the position they are to make the grand final.

By 'default'? Lol.

Don't you mean by winning the LLS we have avoided the best teams? It's kinda what is meant to happen when you win the league, you get some sort of benefit and reward.

I agree tho we won't win it but I don't care. I'm glad that we are now back in the big games.

Saints are too good a team to lose anything 'by default', whatever their disadvantage they always give as good as they have got and are not going to be easy beats. Wigan are strong but nothing outstanding and may I remind you that Warrington have never won a grand final.

Except a dozen times this season when they have bent over?

Yeah, for once finishing top has actually given a team a real advantage.

Is it the two winners go through or does the loser of one get another shot at it ?

You have said yourself how little weekly rounds matter, hardly worth using the energy once you're 12+ points down

I must add that Saints won at Wigan without Walsh (he went off injured in the first half)
Not saying they will win the grand final, but to say Wigan or Warrington will win 'by default' is utterly foolish

So, they lost 12 games yet still finished top? Can you elaborate on this odd statement?

If cas had beaten catalans they would have won the LLS on points difference and saints wouldn't be in the position they are to make the grand final. So it does matter for points difference. A situation out of saints control went their way so it never came into play. Some of your fans were bleating about that before the cats v cas game, that bending over in games already lost might cost you the LLS.

The way Cas have played last couple of weeks they would probably have lost week one anyway and Saints would have club call regardless.

Ifs and buts anyway.as others have said its nice to see the top team get a proper easy run to final for once, how it should be.

Finishing top has always given the top team a "real advantage". It is just Saints (so far) are capitalising on it.

Don't blame the playoff system for teams just not having any bottle.

Why did you only choose to answer 1/3 of my post?

It would be interesting to see what sort of crowd turns up for the GF if Catalans make it.

Less than 50k.probably around low 40's.

Do you really think it's that cut and dried.
With how the play offs have gone so far, anything could happen.

We've had blow outs, when they weren't expected and close games when they were not expected.
Wigan have come unstuck against big mobile forwards and both Catalan and Saints have superb packs.
Ok, Saints are badly missing a decent pair of half backs but, IF Catalan could win next week, they could cause another major upset
and all of this from 8th spot !

I don't think Catalans can win the Final, I think they'd be overawed by the occasion, but they can definitely win at Saints. They've proven before they can win there, Saints will have to play well to beat them.

If Saints do get to the final they stand just as much chance as Wigan or Warrington. It all depends who handles the occasion the best and plays the right kind of rugby. You need to play it relatively tight but can't just revert to 1 out rugby, you've still got to move the ball and, more than anything, you need to kick well.
All 3 of Wigan, Warrington and Saints can do that.

My money is on Warrington, I just thought I saw a determination in them in their last few games, the same kind of determination I saw at Leeds in 07/08.

You're probably right, although none of the top clubs have been consistent over the past number of weeks and although Wigan may be ok against Warrington, they have struggled in the forwards at various times this season.
The lack of consistency from all of the contenders makes both semi finals difficult to call.
Although Warrington have looked hungry, victory at Wigan will be a tough ask.

The bookise have it as a Wigan Evens) - Saints (11/4) final, with Wire 7/2 and Catalan 8/1, but there is a good chance of an upset in both semi's

Well this is one Saints fan who was glad we won the LLS and did not give it up after Walsh's injury, but we are relying on sport being a funny old game if we win the GF.

What is difficult to predict is have we found the right combinations and a new system, or was the Cas game a one off.

You can argue it both ways, we were touch and go in the games leading up to the Cas game. Good defensively, but shocking in attack. Then the attack came good for the Cas game.

or

Cas were way off the pace allowing us to attack with free reign. Even beating Catalan if we do will not prove this as people will say they are to tired to win.

So we won't know where we stand until the GF. It could be that Brown has come up with a style of play to cope without creative players, but I don't know at this point.

As an optimist I would hope the answer is yes and it just took some weeks to pull it all together. As a realist it's more likely that finishing top has given us the key to progress with less of a challenge.

Yes.

This saints team tonight have been crap. I can't think of a worse team that has lined up at old trafford for the grand final and it's a depressing reality check for the current quality of super league. It's half time and I already know they are going to win despite only been 6 points ahead and playing in sleep walk mode. That's how great super league is. Wigan and warrington have been the only 2 teams worth a damn in this entire shoddy series. Everyone else has been/is crap.