And if you look you'll find Saints fans dismissing their own chances too! They are all opinions. Don't take them to heart.

Terrible post.

To me wigan playing poorly is irrelevant. They have the halfbacks, the pack, the backs and the experience. They've not exactly planned to lose recent games but i think they've assesed things and basically figured it's a much of a muchness. Getting primed is more important then actual league placing so they've not been near 100% while teams they have played have been battling for their lives for one reason or another...... So they've had a few little defeats big f*cking deal.

I will be suprised if wigan aren't lining up at old trafford by the end of it.

I recall as dismal performance at Huddersfield in the last round of 2012 and 4 games later we were arranging another homecoming. Wigan are more than capable of hitting form again when it matters. I don't think Saints have the strength in depth to cover for the missing players in play-off rugby. They've done well enough in the regular rounds but who was busting a gut every week? Even Huddersfield appear to have held something back this time. They may prove me wrong but I'd be very surprised if Saints win it.

I think gaining virtually all home games in the playoffs will be a massive boost for us, we've generally played much better at LP this year as opposed on the road.

I think we can make the final, but what happens on the day is anyone's guess.

I don't think saints can reach old Trafford tbh. To many strike players missing which is a shame as we've topped the league for most the season.

Just shows that a injury crisis at the wrong end of the season can ruin the whole season but that's rugby league.

Yeah, remember 2005 where Terry Newton single handedly dismantled your entire season in about 20 minutes. I don't think i've ever seen an injury infliction spree quite like it.

Yep, he totally wiped us out that year. That's what makes the play offs a bad thing and also makes it a good thing as it's basically blown wide open.

It's the nature of the sport.

Remember that well, tried to break the jaw of Gardner and failed, tried to break the jaw of Gilmour and failed, got third time lucky and succeeded on Long.

We,ve had an injury curse on us for the past 6 years during the play off and GF,s. One day we will have a decent pair of half backs to get us through instead of our seasonal false dawns.

That might be one of the reasons why you lost all those GF's as you've managed to make it there despite bad injurys. I remember 2010 and i knew before the game you would lose against wigan because i think you had both first choice halfbacks out.

Again this year you will stand a decent chance of making it with the top 2 finish, but i can't see you winning. Unless you play leeds of course, i always back against leeds

There are so many variables that it is highly possible that Saints will end up with club call and pair Wigan and Leeds in the semi final and by doing so could easily end up in the final themselves.

Finals can then come down to strategy and tactics. CC final a great example. Picking the right tactics for the way the team is composed can then win the game against whatever odds the bookmakers want to place.
The next two weeks will show if Saints have found a way to win games without halfbacks, or if the last two games were just fluckes

Would the saints fans relish a return to OT,where they have lost 5 in a row, without key halfbacks and the strong possibility they play Leeds or wigan?

I'd like to get there. Obviously a win there would be great but we've not been for a long time so the LLS and a old Trafford appearance would be the a decent season.

I'd definitely still want to get there, even knowing full well that we'll lose. The more battle scars we collect, the much sweeter it will be when we finally (and I believe we will one day ) win the big one again.

Certainly would, its an achievement in itself to get there and we,ve done that on 10 occaisons.

Also its the old adage if you keep on losing a final the closer you get to winning one, endorsed by Leeds first Challenge Cup win this century.