Quote: NickyKiss "It is unlikely they'll be fully fit, as in having every single player available and at 100% for the play offs but that probably goes for everyone. If they can get a fully fit spine out, along with Walmsley, Paasi, Knowles etc come the play offs, they'll be massively dangerous. Those games are just different to the week to week stuff and no other side has that experience like they do. Most play off games and grand finals are a war of attrition and a total grind and that's pretty much how Saints play every single week.
Just out of interest, if Saints aren't our biggest threat (presuming you don't think they are), who do you think are? There is no way we do to Saints what we did to HKR in the Cup and Play off semis and they wouldn't make things as easy as Wire did in the cup final. I can't see that this seasons Catalans would offer a bigger threat either, so that leaves Salford. They actually could shake things up if they were brave enough to keep play the expansive/off the cuff rugby they do in the weekly rounds but again, it's just so different in plays offs and especially Grand Finals.'"
To answer the last part first, I think you've sort of got my thinking in your comments on Salford. It's not just them though. I think the same goes for Hull KR and Warrington. They're all "if it sticks" type teams and all 3 are more dangerous than Saints when on. You're right in that we probably wouldn't do to Saints what we did to Hull KR in the semi but equally Saints wouldn't do to us what KR did at their place. I think I'd be more confident going into a playoff game against Saints knowing what we're going to get and knowing that we have the game to beat it than going up against KR, Salford or Warrington and knowing that, if it sticks, anything could happen.
On the first part; I agree their pack is still good at full strength but, as I say, I don't think it will be. Walmsley won't be the same player straight off and, if previous long lay offs are anything to go by, there's no guarantee he'll get back there this season. Of course he may do but it's certainly not a given. Paasi is still working his way back into it and the early signs are encouraging. We still have no way to know if he'll ever regain the full destructive form that he had pre injury. He wouldn't be the first if he didn't. He only need look behind him to Dodd for an example of a player who hasn't regardless of the number of games he's played. Mata'utia isn't the 2nd rower he was, mainly due to being bulked up to play prop. Still a good player though. Bachelor is a shadow of what he was and there's been no indication he's anywhere close to regaining his form. Sironen, great player though he is, is being flogged. Lees, Delaney and Clark are also being flogged. Mbye reverting to bench Hooker will help Clark but Wellens will continue to flog Lees. He just does. These players all ran out of gas last year and they've got a very tough run in after next week. No reason to suspect it will be any different this year.
And all that is assuming they won't pick up any further injuries, players coming back will not get reinjured and that they'll be at there best come the playoffs, all of which I think is unlikely. Certainly no more so than any other team anyway. I'm not sure why we keep saying referencing Saints as if they're going to be fully fit and in form but refer to other teams at their worst. It doesn't make sense.
