By CHRIS JOYNT

YOU could tell from the first whistle on Friday that we meant business. That showed in the intensity and the way in which we got the small things right like our kick and chase.

Ultimately we played the conditions right and that got us through to the Grand Final. Our defence was superb and we took everything Wigan threw at us.

It is great to get one over the Pie-eaters! When I went for my newspaper in Wigan on Saturday morning I was met with silence. I have been getting stick all season but they had nothing to say last weekend!

Some people have said we cannot play when it is wet - but we were singing in the rain at the end.

It is something we took on board from the week before against Bradford. Rugby is a learning curve.

Yes, everybody knows that Saints can do all the flashy stuff, throw the ball about with spectacular offloads and flicked passes.

But you have to play to the conditions and know there is a time and a place for that.

That will be the same again this Saturday because it always rains on Grand Final night. (Looks like it will be another bad night for showing off my egg in the nest!)

We are all quite positive - after all we have looked good in our last two hours of rugby. But we know the size of the task facing us. People have said we have had a good season, but you judge that in silverware and we have won nothing yet.

Our culture here is not to think about losing or harp on about what the opposition will do. We are very positive and focus on what we can do.

Considering the amount of games we have played our squad looks fresh and very sharp. We will need to be. We want this trophy back - but they want to keep it. And never beating us in the last four big finals will be another major motivating tool for them.