Hardaker
French
Sarginson/Hankinson
Gildart
Burgess
Williams
Smith
Clubb
Tommy
Partington
Farrell
Isa
Smithies

Lockers
Flower
Greenwood
Byrne

I’ve gone with a strong pack and bench because this game will be won or lost in the middle. Pointless in keeping a back on the bench. Plus Lockers can cover, if needed, at 9/6/7. That’s not ideal granted but it’s an option.

Lam commented at the fans forum that we may have our strongest side of the season out on Friday and said they need to check on Sarginson and Powell. He didn’t say it but you’d guess they’ve had better news on Powell than feared.

I'm more confident than I was.

I don’t agree with your opening line about split halves rugby mate. Williams has been devastating on the right this season because he plays both sides of the field, outside of TL. Our structure is different these days when we have the ball.
I’d have to go with French and Williams in the halves with ZH at fullback.
Please to have Partington back.

We play split halves. It's as clear as day. Williams plays and controls one side and Tommy plays and controls the other. Does this mean they won't appear on either side of the pitch? No.

We don't at all play with a lead 7 with a 6 off him whatsoever. When French came on, his role was to run the left side, and it was a bit of a mess. It wasn't Tommy leading French around the pitch with French playing off him at all. It was French used as a playmaker, on the left edge. However as he's had limited time in the role and the combinations weren't there which makes him look like he's not a half.

This season our attack looks different as we have Zak who's not really a pivot, our attack is clunky at times. I massively rate Zak, but the system doesn't cater to him. Give French an opportunity to play 1. You'll see a difference in attack.

Who in their right mind would play Williams at 9. Give your heads a wobble

Adrian Lam? He did last week anyway. I certainly wouldn’t go that way if we need to replace Powell. The indications last night from Lam were that we may not have to but he didn’t say anything concrete either way.

We’ll have to agree to disagree. The split halves was clear as day under Waney but not anymore. Williams was predominantly left sided and the vast majority of our attack went down our left. Lam has removed the shackles and given him a much bigger license to roam and he’s had a ball on our right edge. Which ever way we go, Williams is outside of Leuluai and causing havoc.

Anyway back on topic......

Can anyone explain to me why Saints fans don't think it is possible for a team to outplay them?

The only way they can lose is if the don't play as well as the fans expect them to (whatever that is or what that means)

Warrington didn't beat them, they beat themselves, the ref did them etc etc. From what i am reading, that is the only way we win this game. Them not turning up and the ref being bias towards us................because ref's are always bias towards us. The modern day Super League fan blames the ref for everything, especially if they have just been beaten by Wigan. It's pathetic.

We’re certainly going into it with nothing to lose this week. It’s a Keven Keegan king of game.... I would love it if we beat them!!!

It's just not the case mate. The only time the shackles are off is when we're in their 20 or 10. When Lam himself said he's open to play more off the cuff or creative rugby. But this is off the cuff not a 7 then 6 first and second receiver. Truth is the entire structure of the team is still split halves, as it is for most teams. If you watch the game both halves are on either side of the PTB that's just how we play. If we played a more 'old school' style we'd see Tommy playing narrow in the middle channel operating either side of the PTB with George as a second receiver, but it just doesn't really happen maybe apart from when it's off the cuff on their try line.

Did you see French outside of a playmaking Tommy? No, he was playing out left as a playmaker, half the reason why he looked lost as he was asked to run the left edge. which is the wrong way to play French, he's a strike weapon not a playmaker/organiser.

Will the RFL have the b***s and appoint Robert Hicks for Friday night's game or will they bottle it and bow to the pressure of stains and not appoint him

hope we lose as I cant see us beating saints twice, if we lose Friday I can see us winning the final

Whilst I’d never say I hope we lose, I do buy in to that theory in a way. We have one win against them in our locker IMO but I can’t see us going back to back. Nobody has done that against them in a long time, even when games are a couple of months apart, let alone a couple of weeks apart. If we got to a Grand Final against them on the back of a defeat on Friday I think it can put them back in to a bit of a comfort zone and when you get to a final form goes out the window and when everything is on the line we’ve seen Saints melt. They shouldn’t feel a lot of pressure this Friday, with the safety net of a second semi final and that should see them at their best. I’d imagine there will be some knocking knees at Old Trafford though as and when they get there.