In an ideal world this would be the type of game that you would take Mago out of in place of Cooper or Havard. He's a great asset for us and very effective in lower intensity games but has tended to struggle with the pace of the derby in previous years.

Saints have the edge when it comes to the back row.

I looking forward to Walters taking the starting spot.

Isa offers nothing with the ball, and is much smaller than all the options Saints have.

I’m a little concerned about Nsembas defence in a big intense game like this.

I’d probably throw Nsemba on the bench so we’re have a some options if a back gets injured. I’ve been really impressed with Hill though.

Saints squad https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2024/03/27/s ... ith-wigan/

Saints squad https://www.saintsrlfc.com/2024/03/27/s ... ith-wigan/

As usual after reading the respective threads I appear to be somewhat on my own in thinking this but I’m pretty confident in the win.

Whilst I accept we have not been playing well we have still been winning without really getting out of third gear.

We will have to on Friday if we are to win but I just think since the Penrith game we have been looking to get through the games unscathed and then build towards another big performance.

I’m expecting a real improvement on Friday from what we have seen since Penrith and us to be more adventurous with the ball, I’ve a feeling we have been deliberately playing with our cards close to our chest and will spring a few surprises and new plays.

Time will tell I guess.

As others have said team pretty much picks itself and I too would go with Nsemba off the bench.

I think we will struggle with this one

We havent been our best for the last few weeks (WCC hangover) but if Saints have finally overcome their jetlag from last years trip to Aus then we are in trouble

Fingers crossed though

Saints 2 point favourite with the bookies

I’m rarely if ever very confident against Saints because I think that it is just a too simplistic and a little too disrespectful however, I’m quietly confident that we will do the business on GF. I expect Byrne to step up and go hard against Stepper Walmsley.
Clark will claim for a penalty every tackle but hopefully we get a decent call from the referee. If our defence reverts to Penrith standards then hopefully we will snatch a victory. Looking forward to a great game.

I'm pretty confident too although a defeat wouldn't be the end of the world away from home early in the season. We are better than saints all over the pitch so no concerns from me where both teams will be come season's end

I think a lot of it will depend on our discipline. We've been pretty poor recently: offside, not square, incorrect play the ball. Saints are unlikely to score many from deep but are dangerous from twenty metres out. Keep giving the ref reason to ping them up the field and we will struggle, crap weather forecasted (plus their potato patch field) so think it could be a low scoring match. If we keep Saints in their own half then confident but obviously it's easy said than done.

Our attack doesn’t look fluid but neither does Saints from what I have seen, their forwards got on top and won both of their games against Leeds and Walmsley is looking good but I am confident our props can go up against Saints props now and come out on to, Bell being out is a bit of a blow for them, I think he’s a bit of an unsung hero for them.

Sounds about right to me. Even in the off season I felt like they would probably be going into this game in better shape than us following the WCC, and I think that's broadly right even though their attack hasn't looked overly sharp.

I think Saints are marginal favourites, but it would lay down a massive marker if we can get the win. Over the course of the season things are only likely to improve for us in terms of getting players back, being on drier tracks, and getting the WCC challenge out of our system. Obviously not the case for Saints, plus they're at home.

At what point are we going to stop mentioning the WCC hangover, what is the actual hangover from it, yes it was a tough game defensively but that was weeks ago now, if they have not recovered within a couple of weeks then the S&C staff are doing something wrong, time to stop mentioning Penrith and the WCC and just focus on the team taking to the pitch, conditions and the opposition

Taking my boy to his first derby tomorrow
He’s pestering like hell about the full words to the Allez Allez Allez song. Can anyone help?

Think it's more us, the fans, who've had an issue.
Everyone was hyped up for the Penrith game and it delivered but since then the fixture list has been to put it mildly a bit uninspiring. GF feels IMO anyway like our first big game of the league season

It’s not just what goes on, on the pitch, it’s to do with peaking the players at the right time.

Peet mentioned a few times during the off season they would look to peak for the WCC game. Training would be different more intense and demanding over a sustained period of weeks prior to that game much different to how they would normally go into a season.

It’s possible to peak 2-3 times over the course of the season. With all things after a peak there needs to be a trough to assist recovery and get the bodies back on track.

I think training intensity will have dropped off for the last few weeks post Penrith which is reflected in our lethargic performances.

I think it will have been ramped up again, but not to pre Penrith levels, prior to this match.

I think we will have looked at the fixtures post Penrith and used it as a deliberate active recovery period post the WCC.