The first St.Helens born coach since Billy Benyon if I'm not mistaken

Re: Brown.

I had reservations when he came. His Hudds team had tailed off after that demonic defensive season they had and that tempered any enthusiasm I had for him. Last year I wasn't expecting much. We lost out on Chris Hill and took a punt on Walmesley. It helped Brown to identify what we knew we were missing i.e. a half back, Lomax at full back and a grafting prop. We addressed that and started this season like a house on fire. We were great.

Defensively we dropped off and never really had that intensity until later in the season when we were battling teams without half backs. Almost every game in the final few weeks felt like an arm wrestle. Somehow, despite our vulnerabilities we still made it through and Brown deserves a lot of credit, as do the players, for the belief they had in themselves. If you put the effort and commitment in that can be enough to get you through the playoffs and it was never more in evidence than in the Grand Final when composure and patience played a bit part.

Next year we look stronger and it's a great base on which KC can build upon. I'm sure the club is already looking beyond that because bringing through some quality half backs of our own is a priority from today onwards.

On the 2006 side, it might be a while before we see anything like them again, however, if we stay free from injuries next year we have a good chance of seeing a team which has the potential to lead from the front again.

Seconds before half time, when half the stand had nipped to the bar to get a jump on the queue!?

That match also had one of Stevo's (few) great commentary lines. As Long lined up a penalty in the closing minutes - "Bring on the salt, the wound is wide open!"

It's a measure of the standard of analysis in SL that throughout all last season - from game one right up to the Semi (when everyone was obsessed with Wigan and Warrington's "scintillating" attacking play) - virtually no one thought to mention a) Saints full strength pack is both enormous and effective and b) the dominant SL pack usual wins the GF.

That's the one! I think that try made it 18-6 at half time...before that it was a fairly close game but that Sullivan try seemed to sink Wigan that night.

What you mean is "Props win pots"?