Playing it at the end of the season just gone I’d have said no chance but Saints will be stronger than in the GF and even at full strength, Penrith will be weaker. The Samoan lads showed that they may well have a couple of overrated backs and then Kikau and Korisau are big big losses. If Penrith go strong and take it seriously you’d back them by 12-14 points I reckon but Saints first 17 won’t be easy beats. The issue Saints have is that their salary cap seems to be stacked in to the first 17/18 players and if they pick up a couple of injuries prior to that game, the drop off is pretty big, certainly in a game against a side that good.

Am I missing something or are some on here suggesting Saints full strength are in a similar class to one of the greatest NRL teams in a generation?

I don't know. Only way to find out is to play the game. As NK says the timing of the game helps the SL club. It would certainly mean more to Saints than Penrith - going over to Australia to play the WCC is potentially a once in a career event. Plus St Helens are an exceptional side who play the game at a very high intensity that some feel is comparable to the NRL.

I think it’s fair to say that this Saints side is one of the best SL teams in a generation. Winning 4 in a row puts us in that bracket.

For what it’s worth I don’t think we’d beat them but I don’t think we’d be disgraced either especially if we were at full strength.

Confirmed. Sat 18th February 7am kick off on C4. Double header with Wigan v HKR on C4 later that day.
Looking like we play St George the week before but Saints haven't officially announced that yet even though the NRL have. Be interesting to see if Penrith do play a young team or not like they have suggested. I don't think they will.

The Aussies' attitude to the WCC is always an issue. There's a degree of defensiveness in it, I suspect. It's like they always get their excuses in early in case they lose. But it hardly helps if the English clubs and their fans take the same approach.

In an age when we're trying to promote the game internationally, the WCC should be a great fixture. Despite the Aussies always claiming they didn't take it seriously, there have been more great games than duds when that fixture has been played.

But much as I revile the attitude that "our domestic season is more important", there's no point in it if neither are going to try very hard.

I'm proud that Wigan at least have always done their best to make this fixture a big event.

And on that subject, no team can claim that it's the best in a generation unless it has tested itself against the other contender for that title. In 1994, that invincible Wigan team proved beyond question that it was THE BEST by beating the all-conquering Brisbane in their own backyard, in front of 50,000 people. I'm surprised, frankly, that Saints would happily miss this opportunity to put themselves on the same 'legends' shelf.

Not sure if you are talking in general overall but I don't understand what you mean by the part in bold. From a Saints point of view we have always taken it seriously too. Going back to 2007 we beat Brisbane and then 2015 we were hammered by a great Rabbitohs side (admittedly the 2015 Saints side was a poor one). In 2020 we gave a great performance against the Roosters and were narrowly beaten and then we were unable to play for 2 years due to Covid

I think the fact we are going to Australia signals our intent. The fact we are playing a friendly over there the week before means we won't have jet lag as an excuse as it seems we will be out there for two and a half weeks at least.

So we aren't missing an opportunity at all?

Don't really understand what you mean. Saints weanted to play this game last season and are travelling to Penrith's back yard for this one.

I'm responding to the thread posted by the OP, which suggests quite a few Saints fans don't want it to happen. Apologies, I should have articulated it better.

Unfortunately for Saints though, Penrith have already made their intentions public and there is no chance this is the game what will put this St Helens team into the legendary bracket. You could argue they *ugh* already are after winning 4 Super League titles on the bounce. The advertising posters are giving me a chuckle, no chance the players featured on them for Penrith will play in the game.

I do feel sorry for Saints, i really hope they aren't out of pocket for this trip or they have convinced Penrith to play something that at least resembles their strongest team otherwise it is a wasted trip really. Hopefully Illawarra put out out a full strength team and that game is telivised so there is a decent game comes out of the trip with a bit of respect shown to the Super League.

If you believe the initial guff from Penrith about treating this as an acedmy game I suspect you may be being a little gullible to the usual "it's only a friendly" tactics adopted by the Aussies. Then they always rip in.

It's just face saving in case they find themselves challenged or, god forbid, lose.

I hope St Helens win so you can join a pretty selective group of 1

They're definitely not inviting you over to let you beat them on their own patch.

100%. Make no bones about it they'll be playing a strong side.

What is the revenue for the travelling side these days? Is it a split gate (regardless of the result) and prize money - for the winner?