Sat 22 July : Betfred RL Challenge Cup Semi Final : St Helens v Leigh Leopards KO 14:30 BBC1

[Johnny Ringo]

Leigh wins this on form but again form goes out of the window when it comes to semi final knock out games. The weather will be a factor too if the forecast is correct. Hard to call this one so maybe better to wait and see what the squads look like, or even the match 17. 

[sweaty craiq]

Saints rightly start favourites especially with all the missing back rows at Leigh, this is an area Saints will exploit with Leigh hitting Hurrells side on attack. 
hopefully a great game that is allowed to flow for both teams and without controversy created by the officials.

Leigh to run out of steam and lose by 12

[Saint Toppy]

7 minutes ago, sweaty craiq said:

Saints rightly start favourites especially with all the missing back rows at Leigh, this is an area Saints will exploit with Leigh hitting Hurrells side on attack. 
hopefully a great game that is allowed to flow for both teams and without controversy created by the officials.

Leigh to run out of steam and lose by 12

Do Saints start as favourites - Current form & the league table suggest otherwise. Roby, Percival, Sironen & Wingfield definately missing and i'm not so sure all 3 of Makinson, Batchelor & Ritson will pass their fitness tests on Friday and will play.

Big question mark over whether Lee's plays as well. Reports coming out that he picked up a hand injury (possibly a broken hand) and its 50:50 whether they risk him in this game.

I'd actually have Leigh as slight favourites but it will be a close game

Edited July 20, 2023 by Saint Toppy

[Snowys Backside]

Saints have named their squad. All the missing ones (Bar the HIA) are named.

[Saint Toppy]

35 minutes ago, Snowys Backside said:

Saints have named their squad. All the missing ones (Bar the HIA) are named.

See my post above. There's 4 definately out and the 3 returning players are all having fitness tests on Friday (plus the decision to be made on Lees).

So its 4 definately missing and possibly up to 8 missing.

[sweaty craiq]

1 hour ago, Saint Toppy said:

See my post above. There's 4 definately out and the 3 returning players are all having fitness tests on Friday (plus the decision to be made on Lees).

So its 4 definately missing and possibly up to 8 missing.

Saints spend over £1m more on the cap and hoover up the best kids Wingy and others being Leigh lads. This gives you about 35 players capable of being a SL player, we have 19 fit to pick from and are very short in the back row/prop. It will hopefully be a great game but Saints start favourites at the bookies

[Saint Toppy]

1 hour ago, sweaty craiq said:

Saints spend over £1m more on the cap and hoover up the best kids Wingy and others being Leigh lads. This gives you about 35 players capable of being a SL player, we have 19 fit to pick from and are very short in the back row/prop. It will hopefully be a great game but Saints start favourites at the bookies

Talk about exaggeration. Saints have 34 players with a 1st team shirt number and 9 of those have played 3 games or less (4 of which have never played 1st team)

[GUBRATS]

52 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

Talk about exaggeration. Saints have 34 players with a 1st team shirt number and 9 of those have played 3 games or less (4 of which have never played 1st team)

So basically you've used around 21 players ? So no real injury crisis this year so far , so you have essentially your first team available to you apart from a couple of players ( which is par for the course with a sport like RL ) , so no excuses if we beat you ? 

[DavidM]

Leopards to put up a good fight but be overpowered in the end

[Harry Stottle]

I see Sironen as a major threat, if I could choose a player I would want to miss the game it is he.

[Padge]

10 hours ago, Harry Stottle said:

Hi Padge,

Is that based on this season or by historical value?

It'll be the latter I would imagine, but check the bookies.

Personally I would love Leigh to do it, but it will be a tough ask against a very experienced big match team.

Weather and injuries could be the great leveller, Saints having some key injuries and Leigh's style of play not suited to the predicted weather.

 

 

[Jughead]

Leigh name a 20 man squad. 

[Harry Stottle]

42 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Leigh name a 20 man squad. 

They always do, and as luck as had it (or otherwise) it is pretty consistent.

[yipyee]

On 19/07/2023 at 13:11, Josef K said:

I think Leigh will win, because they’ll offer more than the Saints five drives and a kick. 
I would enjoy seeing a HKR/Leigh final as it would make a change from the usual sides winning it. But can’t see Rovers beating Wigan. 

Hull Leeds and Warrington are not in the semi finals so you will see a bit of variaty in the eventual winners ! 

Infact Catalan has also won it recently 

[Saint Toppy]

14 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

So basically you've used around 21 players ? So no real injury crisis this year so far , so you have essentially your first team available to you apart from a couple of players ( which is par for the course with a sport like RL ) , so no excuses if we beat you ? 

Maths not your strong point then !!

Saints could have up to 8 players missing, with 7 of those who would be in the first choice 17 every week (its 50/50 whether Wingfield would be there as well if everyone was fit). You take nearly half of your first choice players out of any team and they're severely weakened.

You can try and twist it as much as you like but Leigh are higher up the league, in better recent form and have less injuries to first choice players so have to start this game as favourites.

[phiggins]

22 minutes ago, Saint Toppy said:

Maths not your strong point then !!

Saints could have up to 8 players missing, with 7 of those who would be in the first choice 17 every week (its 50/50 whether Wingfield would be there as well if everyone was fit). You take nearly half of your first choice players out of any team and they're severely weakened.

You can try and twist it as much as you like but Leigh are higher up the league, in better recent form and have less injuries to first choice players so have to start this game as favourites.

I would say Saints will be favourites because of the big game experience they have, as a group. Leigh have a few players that have played semi finals and finals, but not as a collective, and I fear that one or two Leigh players will lose their heads.
 

Our discipline has been pretty good in regular league games, but magic weekend and the last cup game both saw a red and yellow card 

[ELBOWSEYE]

31 minutes ago, phiggins said:

I would say Saints will be favourites because of the big game experience they have, as a group. Leigh have a few players that have played semi finals and finals, but not as a collective, and I fear that one or two Leigh players will lose their heads.
 

Our discipline has been pretty good in regular league games, but magic weekend and the last cup game both saw a red and yellow card 

I remember 2009 and Wigan were hot favorites, wire blitzed them and started a good few seasons for us.so history is that in the past.

[Chris22]

We are the favourites to win the game with the bookies.

I'd agree with that too. Our fans have a habit of talking us down. But we are a side with an excellent record when it matters. We've lost two knockout games since Wembley 2019 and lost by 2 points each time.

We are missing some players that would make us better if they were fit and the Lussick rumours are an unwelcome distraction. I don't see these as excuses though. With the quality of players we have available, we should win tomorrow.

That being said, Leigh are in excellent form and have big game players of their own. I think the bookies judgement that the game will be very close is fair.

It wouldn't be a shock if Leigh won, as all signs point to a very even clash. And in games like that, very small factors can decide it.

Edited July 21, 2023 by Chris22

[GUBRATS]

10 hours ago, Saint Toppy said:

Maths not your strong point then !!

Saints could have up to 8 players missing, with 7 of those who would be in the first choice 17 every week (its 50/50 whether Wingfield would be there as well if everyone was fit). You take nearly half of your first choice players out of any team and they're severely weakened.

You can try and twist it as much as you like but Leigh are higher up the league, in better recent form and have less injuries to first choice players so have to start this game as favourites.

Name you first choice 17 

[ELBOWSEYE]

6 minutes ago, GUBRATS said:

Name you first choice 17 

You would believe that Leigh are 4 times champions and world champions and little old saints were the biggest underdog since Sheffield.

[GUBRATS]

3 minutes ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

You would believe that Leigh are 4 times champions and world champions and little old saints were the biggest underdog since Sheffield.

I just want to know who his best starting 17 are ? 

[sweaty craiq]

Once upon a time kitting a bus or a lorry out was a great way to advertise your club

[Zilla Budgie]

I like the big grey gate

[Mapleyther]

If both teams play to their full potential, Leigh will win. 

[Harry Stottle]

10 hours ago, sweaty craiq said:

Once upon a time kitting a bus or a lorry out was a great way to advertise your club

This is the perfect description of the saying "If you've got it, flaunt it" and to hell with what the detractors think.