They looked unbeatable this time last season and ended up with a dinner plate.

Saints and Warrington can't keep on bottling the big prize.

Saints crabbed it in 2014 (and they know they did) - but even that is five years ago, while Wire have now blown four finals.

It will be a miracle of self-destruction if one of those two doesn't win it this year. Not just because they are both pretty decent teams, but because there is literally no one else. In general terms this is surely the worst Super League in terms of quality that I've ever seen. Hull, who are currently 3rd, are capable of looking good one week and losing by 60 the next. Catalan, who are 4th, saved a total comedy performance for their big return home last night; on paper they should have beaten cellar-dwellers London by 30.

If Saints and Wire don't divide up the silverware this season, they want shooting.

Coote and Lomax are good players, and are playing behind a great pack, Walmsley and Thompson are in the top 5 props in the league, a lot would argue the best 2. They have no glaring weaknesses and confidence is high meaning everyone is playing at a high level almost every week and when reserves have to come in it makes their job much easier and they can slot in with no problem.
This is a similar case to last year and they are not unbeatable as Catalans and Warrington proved in big games and they ended up winning nothing but the plate....fingers crossed that happens again although I doubt we will be there to pick up the pieces like last year.

Its more to do with the culture and ethics of the club, Cunningham fragmented that during his coaching years, Holbrook has brought it back and the whole club from the scholarship/academy/womens/first teams have all bought into it. Longy has had a big influence on our attacking shape with Wellens adding his two penneth with defence.

We only have a few average players but it a pretty good mix of average to outstanding throughout the squad which is giving us a bit more quality in depth when injuries bite, the latter has not been as bad as other teams because our conditioning chaps are doing a pretty good job at the moment.

If you watch the highlights of Saints v Hudds all of Makinson's tries come from "the move".
They haven't reinvented the wheel, Lomax misses his lead runner, it goes out the back to Coote who throws the cutout pass to Makinson. Absolute credit to them they've got the timing on it down to a tee and we all know how bloody difficult it is to stop when it's executed well.
One thing though, Coote's got that much faith in Makinson being where he should be he's practically passing without looking, it's begging for an interception if your centre/winger hold there nerve and with Farrell/Williams defending that side there's no reason for Gildart/Burgess to jump in like the Hoods defenders were doing. They could fill their boots if they're switched on.

In my opinion the forward 3 of Tompson Roby and Walmsley are as good as anything in the Nrl.If miraculously you make the top 5 you wont have the players to reach the final.Watching the Leeds Wigan game on friday proved to me that both teams are so far off Warrington and Saints in terms of quality and coaching.

As Saints were off Wigan in 2014 or both teams in the semis were off Saints last year. Remind me what happened in those foregone conclusions again?

Whilst anyone would concede the likely winners at this stage would come from the two mentioned, this is sport. Try telling Sheffield they had no chance in the cup final against an all star Wigan team that 'only had to turn up'. Unfortunately for them they didn't.

Finally, look at how Saints have gone in the two games they've fielded weakened sides, most recently losing to bottom of the table London. You're going pretty well with injuries so far this season but we all know how quickly those particular wheels can fall off. You only need to go into the matches that matter with 4 or 5 important injuries for the tables to be comprehensively turned. At Wigan over recent seasons we've often had 9 or more on the treatment table so don't think it can't happen.

Confidence is a great thing in sport but there is such a thing as over confidence. You may do well to remember that.

Your good enough to beat a Lam
But were nowhere near good enough to beat the Ape.

Congratulations on winning everything this year.
Oh and PS

Why are fans that haven't been on this site for years suddenly turning up again?
Surely if they are that knowledgeable they'd have been giving us the benefit of their wisdom for the last 5 years whilst they've been terrible themselves?

Oh, and for balance, we went into the game that 'proved we don't have the players' without Manfredi, Davies, Hardaker, Greenwood, Flower etc.. Take the equivalent out of the current Saints side and you lose to London.

They've been hiding with their tails between their legs over on red vee while we've been polishing our triphies. Funny how suddenly they can engage with other fans again isn't it?!

The lock themselves away in the inner sanctums of redvee and only come out when they deem themselves unbeatable

I agree with the points you put phuzzy as the 5 grand final losses to Leeds prove but this team is so far ahead of the rest that it would take 4 or 5 top players to get injuries for us not to make the final especially with the format this year.It definitely favours the top 2 which have clearly been Saints and Warrington.

You’re way in front of Wire as well and will clean up all three trophies with little fuss. A sad indication of the leagues strength because you’re good but not great and have some players who the Saints sides of the late 90’s and early 00’s would’ve laughed at.

The league this season is basically-

Saints











Wire



The rest

But they are beatable. Catalans and London have proved that.

Saints are on cruise control this time of year every season. The only reason they are swaggering (more than usual) is the absence of Shaun Wane.

I still fancy Wigan to scrap our way into the top 5 and do some damage in September. Purely because the rest of the league is garbage and we still have players with championship pedigree.

I wouldn't say we are swaggering as such just fairly happy that we playing some entertaining stuff with quite a few decent performances. The only thing we are doing is winding up the Wire Fans who every year think there team is better than sliced bread, we are not doing much banter with your lot this season because of your lowly position, however I have warned our own fans that mid table teams are knocking each other about and there are plenty of games for Wigan to get into the top 5.

Saints are far and away the best team in Super League this season and would expect them to win trophies this year.Their loss to Catalan was Mainly down to the terrible weather conditions which didn’t suit their fast open playing style.As for the London loss well who can blame them for leaving out five players mid season for a game being played on a “plastic “pitch.Holbrook is an excellent coach who is a credit to the Club and to Super League.
I agree with other posters in respect of the current low quality of the League but do not buy into the idea that Warrington are way ahead of everyone else apart from Saints.Take out Ratchford and Austin and they are rudderless and all that is left is a touch of thuggery.That won’t work against Hull in the Cup Semi and I hope and expect Saints to be facing Hull in the final.

Yep Warrington are only a nudge better than the pack below them and I include us in that. I don’t think one team will clean-sweep the trophies and I also have a feeling one of Saints and Wire will miss out on the GF.

Can’t see us making OT this year but I think we could shake things up for sure.

The equivalent?! That’s funny. Walmsley alone is better than all of those players put together.

Welcome back.

I bet he's not poseted 5 times on here in the last 5 years

Nice to see that your ban has been lifted...

I don’t post much - mainly read since having kids.

But I take it back - the likes of Davies and Flower are the equivalent of the lads we rested last week.

Six weeks back when they were both garbage I told my my saints fan pal “The Butcher” that I hadn’t written Dull and Pies off this season for silverwear.
Both are still in the running

We’ve heard these kind of BS statements every year for the last few, and I seem to recall all those players inferior players dancing round Old Trafford while Walmsley was on holiday