IF (and its a relatively big if) we can stay top, I would fancy our chances vs Cas, it usually takes new teams a couple of games to get used to the playoffs, and the home advantage might actually mean something to us this year! Beyond that its difficult to tell, no one team has really stood above the rest, and a fortified performance like the one vs Leeds at LP could see us through to the big stage.

The difficulty is staying top. I reckon wins vs Hull and vs Wakefield will secure us a top 4 spot. But after that who knows. Huddersfield are almost as jekyll and hyde as we are, Warrington were playing great, but seem to have hit a road block, which if it turns into a full blown drop in form could be disasterous for them, and Leeds are just Leeds. We'd need 1/2 wins from those 3 games to stand a chance of securing top (depending on how other results go) - which is doable, if not unlikely.

Putting both together though will be a very big ask. The problem with so many playmakers out is we will become predictable, and in turn the plan might work for the play offs, but be too late as we surrendered the easier run, or work in securing top but mean teams know how to play us in the playoffs.

It's been confirmed on the RFL twitter feed it's the highest placed team in the league table who doesn't make the GF.

This does surprise me - Sky/RFL have not rated the League Leader's Shield (aka Hub Cap) as much of an achievement / trophy.

Any chance of Saints progressing beyond week 1 relies on us losing this week and Catalans doing us a favour. Would give us a home semi against Huddersfield.....which we'd probably lose anyway. In reality I see us losing and Cas winning which would give us a home schlacking off Wigan in week one.

Actually, If Catalans, Huddersfield and Wigan/Wire win, Cas would finish 4th.