Yes but you still had 13 men on the pitch which was one more than us for 60 minutes and without the help of a few dubious Silverwood decisions might have still lost.

FWIW I still think you have a chance of making the GF if nothing else with your home advantage and two bites of the cherry.

Wigan can't play as badly as they have done recently so should be there or thereabouts.

Before the CCF I tipped Cos to win the league but don't think they will make the GF.

Wire and Giants maybe not this time.

So Leeds against Saints or Wigan for me.

Its pretty open this year and should make for a good play off series.

Depending on how things work out with league placings and who ends up with clubcall then if Wigan and Leeds meet in the last 4 it could be any one of the other four contenders who progresses in the other semi to the GF.



However I reckon at least one (if not both) of Wigan or Leeds will peak in the playoffs and if they do I can't see any of the other four beating them.



Saints lack key men through injury

Wire lack leaders

Cas and Hudds lack experience (for those thinking Cas now have it because of the playing in the CC, well Wire won the CC in 2009 and it took them until 2012 to find a way to get to Old Trafford, even when they looked nailed on in 2011)



Even though they won in 2010, I think something clicked for Wigan regarding how to play playoff rugby last year in 2013, similar to how Leeds clicked with it several years ago.

Now I'm no St Helens fan. But I find it nothing short of utter arrogance that Whinos fans are dismissing them for the play-offs.



Didn't they just turn you over on your own ground yet again and completed a double over you? And without any half backs??



As for Leeds supporters branding Wigan their most feared opponents during the play-offs, have a look at their board, not many of their fans, who see them week in week out, rate their chances!

And if you look you'll find Saints fans dismissing their own chances too! They are all opinions. Don't take them to heart.

Terrible post.

To me wigan playing poorly is irrelevant. They have the halfbacks, the pack, the backs and the experience. They've not exactly planned to lose recent games but i think they've assesed things and basically figured it's a much of a muchness. Getting primed is more important then actual league placing so they've not been near 100% while teams they have played have been battling for their lives for one reason or another...... So they've had a few little defeats big f*cking deal.



I will be suprised if wigan aren't lining up at old trafford by the end of it.

I recall as dismal performance at Huddersfield in the last round of 2012 and 4 games later we were arranging another homecoming. Wigan are more than capable of hitting form again when it matters. I don't think Saints have the strength in depth to cover for the missing players in play-off rugby. They've done well enough in the regular rounds but who was busting a gut every week? Even Huddersfield appear to have held something back this time. They may prove me wrong but I'd be very surprised if Saints win it.

I think gaining virtually all home games in the playoffs will be a massive boost for us, we've generally played much better at LP this year as opposed on the road.



I think we can make the final, but what happens on the day is anyone's guess.

I don't think saints can reach old Trafford tbh. To many strike players missing which is a shame as we've topped the league for most the season.



Just shows that a injury crisis at the wrong end of the season can ruin the whole season but that's rugby league.

Yeah, remember 2005 where Terry Newton single handedly dismantled your entire season in about 20 minutes. I don't think i've ever seen an injury infliction spree quite like it.

Yep, he totally wiped us out that year. That's what makes the play offs a bad thing and also makes it a good thing as it's basically blown wide open.



It's the nature of the sport.

Remember that well, tried to break the jaw of Gardner and failed, tried to break the jaw of Gilmour and failed, got third time lucky and succeeded on Long.



We,ve had an injury curse on us for the past 6 years during the play off and GF,s. One day we will have a decent pair of half backs to get us through instead of our seasonal false dawns.