Gutted as he was in great form.

Hopefully can get back for the business end of the year.

Big opportunity for Smith and/or Field/French in the halves.


Side note can we stop every single thread turning into a St Helens thread.

Amen.

Strong words from Woolf re"The French trip takes a lot out of you and we put a lot in that game to make sure we got a win there. We were on a short turn around with that travel going into the biggest game of the year on Good Friday, the derby. A big game, a bruising game and emotionally takes it out of you.

Then a two-day turn around which is the shortest in the competition to come out and beat a strong and committed Huddersfield side.

That’s three games in nine days against the teams sitting second, third and fourth. That takes a lot out of you. I wasn’t prepared to turn around and ask our players to play another game on another short turnaround which would mean playing four games in 13 days.

I think what it is, is we have a competition that doesn’t really protect the players. And when we’ve got that I need to make decisions to make sure I’m protecting my players.”[/i

I just don't get this 'protecting the players malarky'. Fully professional rugby league players...!!! They've literally never had it better (for the money they earn).

Now forgive me for going memory lane a bit but I grew up watching the sport (80's) when EVERY week was more or less a 'three game week'. These lads playing the game would have their own jobs... Usually manual, down the pit or a factory floor on shifts. Playing in winter rugby which brought its own issues with backlogged fixtures in Feb to April due to frozen pitches.

What did we do? The sport went fully professional, the sport moved to summer, it got rid of lesser cup competitions like the county cups and regal trophy, got rid of the charity shield, got rid of summer sevens, got rid of the Australian tours against club sides. Players once played 55-60 games a season, now they play 38-40 at most.

I once saw us play 8 games in 19 days to win the league and cup double, totally ridiculous at the time but I don't remember any whinging from the club or players, they just got their heads down and did it.

Regards the Easter programme well that's been going around since forever (before my time at least). We know the script before the season starts, it is what it is.

That being said, if Peet puts out a threadbare squad against Salford I will be unhappy about it. We need to go for it (Top three finish)!!

At least Woolf has been honest. That’s not always been the case IMO but he’s thrown his cards on the table there and it’s now up to the league if they face any sanction for it. He’s not wrong IMO in having a go at the schedule but it’s not like it’s been dumped on him at short notice.

I don't think he's complaining about short notice - everyone knows it will happen and everyone will react differently.

As you say - it is what it it, everybody knows about it and you can make an informed decision as to whether the 2 points are worth the extra game. Woolf has decided not and that is its own punishment.

We are playing shortest turnaround of all on the back of the most demanding set of fixtures of all, so I can see his logic.

Let's be honest, the short turnaround games are often a) rubbish standard and b) decided by who limps out of the previous game in better shape.

Oh aye, I know he’s not saying it’s short notice, although the trip to Catalans in the cup probably wasn’t part of his original thinking.

I don’t think the league will give any further punishment but u can’t see them having easy conversations with the guys from Sky. You never know, it might be a better game now. Probably would be won comfortably with a full team and Cas might just relax too much now.

Matty Peet saying Brad O’Neill is ready and waiting and that it’s a good opportunity to introduce him. Can’t wait to see him get a fair crack at it and see how he goes.

Whatever you think of him, Powell's enforced absence does give an opportunity for O'Neill to get a few games under his belt, and better that happening now, than in another couple of months. Will give us some options and a better idea going forward.