I saw a Saints fan say on Twitter that he refuses to have it that players now are worse than the early 2000’s across the league and therefore this is a side comparable and maybe better than any side in this era of Superleague. What he is ignoring is that a a good few of our best players are now in the NRL and the quality of import is drastically down on those of the early 2000’s. If Saints fans want to think it’s nostalgia to believe sides including Lyon, Long, Cunningham, Graham, Prime Roby, Sculthorpe etc wouldn’t comfortably beat this one then so be it.

You’re beating all before you to Grand Finals and that’s great for you but if we compare the teams you’ve beat in these finals to teams losing finals in the early 2000’s it’s chalk and cheese. We lost a final to you guys with a side containing Radlinski, Renouf, Jason Robinson, Terry Newton, Andy Farrell etc. That side would’ve put 30 on our final team in 2020 and would beat this Saints side with some to spare and again believe that is nostalgia all you like but the overall quality of the teams over here are as low as I can remember.

Saints are the best side of the last 5 years by an absolute mile but I’d take a few teams just in the Superleague era ahead of them. Look at the World Club Challenge results from the early 2000’s to recent years and try and tell me the quality of sides hasn’t dropped off a cliff here.

I agree, it’s all a complete and utter shambles and debating which decision is more shambolic then the next is pointless really. I look at Martin missing two play off games for his ‘bad challenge’ and then I see Knowles playing in a Grand Final and Bateman using games up in B fixtures and it sums it all up. An absolute farce and self harm for the game.

When it comes to the top teams you’re probably right, although I do think nostalgia plays a part in thinking that those players are head and shoulders above todays players. You never really appreciate what’s going on right now until it’s in the past. There’s a fair few players going around today that I think could play in those teams just fine and not be out of place. Who’s to say people like Lomax, Makinson, Walmsley, Farell, McIlorum, Tomkins won’t be held in similar esteem 15 years from now.

The quality throughout the league is largely better though I think. There’s much better matches on a general week to week basis.

The quality is spread around more for sure, that’s the salary cap for you. Our best sides now aren’t as good in quality imo as the best teams in the early 2000’s but then the worst teams probably aren’t as bad as some of the worst ones from that time either. The salary cap was brought in to level things ‘up’ but all it’s ever done for me is level things ‘down’ and that can’t be right.

It’s probably the wrong time for a debate about the leagues quality though. I really don’t want to sound like a bitter Wigan fan. It’s not this Saints teams fault if the overall quality of the league isn’t where we’d like it to be. You’re playing under the same conditions as everyone else and have consistently been better than everyone else for 5 seasons now. I look at us this season and we’ve improved and part of that is because Saints are making us improve and driving standards. I shudder to think what a bad place this league would be in if Saints were not making teams work to improve. It isn’t rocket science what Saints have done this last few seasons. It’s built on commitment, desire, hard work and gaining the small percentage wins. Too many teams want to cut corners and Saints have never done that.

Remember when Paul Vautin & Mike O'Connor came over in 88 to play for free, bricklaying on the side, great days.

And no side has ever lost 5 Grand Finals in a row, apart from Saints!

I think he means the greatest team in St Helens in the year 2022 , greatest side ever ? He must have missed all of the NRL games for the past couple of decades . best side in UK ever ? I would say no .

Stu,as you have won the GF you are now officially the best team this season,hope that clears things up now.

Congratulations Saints - fantastic performance. Wouldn't have been any different if we'd beaten Leeds - their intensity across the 80 minutes is unmatched just now.

Agreed thats what we should be looking to improve next year. To be able to play at full pelt for 80 mins

Don’t agree. Think that final highlights just how much we got it wrong in the semi.

Saints were there for the taking however Leeds lacked direction and the killer instinct, which is ironic given we lacked the same against them in the semi.

Fair play to Saints though. They didn’t come up against a great team in the final and they didn’t have to be outstanding to win it, but you have to say winning 4 in a row shows they are the best club in SL right now….maybe ever.

Means more than winning 4 in a row that Jason getting your seal of approval. Top man cheers!