So, what do we think?

This has got a classic written all over it. 1 and 2 in the league. The (IMO) sports biggest club rivalry. The side story of SOL and Graham’s last games.

I think we have 2 confident teams. Truth is I can’t call it, could be a relatively comfortable win for either side, could be a 2 point win either way. I’m not confident but I’m not pessimistic either.

For me it will ultimately come down to the basics of the game. The side that controls the ball better and is more disciplined will win. There are match winners on both sides.

I’m going glass half full, 14 - 12 to Wigan with Hardaker MOM, man on a mission after his last GF non appearance.

We'll smash 'em

Im going to go for a saints win unfortunately that way i wont be disappointed



Although looking at the ref thread on redvee, some of their fans seem defeated already

Quietly confident, especially with Powell back.

Hope it doesn’t rain.

Wigan by 12.

I am not surprised as the "great display" by Saints was more a case of Catalan committing self harm before and during the game.

Mcllorum and Joel Tomkins being stupid in the previous game, followed by a display by the rest of the team of appalling indiscipline which made Saints look better than what they were!

At least, Hull did make a game of Wigan's Semi Final.

Saints to win for me, weve been great recently just think they are a more rounded team

Them by 8

I never go in to a final particulars confident, I think it’s just a defence mechanism of trying to ensure I don’t get too disappointed if we lose. In this case I think we’re much improved and they’re not quite at that level of 2018 and 2019 but I still have them in front of us and as long as Walmsley is fit, I think they’ll win the game.

I’m treating this as a bit of a bonus final. When you’ve lost Sam Tomkins, John Bateman, George Williams, Ryan Sutton etc over the period of the last couple of off seasons and on top of that you’re coach and when you’ve had that uncertainty around the Edwards/Lam fiasco (which feels like it’s finally settled down), you’re in a bit of a transitional stage. We’ve brought loads of kids through, some who’ll be playing in their first final and all things considered I think a title win would probably come a year or two earlier than I’d have envisaged this time last year.

Wigan by 9

My head says Saints but in finals we always win the ones I think we will lose and lose the ones I think we will win. Literally the only times I called them right were the 2010 Grand Final and the 2013 Challenge Cup Final.

Just hope its settled by something spectacular rather than something controversial.

I think, on balance, that Sts are favourites but lets see what happens.

I am very similar in that I’m always cautious in any final to try and get my disappointment ready before the actual outcome so that a win is a bonus. That is pessimistic but it seems to have served me well over the years.

I’m still worried that there is another HKR performance in us even with some recent great displays.That is hopefully OTT but we will know in the first 5 minutes if we are ready for the battle

The main worry that I have for Friday is our bench which will probably consist of 3 backrowers and a weak prop. If Havard and Flower were playing I’d be a lot more upbeat.

If we are to win I think we need Hastings to have the game of his life which in his current form isn’t beyond him

Really looking forward to what hopefully will be a great game.

We’re slight favourites with the bookies.

Hopefully get the job done

I think we have to see it as big progress from last year that we're facing an (almost) fully fit Saints squad and we think we've got a decent shot.

Having said that I think Saints will rightly start as favourites, and will probably win. They're a good side with more players in their prime than we have. More importantly, they have Alex Walmsley this time who even if he's carrying a slight knock, improves their team enormously.

Head says Saints by a try or two, but I'd love it if Lockers could go out on a high.

I think Saints look a more dangerous attacking team and have the edge in the front row with Walmsley there. I think they will win but we're capable of it if we can match or exceed the defensive intensity that we showed a few weeks ago and keep mistakes to a minimum. Dont forget it was 4 tries to 1 last time and we missed three kicks. It looks like it'll be dry weather which I think helps us.

I suspect sadly that despite the progress we've made this year the poor results of our front row recruitment (plus injuries) will come back to bite us here. George B not working out plus Havard and Flower being unavailable might lead to us struggling in the middle. I think you have to go with a Greenwood, Lockers, Smithies and Clubb bench as there aren't other viable options.

No surprises in the squad, Powell and Greenwood back in.

Lockers to Prop

Is this the first time in his 20.year career that you have advocated selecting him?

I was nice too him 2010 t0 2018, Just ask Phuzzy

Head and heart say Saints by 6-12pts but a win is certainly doable, we just need to be on our game and much better than we were v Hull. I’d probably go as far to say we need the best game we’ve played all season to win.

I'm confident that if we play the way we have done for the last 5 games we'll give ourselves a very good chance of winning.

The way the team is playing they've made the second halves of games virtually one way traffic. We've only conceded one second half try since they cup semi and that was when we were destroying Salford. In total we've conceded less than 2 tries per game over the last 5 weeks.

With French, Hardaker, Gildart, Hastings, Farrell and Greenwood we have plenty of strike and in key positions we've got plenty of experience of these games.

The team seem to have gone up a gear after not really turning up against Leeds and I'm sure in a Grand Final and for Lockers' last game they'll be able to kick on a bit more.

The first 20 minutes will be huge IMO. I think they’ll be smarting from that recent defeat and their forwards will come out trying to prove a point. If we can ride it out without much damage then we’re bang in the game.

Yeah im edging towards Saints but certainly not ruling our boys out the way we have been playing and defending. This is the first time we have played each other in ages where pretty much anything can happen, i just hope that at the end of the game if it ends in defeat i get to say begrudgingly 'fair play Saints, the best side won' rather than having to talk about an officiating decision.

It really is about the first Walmsley spell for me. We have to hang on in there for that otherwise they'll get their tales up and as we have seen before it's a long way back.