Jon Wilkin column: Our big game mentality is growing (From St Helens Star)

Jon Wilkin column: Our big game mentality is growing

2:00pm Thursday 2nd August 2012 in Sport

I THINK you would call our performance at the weekend ‘solid’.

It was potentially a tricky game for us as Huddersfield are in such wretched form at the moment that everyone in the game is predicting a turn around.

I can empathise with what the Giants are going through as in 2004 we were untouchable until the Challenge Cup victory over Wigan.

We dispatched teams with ease and sat top of the table relatively unchallenged.

Our demise in the second half of the 2004 season bears a striking resemblance to the current situation that the Giants are experiencing. Looking back at that time I remember a helpless feeling that is a product of lacking confidence.

Our confidence and form disappeared overnight that year and to this day I am unsure where and why it disappeared.

I look at Huddersfield and see the vacant expressions of their players and confused glances at each other which is more or less exactly as I remember our squad in 2004.

The game itself was punctuated by some great tries from us, the highlight for me being Tommy Makinson’s tight dive in the corner to ground the ball following a great pass from Sia.

The most pleasing aspect of the game and our form over the last few months has been our rugged attitude to defending our line.

I think we had to do that much of it earlier in the year we have eventually become quite efficient at holding strong.

To win the Grand Final you must be able to defend your line and we are showing that we have a big game mentality that’s growing quietly within.

This week’s game is another test of our big game credibility.

Warrington have made the cup final, sit second in the league and represent a huge barrier between us and finishing second in the competition.

In all honesty it’s a must-win game for us if we aspire to finish second in the league and I have no doubt Warrington will be pretty keen to hang onto that spot also.

Warrington are a huge threat with ball in hand, their pack is flooding through teams and they have a prolific back line to finish chances they get off the back of their pack dominating the opposition.

This week is simple for us. I feel the key to winning the game is controlling the Warrington pack.

We have big TP back this week following his ban and I know that the key to our own good form has been the ability of our pack to play the ball quickly and consistently, making easy yardage to win field position.

It is a battle of two in-form packs of forwards and I know we are relishing the prospect of trying to halt Warrington's momentum.

On the Testimonial front, tickets are now available for the Johnny Vegas night at the Theatre Royal on September 9.

The evening has been sponsored by IRN BRU and will be hilarious.

Also my Question of Sport dinner is selling fast so please get in touch with my committee if you want to reserve a table. simply email: info@jonwilkin.co.uk COYS