You are right that these three may not all be back, and there will probably be further injuries and suspensions for both teams. I am just making the point that Sts have tremendous go forward and those three are a big part of that. Yesterday showed that Sts still have plenty go forward even without them.

Well we didn’t to be fair. It was a week after Lomax’s injury and he really struggled. He’s got better week on week since then.

We also had Davies at 6 who isn’t a stand off at all. Welsby was at 1 due to Hopoate being injured and we had that horrendous situation of Lomax attacking at 6 but defending as a FB which just didn’t work.

I stand by what I say, if both teams are at full strength I don’t see you beating us. If you do I’ll hold my hands up.

We’ve a way to go yet to get consistently up to their best but you’re right. We were miles off last season and we’re still a bit short but that gaps closed. We’ve had 3 games against them this season that have all been good games for the neutral, especially the last 2. We all sit on here and debate this player or that player, who was missing from either side, the decisions and so on but the game needs somebody to push Saints and challenge them for the good of the sport. Nobody had done it for the last 3 years consistently but Wigan, Catalans and Huddersfield are at least looking like they can worry them in a big game.

Sironen wasn't feigning injury you're right, and the game was set to continue because the ref played on. The red card happens because while Sironen is down the VR checks the tackle, and that's why you have people saying he milked it (he didn't) rather than the ref just getting it wrong.

I won't hold my breath. The wind will have blown in an unusual direction or something like that. I don't think you've deserved to lose a game in 4 years have you? - I jest.

FWIW - I don't think we beat you full 17 v full 17 but we get a hell of a lot closer than we have in the past few years whether Saints fans like to admit it or not.

"Lomax's bicep injury".

About as likely a truth as when Boris Johnson was in intensive care with Covid.

So it was fictitious? I must have imagined him walking off against Salford in agony holding it. It was a conspiracy theory and he wasn’t injured at all. I’ve heard it all now

Of course you do. The gap has closed significantly. I said so on here last night. However if we play you 10 times I think we win more games than you do.

That could change next season admittedly.

One more season ender in the spine for saints could well be advantage Catalans/Wigan. We lose one of Hopoate/Lomax/Welsby for the run in and I think any advantage is wiped out and we’ll struggle badly in close games.

Thought those three were good yesterday goven they haven’t really played together as a three and should only get better. Welsby was excellent but some of Hopoate’s touches at key times were top class.

Exactly. Singleton was committed to the tackle he was expecting to make. Sironen started to fall after Field got his legs, giving BS a fraction of a second to react. If people think he can change his body position in that moment to avoid contact with the head they are deluded.

If that's the rule though then maybe we should coach our players to start falling as they approach defenders knowing that any defender making contact with their head will be leaving the field. One we've whittled the opposition down by a few players French and Field can rip them to pieces.

Not presuming anything just my opinion that we could win the double you surely cannot disagree with that as you have no chance this year to get the double in.

KPP,Havard,Byrne,Smith a year older etc -for next year our younger players are the same as yours a year older.