This final cannot be called.
i do believe we come into this final with a much younger and quicker side then your self's, but you have a lot of experience.

I think they are even more formiddable now. For a number of reasons.

Firstly the mental aspect of things. They have a bunch of players who don't have a complex about losing to leeds at old trafford. These players as well, just happen to be pretty damn good. They gave wigan a touch up twice so that should indicate straight away to us that they may be young, but they sure as hell aint no mugs.

Secondly they have a more rounded team, better suited to beating leeds. They have more pace outwide, and more pace and agility at halfback, they have a better kicking game and a more reliable goal kicker.

You just can't rule out this leeds team being able to find a way though. The tenacity and togetherness they display on these occasions is a very powerful factor and can sometimes prove to be the overiding factor.

I have absolutly no idea which way this ones gonna go.

Will saints, ironically, end their losing streak with a rookie halfback pairing?

Will leeds make history and become the first team to win it from 5th?

Oldham lost four on the bounce up to and including 2010.

If we lose this one, of course, we will be in our own little exclusive club!

On the matter of our youngsters ...

Assuming we stick to last week's team (and a couple of players had to go for scans this week - we played Wigan, dontcha know), of the rookie players only Makinson and Gaskell haven't played in a Grand Final before. Poor old Lomax was stuck in the centre position for the first and only time in his career last year (thank you Potter and your idiotic team line ups), Foster played on the wing and Dixon scored the first try for us. In addition to Gaskell and Makinson being GF virgins, LMS and Shenton haven't played in GFs before either but since Shenton has played against the Aussies down under, I don't expect him to have any problems with the occasion.

You could have said all of this about Warrington.

Warrington had no mental baggage about Leeds in Grand Finals or playoffs, we'd only played Leeds in knock out games twice in the modern era, first in the 2006 playoffs when we knocked Leeds out at Headingley and then last year in the Challenge Cup final.

So Warrington certainly had no mental baggage about Leeds and we happen to be pretty damn good (better than Saints who we beat twice and finished above in the league, and yes we beat Wigan home and away in the league also just like we did Leeds).

If Leeds can beat Warrington at Warrington then they can definitely beat this Saints team which I do respect as it is good and they have done very well this year but I think Leeds with Sinfield, Burrow and co will win another GF, it will be a game too far for the Saints.

Sorry, I lazily assumed the original comment referred to the top grade Championship.

Hang on to that silver lining .... just in case.

Best team on the day will win, just as it should be.

Its really hard to call,whats impressed me about Saints recently is the scrambling defence has been outstanding its like watching the old Saints that just would never give up,they dont panic if they go a couple of scores down,there is a real self belief coming back for us.What worries me about Leeds is pace,they can damage us on the break if our line isnt set.On balance i think we have an advantage in the forwards and that may well be the difference after 80 minutes.

Lokking forward to it,its to close to really call but being a Saint im going for us by 4.