Leigh 48 Saints 10 - If It's The Hope That Kills You, We're Safe Now

Any lingering doubt about whether Saints could still make the playoffs was extinguished as they were were smashed 48-10 at Leigh.

The pessimists among us have been quite certain that Saints would miss out on knockout football since the loss at York at the end of July. Maybe earlier. But the media narrative has continued to centre around keeping hopes alive. The writers and pundits will have to focus on something else during the final week of the regular season now that the identity of the top six is locked in. 

This column has been as guilty as they have of reminding everyone that Saints had never missed out in the Super League era. Now that it's happened many of you might feel a sense of relief that we can go into our final game at home to Hull KR without having to deal with it. 

Others will be massively disappointed despite the apparent writing on the wall some time ago. Constant presence in the playoffs over a 30-year period is some achievement. It's both a wrench to let it go and a relief to not have to fear another pummelling in a meaningful game.

Interim Head Coach Eamon O'Carroll went into this one with yet more injury problems to deal with in his banged up, inherited squad. Alex Walmsley passed an HIA at the end of last week's loss to Leeds but suffered further concussion symptoms in the week which ruled him out. Nene MacDonald missed out because...well he had played the last three and he is after all...Nene Macdonald. Jake Davies also missed out and is not expected back for the final game due to a shin problem. 

In the days leading up to the game Mark Percival followed Jonny Lomax in announcing his retirement from the game at the end of the season. The former England centre made his Saints debut 13 years ago and has appeared 274 times, scoring 130 tries. A reluctant stand-in, he has also kicked 383 goals for a total points tally of 1,286. He's won four Super League Grand Finals, a Challenge Cup and a World Club Challenge. He's another of the locally produced players - like Lomax - who have been at the forefront of the club's success. 

Percival is only 32 but is bowing out largely because the injuries have destroyed his level. His inclusion in the starting lineup for this one gave him only his ninth appearance of the season and his first since the home win over Huddersfield in June. Saints' glory era under Justin Holbrook and Kristian Woolf saw Percival used as a battering ram early in sets to get the team away from its own line. He played one game - a defeat at Hull KR in April 2023 - in the second row. 

This has all added up to a blunting of his effectiveness as a creative runner at centre. For too long fans have clung to the idea of Percival at his best which has not been the reality for some time. It was a surprise to me that he was originally offered a contract to the end of 2027 given the decline in his form and fitness. But while many have been quick to point to the courage shown by Lomax since his announcement the same can be said of Percival. Like Lomax, he was raising his hand for duty here partly because of the enormous need.

As has often been the case in this troubled season Saints were in the fight early on. The first half an hour was a bit of an offensive shootout. Josh Charnley - whose every try now carries a legal obligation to keep you updated on how many he has in his Super League leading career, crossed first while Innes Senior's try rang alarm bells. But a great diving finish by Jacob Douglas brought Saints back into it. Tristan Sailor had created that one and scored the second himself after an outrageous break by Harry Robertson. 

Even though Umyla Hanley's controversial try stretched the Leopards' lead to 18-10 it looked like Saints might get in at half time not only close but unlucky not to be within one score. There seemed to be an obvious obstruction by Adam Cook which allowed Hanley to cut through to score. 

Yet it was Cook's ugly touchdown just before the break which punctured Saints' resilience. He grounded after kicking through a loose ball which probably should have been covered. The difference between going in at half time 18-10 down and 24-10 down always seemed likely to be huge for a team which has been through as much turmoil as Saints have this year.

And it proved too much. Saints all but disintegrated after the break. They let in 24 unanswered points as tries from Edwin Ipape, Hanley, Jacob Allick-Wienke and Rob Mulhern blew the score out to somewhere approaching an embarrassment. In amongst all that Percival - who could be forgiven for tiring by this stage given his lack of game time, was sin-binned for a high shot on Leopards fullback David Armstrong. 

It was telling that not a single Saints forward broke the 100-metre barrier. With Walmsley, George Delaney, Noah Stephens and Matty Lees injured and Daniel Suluka-Fifita suspended there just wasn't the available personnel for the job of gaining field position. When Saints marched downfield they did so on the back of breaks from Robertson, Sailor and Jack Welsby. But even players of that caliber need a pack to play behind.

Just about the only bright spot in that second half was the debut of 19 year-old Oscar Knox. The second rower joins Billy Keeley, Matty Evans, Tom Humphreys and Davies in gaining valuable experience this year. How many of them will be part of Kevin Walters' plans going forward is hard to say, but the Australian Kangaroos coach would be well advised to ensure his squad contains at least a chunk of home grown talent.

We still have one more obligation to fulfill before we can close the book on a desperately disappointing campaign. Hull KR visit on Friday night in what is now a dead rubber after the Robins secured their playoff berth with victory over Huddersfield Giants. 

O'Carroll will be selecting his final lineup before he goes to rugby union and Walters clocks on in his new job. The main decision for O'Carroll - and probably for outgoing Rovers coach Willie Peters is whether to give youth more experience or stick with the principle of fielding the strongest team possible.  With Saints' injury issues they might be almost the same thing. 

You're probably ready for the season to end. But in having one more game to endure, at least you can look forward to getting through it without Jon Wells - or the bloke next to you in the BrewDog - telling you we might still have playoff hope.