Justin Holbrook confident table-topping St Helens won't falter in final straight
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Loading... - Graham Davies
- 16 Aug 2021
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St Helens coach Justin Holbrook is confident his runaway leaders won’t ‘do a Castleford’ and falter at the final hurdle this season.
The Tigers finished 10 points clear in Super League last season but lost the Grand Final to Leeds and were also knocked out of the Challenge Cup.
Saints’ dominant campaign saw them the same distance ahead before the mid-season split - but they have since been dumped out of the cup by Catalans and lost at home to in-form Huddersfield.
With star full-back Ben Barba out of form and linked to a return home to Australia, questions have started to surface over Saints’ title prospects.
But Holbrook says the Huddersfield defeat was a direct result of the disappointing semi-final loss against the Dragons - and expects his side to start bouncing back on Thursday against Wakefield.
He said: “I can understand why people make these comparisons, because we got knocked out of the Challenge Cup and so did Cas.
“They were sat well clear at the top and we’re doing it this year.
“But I’d been asked way before that about the comparisons and we’re two different teams.
“I’m not too fussed about last Friday - I wanted to win, of course I did, to make us all feel better after the semi-final.
“But when you’re trying to win for different reasons it doesn’t happen, you don’t get to win just because you lost the week before.
“Had we won against Catalans I would have given a few guys a rest that were looking tired.
“I’ll never rest players for no reason, but there was definitely signs of fatigue.
“I thought the best way to help them feel better would be to get out there and get a win.
“We fell just short and it was probably our worst performance of the year, but with good reason.
“It was disappointing not to be just good enough to win because now people are saying what’s going on - but hang on a minute.
“We want to win every week and we haven’t played well for two weeks now, but last week had a lot to do with the semi-final.”
Now Saints face a Wakefield team that is one of only three sides to beat them in the league this season.
Holbrook added: “Wakefield have always been there or thereabouts this season and I can’t remember them being beaten easily too often.
“They are a big side and it is a tough place to play - we know it’s not going to be an easy game.”
