AND so the curtain comes down on another Saints season – in a final match that will leave the fans arguing and debating throughout the off season.

There was no disgrace in the way Saints fell at the final hurdle in a match that hinged on one big tackle, a missed conversion, a 40/20 and a video ref nod to the winning try.

The margins on those incidents were so narrow that it showed that never mind every minute mattering, it was all about every inch.

So how will Keiron Cunningham’s crew of 2015 be judged?

Hopefully not too harshly.

True, the cupboard is bare in contrast to the two trophies the club won amid some adversity last year.

And on the league ladder Saints have dropped from first to fourth.

But does that necessarily mean Saints have gone backwards?

Again, go back to the inches of Friday night. If Ryan Hall does not get the nod for that try then Saints march into Old Trafford confident of retaining their title.

Equally if James Roby squeezes past Jamie Peacock on the line at the other end, or if Kevin Sinfield's 40/20 falls a foot or so this side of the line then Saints are going through.

Credit to Leeds. They have been a champion team since 2007 – and that winning culture, that ability to find something, hang in and dig deep is deeply engrained.

That is something Saints are still working towards.

It was significant how much an impact Jon Wilkin had on his return from injury – a player who really planted the standard for his teammates to rally around.

He, of course, had strong back up from James Roby – but a look down the Saints roster from this year showed a real loss of experienced men with a wide experience of the game and of life ahead of this campaign.

Losing Paul Wellens, who was forced to hang up his illustrious boots after needing a hip replacement, saw a big voice taken out. And he was joined in retirement early on in the season by Kiwi World Cup winner Lance Hohaia.

These unexpected losses came on the back of the off season departures of mature professionals like Anthony Laffranchi, Willie Manu and Sia Soliola.

Some of that will only come with age and experience.

What has been super to see has been the advance of some of those younger players.

Some of the real bonuses of this year has been the continued advancement of Mark Percival and Andre Savelio.

Alex Walmsley has been immense – and shown a real leap in the quality of his performances in his third year in the red vee.

Joe Greenwood’s running and defensive tenacity before his broken leg showed a massive leap on from the year before and Adam Swift ended the year as the competition’s form wingman.

So although Saints fell at the last hurdle to Old Trafford, there was plenty of spirit shown there last Friday to show that the team is being rebuilt with the right foundations.