It's more to do with how well Wire play than us. If they are on the top of their game I'm afraid we won't beat them. However, I'd expect us to improve markedly from Friday and it's not beyond the realms that Wire will underperform (we still have the wood on them at the HJ). I'll be optimistic and go for that to happen and for us to eek out a famous win by 2-4 points.

But what about the old adage that Wire will only play well if we let them (an vice versa)?

I fancy Saints to win to be honest. Either way who ever comes away with the spoils I'd don't see their being more than 8 points in.

Wire 22 - 26 Saints.

I personally think that their best is better than ours at the moment. It's very rare two teams both produce their best but if Wire do, I can't see us winning. However, they've shown many times, including a few this season, that they don't always play to the best of their ability.

Whilst that's a pretty sensible statement, I may be inclined to disagree for the following reason.

Warrington are a BIG team and have been playing some excellent rugby, but do you remeber when the bulls would be in the same position? They got so used to bullying teams off the park that often when a team like Saints were bouyed by the big occasion (a final, perhaps), adrenaline made up for the lack of weight and our classier players were able to win through.

Obviously, Wire's backs are better than the likes of Nathan McAvoy and Scott Naylor , but you get my drift. When I've seen them lose, its because the opposition have muscled up an extra 10% and frustrated them - the next thing you know they reverted to their former seasons' tactic of forcing wild offloads at every chance and trying to score off every play.

Perhaps, with a couple of lads back (Perry being the main one), we can gear up to give this sort of extra hard performance upfront and put them in that position where they'll sacrifice vital position and posession.

If we managed it, it would be a massive point in our season IMO. Something we are capable of, but it will take some real motivation and focus.
Saying all that, being "up" for the big occasion doesn't seem high on our list of qualities at the moment.

I dont think Wire are unbeatable. I just don't rate us that highly. I think if you took our players and put them in a Cas shirt and removed the name factor, Wire would smash them by 50 and everyone would expect them to given the names. Seriously, look at our backs. Bar Meli there is not a danger to Warrington there at all. For me the packs balance each other out largely and their backs destroy ours. If Wire get a lead early I think they'll tee off on us and unleash decades of pent up frustration on us.

Our backs are capable of palying if they get any go forward, especially with Lomax on the sniff and the ability that we have shown to get good ball to your man Meli. We also have Rambo Roby ready to pounce as Gaskell, who if kicking on the front foot, will give a good hand in winning territory.

Last time we played them though, they dominated us so in the contact area we didn't stand a chance. I also cring at the though of Gaskell defending against the pace o the Wire backs.

I expect Wire to dominate the ruck much like Wigan but if we can get a decent first 20 in and not concede more than 6 then we may have a game on our hands

No prediction though

The defence issue with Gaskell may be just his youthful inconsistency. He has pulled off some fantastic tackles but has also done a bit of tickling too. I wonder as well if his height is an issue? He's 6ft 4 isn't he? (Apparently one of the tallest scrum halves ever in RL) And he's a beanpole as well. A bit like Pryce, who always looks awkward tackling I think. Just some random theories that are probably all garbage anyway!

Although our right edge does not look very secure, defence-wise, I am sure Simmons has seen it and will attempt to shore it up, pending cooperation from the lads on Friday night. Let's hope they are all in the right frame of mind for a fight! (Not literally a fight, but you get my drift)

40-12 to Wire

we are all saying gaskell cant tackle this season he as missed 19 tackles same as lomax so does this mean he cant tackle too think not

It's a very difficult skill is tackling two, for one you need massive ranga arms to get around 4 legs.

could do with someone like that friday

If Carmont can go around Gaskell with ease, I would expect Atkins to do likewise. That said, I would wager Saints have been reworking his position in the defensive line in this week's training.