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.

No question, the hub cap and a GF aspartame would represent a good achievement from an injury plagued season IMO. Would also represent progress which is important to Saints at the moment.

If we can do some smart transfer business I think we could end up favourites in 2015.

It's just my opinion. We were atrocious in the first 40. We were lucky to go in 8 (?) points down. Sinfield's game management (in my opinion) would have nullified us second half, as he did in the cup final. Mark Percival might have kicked the goal that Turner missed so we can call it 18.

There's been no real stand out team this year. All the top 6 will fancy it, and they can all beat one another when the cards fall right.

I find it hard to see Saints winning enough games in the play-offs with makeshift halfbacks. I'm not ruling it out, and they can still beat anyone. But can they win a succession of big games with that injury list? Time will tell.

Cas have to learn from their Wembley disappointment. If they do that, then why not?

Wigan fans don't seem convinced. They didn't last year either...

Hudds and Wire have yet to convince me that they're ready to win the really big play-off games. But with so little between the top 6, now would be a good time to do it.

Leeds know how to win the big games. 6th would be a lot to ask of themselves when the 5 teams above us look good. But 6th and 5th aren't much different in this play-off format and it's been done before. I still wonder what difference to the draw those 4 unnecessary dropped points before the semi and final might have made.

You might say the standard has dropped this year but I don't think there is anything separating the top 6 anyone could win it. Think saints with no HB will struggle to win a succession of big games, but adversity can benifit them so who knows. I would guess at one of Leeds/Wigan being in the final as they both seem to be able to perform in knockout rugby. But who knows. More chilled out than usual about it with the trophy we already have, hopefully the players don't feel the same

Don,t forget Saints have the best home record in Superleague this year and have done the double against a few of the top teams this year.
Although we have lost playmakers in Walsh, Wheeler, Wilikin and Lomax they are adapting to a different way of playing and come the play offs we will have negated the loss of these players.
Superleague quality is poor this season so I don,t think you can eradicate anyone out of the top 6.

Spot on. Everyone in the six can be as ordinary/avearge/ok as each other.