Quote: sergeant pepper "ATEOTD, there has to come a time when it doesn't matter if Saints are "in playoff form", gearing up for another title tilt or whatever else people want to say.
If we're going to be successful, then WE need to find a way to win. We need to be playing playoff footy etc. Catalan away was us putting a marker down and, quite simply, going to Leigh and wrapping up the LLS, with all the benefits it brings, has to be another.
To be frank, over the last few years I'd say we've choked more than we've delivered. We now need to start delivering.
It's as simple as that.'"
I think in recent years we haven’t choked but we were just not good enough. Earlier in season I thought we had very little chance of winning the GF. Now I think we may have a chance but still think Saints will land the GF honours because they have shown repeatedly that they can deliver when the pressure is on and because they have the better and more experienced players in playoffs.
If we beat Leyth on Friday then maybe we are maturing as a team and we may possibly go on to land the GF. If we lose then we probably have to beat Wire, Saints/Catalan and Catalan/Saints in 3 consecutive weeks and I think that will be beyond us even if we don’t get anymore injuries or suspensions.
I’m a little worried how French will perform when the intensity reaches much higher levels and for me Mago still isn’t good enough or potentially fit enough when he comes up against Saints or Catalan when it’s hey lads hey.
On the plus side Smith is by some margin the best playmaker in competition, Field looks particularly good at the moment and confidence within the club must be exceptionally high at the moment.
Hopefully I’m underestimating where we are as a squad but I still think that we might fall short when it really counts. Maybe the losses at Wakefield, Newcastle and the CCSF are blurring my thoughts too much and maybe we really have turned the corner.