Fri 1st Oct : SL play off SF : St Helens v Leeds Rhinos KO 19:45 Sky TV

[Old Frightful]

Discuss the SL play off SF between St Helens and Leeds Rhinos here.

[fieldofclothofgold]

Saints should win and I think they will,but they have had pressure on them before in St's Leeds big games and they know . Different teams ,different time ,but you never know 

[Davo5]

Comfortable Saints win.

[M j M]

Saints struggled with the Leeds pack when they played the proper forwards back in April so that's the thing which should give Leeds most confidence. Unlike then Leeds now have one half back available which should help even things up a bit more.

Saints are clearly still strong favourites but Agar has been known to pull out big game coaching masterplans so that could be another small advantage to Leeds.

If Saints are as cocky as some of their fans there is a moderate chance of an upset but overall I'm not banking on it. Saints by 12.

[DavidM]

Sents by 14

[Davo5]

1 hour ago, M j M said:

Saints struggled with the Leeds pack when they played the proper forwards back in April so that's the thing which should give Leeds most confidence. Unlike then Leeds now have one half back available which should help even things up a bit more.

Saints are clearly still strong favourites but Agar has been known to pull out big game coaching masterplans so that could be another small advantage to Leeds.

If Saints are as cocky as some of their fans there is a moderate chance of an upset but overall I'm not banking on it. Saints by 12.

Which big game “master plans” ?

[Loiner]

2 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

Which big game “master plans” ?

Think mjm might be thinking of the CC semi final when they beat erm I forget now.

[Davo5]

2 minutes ago, Loiner said:

Think mjm might be thinking of the CC semi final when they beat erm I forget now.

So playing good basic wet weather rugby against a team with a lightweight pack is suddenly a master plan.

Lets Hope for more rain then.

[Loiner]

1 minute ago, Davo5 said:

So playing good basic wet weather rugby against a team with a lightweight pack is suddenly a master plan.

Lets Hope for more rain then.

He said it not me.

[M j M]

Admittedly Lam is not that hard a coach to outwit but you'll for example see a fundamentally different Leeds game plan and approach to the game this week compared to last. 

[Exiled Wiganer]

Saints to win, but lose the GF against HKR. Will really miss the playful Leeds fan banter afterwards. 

[johnh1]

5 minutes ago, Exiled Wiganer said:

Saints to win, but lose the GF against HKR. Will really miss the playful Leeds fan banter afterwards. 

I really, really, really hope you are right on both counts. 

[Chris22]

We should win because we are a better team than Leeds. But there is something about playing Leeds in a play off that makes me uneasy, not sure why that is?

I don't expect a match like our meeting the other week where we blow them off the field. Leeds will heavily target Walmsley so our other forwards need to be on their game rather than rely on his power as we sometimes do.

Big call to make in the half backs with Lomax fit, but would be a major shock if he didn't start.

[Moove]

41 minutes ago, Chris22 said:

Big call to make in the half backs with Lomax fit, but would be a major shock if he didn't start.

I imagine it'll be Lomax and Dodd in the halves with Welsby on the bench. Probably seems a bit harsh on Welsby given his form but it's a 17-man sport and I think we'd have better balance that way round.

Came off the bench in the CC final and changed the game, would be helpful to have that option again in the play-offs.

Also means we might be able to give Knowles a breather when Walmsley and Lees/LMS go off without such a big drop off in quality. That's burned us a couple of times before and I imagine it's a period in the game Leeds would be targetting.

[Liverpool Rover]

Saints will be quite rightly favourites and are a better team but Leeds have the players to pull off a shock if Saints aren't on the ball. They will be though so it will be a Saints win.

[Wilderspoolmemories]

Leeds by 2.

[LeeF]

So McManus v Hetherington.
Will this game confirm who really controls the RFL or SLE? Who picks the referees? Who manipulates the Disciplinary?

Saints but not by much 

[M j M]

44 minutes ago, LeeF said:

So McManus v Hetherington.
Will this game confirm who really controls the RFL or SLE? Who picks the referees? Who manipulates the Disciplinary?

They seem to be much more aligned nowadays since conspiring together to get rid of Elstone. 

[Canis Lupus]

and that's a bad thing? 

[M j M]

Absolutely not, they're probably amongst the smartest operators amongst the club bosses.

[Ray Cashmere]

Leeds need Prior, Oledzki and Tetevano right on top of their game to win this. Those 3 have the ability to win the arm wrestle but Tetevano is yet to show it for Leeds and Oledzki didn't look fit last week. 

Saints by 14.

[Southerner]

I’ve heard Jack Walker has a chance for this match after 18 months out. Gamble but he’s an exceptional player, could be dangerous off the bench?

[M j M]

30 minutes ago, Southerner said:

I’ve heard Jack Walker has a chance for this match after 18 months out. Gamble but he’s an exceptional player, could be dangerous off the bench?

No need to bring him in, we are strong enough in the backs not to risk bringing in a player without match fitness.

Luke Gale coming back from injury would be a different proposition however and that would need serious consideration.

[Davo5]

3 minutes ago, M j M said:

No need to bring him in, we are strong enough in the backs not to risk bringing in a player without match fitness.

Luke Gale coming back from injury would be a different proposition however and that would need serious consideration.

If fit it would give you the option of moving Myler back into the halves allowing Leeming to play in his own position,certainly a gamble but Leeds have nothing to lose.

[fieldofclothofgold]

Jack Walker wont be playing surely .he need a good off season