SAINTS boss Nathan Brown looks ahead to this evening’s clash against Catalan Dragons, in conversation with the Star’s Mike Critchley.

MC: All fit, refreshed and raring to go after the weekend off?

NB: We have had a similar start to the weeks when we had blank dates – physical training, contact stuff and recovery work. The guys seem to play well off the back of a week off so the staff went with a proven recipe.

MC: Do you expect a Dragons side battle-hardened and steeled for the fight or one that has seen tough back-to-back trips taking it out of them?

NB: There is no doubt tough games takes stuff out of teams. But we are going to have a Catalan side brimming with confidence, are they going to be a bit bruised – of course.

But the reality is if we don’t play well then we’ll be the side that looks tired.

The ball control, discipline, the kick chase, where you give them the ball and how you give it to them will determine which side is tired.

If you look at Catalan’s last two games they have literally gone right down to the wire.

The last minute they got the score they needed and it is life and death – you lose and you are out. This week the winner goes to Old Trafford.

MC: Are you happy with how equipped you are to deal with this challenge?

NB: Apart from the Warrington game – where Tony Smith used his little men very well and we did not handle it – our defence has been good and there is a lot to like about what the guys are trying to do.

Now we have another very good side coming but we are giving ourselves a chance, which is better than a lot of people thought.

Semi-final football is won on ball retention, kicking the ball long, chasing and working hard for each other. You have to give the credit to the players because they started to believe again.

MC: Being in touching distance of Old Trafford is a good feeling after a break of two seasons.

NB: Catalan are coming here with the same objective. But at least we know what works for us and if we get that right we give ourselves a chance.

MC: Alex Walmsley comes back in after suspension, that gives you a selection headache?

NB: The reality is that if you are the bottom, you have unhappy players, but if you are up at the top like us you are going to have players who are going to miss out who have played a big part in helping us win the League Leader’s Shield.

We are going to have a couple of players watching this weekend who are going to be unhappy – and they are entitled to be unhappy because they want to play because they have contributed to where the team is.

But the coach’s job is to put what is deemed to be the best team out there to win – and we think Alex is in that best team so unfortunately someone will miss out.

On top of that Josh Jones is available again so there is going to be a number of players who may miss out because we can only run 17 players.

We feel we have picked the right 17 for this one.

Jones’ semi final performance last year was very good and I like proven behaviour in the big games.

Adam Swift came back in last week and was brilliant, as he was in the final series last year too.

Having that proven behaviour from players is important for coaches to have.