Oh, how they cheered when they were drawn against Les Cats.

Just been on redvee (I didn't even know it existed, until someone brought it up on here, a fortnight ago), and one bedwetter came up with a belter...

.....imagine if we don't win the GF......it'll be the biggest bottle job, ever......

Food for thought, eh readers?

Saints have been pushing their luck for a few weeks now and it seems their luck and energy has run out.

Spot on

I think that's the crux of the issue there. We're 10 points clear in the league because we've played our strongest 17 every single round. With Walmsley out long term, the pack has been flogged and the whole squad is now at that 'Jeez I'm done' stage. They all need a couple of weeks off, but Holbrook's philosophy seems to not allow that. He's an inexperienced coach and he'll no doubt learn from this season. I can see us now stumbling through the 8s and exiting at the semi final, or getting Cas'd in the final.

Another area where experience is crucial and we have none is the halves. Richardson is a fantastic prospect but he's got to learn from today and Lomax has always been a headless chicken who is great at unlocking defenses, but useless at controlling a game. It was blatantly obvious what Catalans gameplan was and what it was always going to be. Throw the kitchen sink at us, blood and thunder, fast start. All Saints had to do to win that game was four, or even three drives and a kick for the first 20 minutes. But because their line speed was good, we just went wider and wider and were playing in the first 15 like it was the last 5 minutes of the final, just panicking. If Holbrook, Long and Lolesi can't work that out and fix it for the next time a team does that to us, I'd worry about them.

It'll be interesting to see what Warrington do now. Do you go all out to get 2nd or 3rd? Or just focus on the cup and take 4th? There is nothing between the top 4 this year, no stand out team at all. I fact, they're all awful. It'd be great for the sport if Catalans could win the cup and Wire/Cas the Grand Final. Wigan look ominously placed, out of the cup, benefiting from the week off and a lot of their players returning fresh for the 8s.

The las couple of weeks it looked as if Barba has already gone home (mentally). Not sure I buy the injury argument, looks more like someone who has a big fat NRL contract in his back pocket and doesn't want to risk it!

On the Catalan front how does Matty Smith fit in when Drinkwater has been so good for them? What a signing he has been for them, everything that Roberts hasn't been for us.

No, he's clearly injured. He's had strapping in the same place for a while and can't sustain a sprint. He just seems to be a player that sulks and lets it bother him rather than just getting on with it.

Some injuries cannot be shaken off no matter what you do.
Sides are defending much better out wide against him too.
Saints will be very concerned that all their good work can come to nowt at the end of the year. The blueprint to beat 'em is now clear.

You disappoint me Sally. You're normally astute.

Is he still up for 'man of steel' or is it 'man of steal' now?

Saints are doing similar to what we (Hull FC) did in 2016 - albeit they are further in front in the league we were. We had zero injuries relatively speaking through the year so we played the same 17/18 players week in, week out. Around the time of the semi final we were starting to lose league form, but managed to beat Wigan - and then we were scratchy leading up to the Final which again, we managed to squeeze through. After that, we crashed until the end of the year. Saints should have rotated much more, kept players fresh as I feel they could fizzle out now

Good imitation of Dennis the Menace.

I didn't see LMS running round the pitch celebrating yesterday

Wire blitzed the league in 2011. Absolutely destroyed every team in their way and ultimately won nothing and burnt out in the end. Looking forward to the end of the season.

It would be so sad if they fizzled out; what a shame it would be to miss out on another LMS goading celebration.

I feel bad for saying this, but does anyone else feel 'TOTALLY WICKED' after yesterday's events.