I don't think there was any arrogance. It is the absolutely obvious choice. A team who finished 7th having to fly home and back for several weeks on the run and the opportunity to pit two derby rivals who will go at each other big time.

I do not think for a minute its a gimme game and nobody has watched the last 2 Catalan games will either but with the boot on the other foot I am pretty sure Wigan would have done exactly the same.

What a load of dross. We have lost personnel in three key positions at 1, 7 and 13 and we are just realistic that its a tough ask without those players. We have beaten both Wire and Wigan away from home this season such is the fear. That said I think we have a decent chance of getting to Old Trafford and in a one off game anything can happen.

Both teams with a 2nd chance gone...

Realistic expectations with Wilkin, Walsh, Lomax & McDonnell missing. Think we'd have an excellent chance with a few key pivots available. We still have the best form against the top 8 sides this year in Superleague, lots of drivel written on this thread. A fierce wigan V wire game, extra days rest & possible wet conditions, I consider us to have been playing wet weather rugby since all the injuries anyway & you just never know. Pressure off Saints if they make the final that's for sure.

Catalan v Wigan it is then.

I think your strong favourites for the GF but were going to knock 7 bells out of each other. Whoever gets through is going to play a relatively fresh saints side.

Saints are a good bet to do it.

From a a Wire point of view we need to control it down the middle and the forwards are going have to tough it out with your back 3, Micky Mac and the front row, especially Flower who for me has been excellent. The other concern for me is our half back defence. Myler is a great tackler but a Smith and Green are heavier units and can soak up more forward driving. We also need to somehow prevent your set run around moves setting up the overlap.

I think it'll be close. Bookies and most rl fans will have you rightly as favourites but I hope we get in to full throttle mode and give you a good game and a half.

I can see it now, Catalans winning the Grand Final from a position half way down the league, and celebrated by a handful of fans and 4 or 5 french players.

If Catalan make the final, I can see a lot of French coming over plus they are usually the neutrals favourite, it won't be as bad as people think.

I expect a lot of Wire fans at OT supporting Catalan again

Just have a niggling doubt, probably helped by the fact we have been made strong favourites.
Warrington v St Helens final I think.

Sky haven't really been mentioning it, so people might not know, but Saints have got SO MANY injuries! They'll be lucky to put 17 players on the field and it will be heroic if they manage to win.

In all seriousness, I think Saints will wallop Cats. Wigan will probably go into the Wire game as slight favourites but it will a coin toss tbh. We need to make sure we do the exact opposite of whatever we did during the other weeks off we've had. I'm happy with our form going into another big game, and it's nice to have gotten this "we don't win big games at home" monkey off our backs.

Goalkicking is still a bit worrying. We outscored Wire 5 tries to 3 the other week and they still had the opportunity to nick it at the death.