Chris22

Firstly, I do have sympathy with any ex player with a brain injury. I think some of the comments from the sport's fans are horrific given that backdrop. Saying that, if you choose to bring a legal claim and publicise it, you open your past words and actions to public scrutiny. The players who are part of this action and have made no public comment are acting more sensibly. I don't think a running commentary from Fozzard, Goulding or anyone else helps anyone and is very unwise.

Hope I don't get a pile on for this, but I'd be surprised if we won on Friday! Both sides have ave injuries, yes, but I've not seen enough to suggest we are well placed enough to deal with those as Hull KR.

On Twitter, England have said tickets are selling fast. Now whether that's actually true, I don't know!

Thought this thread was going to be about Charnley's opening tries in the two Leigh v Salford matches this year!

People quite often post about what is apparently said on Redvee on here, yet when you actually look it often doesn't say that at all!

Always sad to see player suffer serious injuries but this one sounds particularly nasty according to Matty Peet's account. At Cooper's age, there is always the thought of whether he will be able to return from it. Let's hope that he because it would be a devastating way to end.

One of the more interesting points of the Knowles decision is that the severity of Mike Cooper's injury seems to have led to a far lengthier suspension. For examples, James Batchelor and Morgan Smithies were found guilty of the same offence and have received one match suspensions compared to Knowles' five matches. I know that severity of injury has always been an aggravating factor but looks as though the RFL may be placing more weight on that this year, to the extent that the disciplinary panel have chosen to go beyond the recommended sanction in the sentencing guidelines. Although, it is possible (if not likely) that Knowles' disgraceful disciplinary record over the last two years has added to the length of suspension too. There will be noise amongst our fans about other players getting fewer matches for the same offence, or Dudson getting the same for a deliberate assault on a player unable to defend himself. Whilst some of those points are valid, Knowles needs to take a good look at himself and his technique because it's costing his team.

Does Charnley have a chance with his recent form? Him and Johnstone are the form wingers in the competition right now.

From a Saints perspective, I'm not too downbeat about that. We were largely quite strong in defence. Not for the first time this season, our attack didn't quite click. Part of that was down to Wigan's Defensive intensity and part due to poor support play. 7 games in now and I think it's clear that we won't dominate in the way we have done for most of the past few years. Saying that, if our attack can start to fire, we'll be challenging again. Looking further ahead than that, with several of our players off contract and entering the latter stages of their careers, recruitment and retention is going to be crucial for us.

The strongest line up we have named in Super League this season. I do worry a little about our creativity with our pivot players not firing in attack of late and a our kicking game hasn't been as good. Our defence is still excellent and we'll have job on our hands to contain French. The lack of Field is a big help for us because it's now obvious where the threat is. Really can't call this one.

Saw Steve McNamara say it was a very difficult week for Catalans for several reasons that he refused to go in to. Struck me as an odd thing to say, something that would invite rumour and speculation?

I'd get rid of the six again rule and allow a quick tap as we used to do without the referee standing at the mark.

Was very much a non event. Wakefield were very poor, I'm afraid. Hopefully Walmsley isn't badly hurt. Another big shift from Lees of 65 mins, Delaney was solid on his debut. Good to get three wins in a row with tough fixtures coming up (Wigan away, Hull KR away, Warrington home, Catalans away, Salford home)

Saints very rarely put big scores on teams and I doubt it will be any different here. I expect a win but it won't be the margin of victory many seem to think. Percival is back, Paasi is a doubt. I reckon we'll go as close to full strength as we can, maybe resting anyone with a slight knock.

I'm not sure Saints have ever averaged 15,000 crowds. The highest I can recall us ever averaging was 14,000 in our first year at Langtree Park.

Must confess, I'm a lot more confident having seen the Huddersfield team.

Jake Wingfield has not been named in our 21 man squad and there's no word of an injury. Give he's been a regular in the 17 for a while now, that's unusual. Don't think a win for either side would be a shock here. Both capable of it but both haven't hit their standards so far this season. I expect quite a low scoring, close match.

Our discipline was shocking last season too. We haven't adapted to the new interpretation of banning slightly late tackles (not that I'm critical of that). The decision to overturn Knowles' ban from the semi final was inexplicable. I think we have more of a case here on the face of it but maybe cynically, I see an extension coming.

Doing something I don't usually do and wading in on a topic that is seen as political and controversial (though god only knows why a hypothetical person being attracted to someone of the same gender is seen as political, controversial or even anyone's business, I don't know). I understand why the NRL have decided not to do this. The last thing we want to do is for the sport to show itself in any way as being unwelcoming to people who are generally under-represented in the sport. The Pride round last year did precisely that. It laid it bare. Whilst individual players are entitled to act as they wish, the message that it sent out (intentional or not) is that a homosexual player would not be welcomed in a dressing room of several NRL clubs. The NRL probably doesn't want to shout about that again. I do find it ironic though that it is people who have probably faced discrimination in their own lives whose actions last year would have marginalised another 'minority' group. It's not an easy situation for the NRL to deal with. Don't do a Pride round and it appears that bigotry wins the day. Do a Pride round and it appears that bigotry wins the day. Maybe a more generalised inclusivity round is the best way forward, with activities to try and draw in those from backgrounds not usually associated with Rugby League to the sport.

Amazon would be a disaster for the game. Live sporting events that are streamed via Prime tend to get poor viewing figures and far less publicity. Take some of the tennis tournaments and rugby union's autumn internationals. The pubic profile of these are far less since they've moved to Amazon. Streaming partners are good but not as a main broadcast partner and perhaps not yet.

I'll have a look at the full framework later but certainly seems like an enormous amount of thought has gone into this. I do think a lot more weighting should be given sporting performance and I worry that people have unrealistic expectations of what is a rehash of an old system is like to bring. Saying that, I'll keep an open mind and hope for the best. We all need this to be successful!

In matches Leigh have lost this season both have been close and they look to have pushed their opponents all the way. I'm expecting something similar here. We are a few men down, mainly due to our own actions, which doesn't help. Roby and Paasi's return are important and I think we'll have enough. Saints by 12.

Can't really complain about the bans our players picked up this week. Three needless and avoidable tackles and deserved suspensions. We need to clean up our act to avoid the number of bans we picked up last year. Think the Walters call was right too. I've no doubt it was a shoulder charge but don't think it was worthy of a ban or a card. Wouldn't have minded a penalty being given for it on Friday night though!

Here's the Kenny Dowall incident. Quite similar to one that Sione Mata'utai got sent off for and received a three match ban.

Frustrating one for Saints but probably a very entertaining one for a neutral. A 24-12, we were on top and in control. We had chances to put the game away and didn't. That allowed Leeds a shot and they took it. I'm not going to critical though after a pretty intense few weeks both physically and emotionally. Never nice to lose in the last minute but we've been on the other side quite often. One to take on the chin and move on to next week.