We've got two reasonably good hookers ahead of Johnson, and I'd expect O'Connor to get better with a preseason training in the role. Johnson might not get too many games, and its up to him to take the game on when he gets picked.

Next year will be interesting. If we have Sangare and Holroyd available we may see Smith change the defensive tactics. The 'rope-a-dope' quite passive defence he's used this year was a lot to do with the lack of size up front - we can't hold bigger teams so its better to let them make yards but hold the defensive shape. The problem is as we saw in the GF, a quality attacking team will beat you more often than not. The way to stop Sts attack is by being better defensively across the field, starting in the middle by actually stopping them making easy yards.

Our attack would look very different as well if we had Newman and another strike centre. I agree re the halfbacks, although Sezer looked pretty good toward the end of the year. Another worry with them is they seem pretty injury prone - Austin missed 8 games and Sezer 14 - and our only real backup is still very much a kid.

We do have issues with the squad still - Dwyer, Sutcliffe, Thompson, Briscoe, Mustapha are going but we still have too many who aren't quite good enough or are injury prone, or both. It might take another year or so to get us out of the hole we were in, which was far deeper than GH and co seemed to realise until halfway through this year. At least it looks like we are getting rid of the right players though.

For me issues with the spine are less about quality and more about depth and availability. Especially if the plan is for myler to be first choice fullback and Zak one of the centres, we’ve seen it only takes Sezer or Austin to be out to prompt a reshuffle. As good a prospect as young Sinfield might be I don’t think he’s ready yet and would benefit from a loan. Likewise Tindall, although his performances back end of the year were admirable I think he’d benefit from playing every week.

Converse to that I’d like to see Edwards get a gig as first choice back up centre. Johnson is the interesting one, wasn’t he one of the first new contracts signed after Rohan arrived?

Aside from Prior, who has already confirmed he is going, we also have Sezer, Austin, Tetevano, Fusitua, Bentley, and Walker (I can't see another club coming in for him) out of contract for 2024. Potentially a lot of cap to throw around, but also a huge motivation for those players to get on the pitch and deliver consistently.

I often think having having more teams (same as nrl) and less games would be ideal but money wise it just won't happen anytime soon.

Maybe their tv deal in nrl has a lot to do with the wide gap financially?

Dropping down to 10 could be a little too drastic.

It's so frustrating. The game just doesn't seem to have grown at all does it. The comp and players really deserve more.

Roby should be spoke about as bbc sports personality of the year. But I doubt he will get a mention.

The profile of the game and players is hugely important to attract the next stars but I don't see what has been done in the last few years to remedy that??

The only one I would keep out of that lot is Bentley.

Saints are really classless in victory (especially some of their fans)

Did any of the players or coach give credit to Leeds after the game?

Hard to disagree. Sezar is a very good player, but doesn’t seem to have the heart for it. He’s the Joe Bugner of the Side, (there maybe better RL examples)

based on what? having a couple of injuries?
i think based on the play off game against Catalans alone it shows he is up for it

Academy lads beat Saints 26 - 22 after extra time. Sounds like an epic game.

Yes they all did, they were also very complimentary of what Rohan Smith has done in a very short time. Think it was Lomax who also mentioned Bateman taking out Sezer to miss the final.

They were alright. Makinson made a 2@ of himself but other than that I thought they were decent.

Haven't listened to the player interviews but had no probs with saints fans before, during or after the game. Ones near us were shaking hands and went out of their way to applaud our players.

In terms of comparing eras, yes I think it's difficult overall, but the game hasn't really changed much in the last 10 to 12 years from a tactical or technical point of you. Wrestling to slow down the ruck has been the primary defensive tactic and the introduction highly structured attack with the FB as an extra pivot has been the primary attacking tactic for over a decade now. Whereas, if you look at the 2000s compared to the 90s, the game is almost unrecognisable.

Fair dos im probably getting my opinion from looking at twitter too much, and being a bit grumpy

All the fans I met were perfectly fine and friendly and we just talked like normal people. Best team won. Leeds had terrible game plan, saints fans deserve their victory and enjoyment.