NATHAN Brown says morale is running high in the Saints’ dressing-room.

He looks ahead to the semis with the Star’s Mike Critchley.

MC: It was really pleasing to see the team produce that performance after two losses.

NB: I am really proud of what they did. It was a very good performance and pretty much 1-17 contributed, which is really pleasing.

Our kick chase was tremendous and the forwards did a really good job for us.

MC: The pack gave a solid platform for the variety of kickers you employed.

NB: All of the guys kicking did well – Jordan Turner, Larney, Flash and Robes all did a good job.

Flash has a nice skillset and I remember watching him play at Wests Tigers and he showed that. Last season before he got injured he took on a bit of a ball-playing role for us before he hurt his knee. He has come back this year and worked his way into the team, and earlier on in the year he was creating tries with his hands, so it does come naturally to him.

MC: The team did not give Cas a sniff and kept their foot on their throats after taking that lead.

NB: We started the second half really well, which was needed because at 13-0 Cas probably would have fancied themselves if they had scored. I thought we put in a really good, solid 80-minute performance from start to finish. That is what is needed in the bigger games.

MC: It is good that you can slot young lads like Greg Richards and Luke Thompson back in for the play-offs – and they were not fazed at all.

NB: They have both done brilliantly when we have had key players missing. Last week they did well, as they did in the tough game at Wigan earlier in the year when they backed up well against good teams.

Their days of playing in the under-20s are pretty much finished, I would think.

MC: After the injuries the team was written off for 2014, but you could see a real team spirit at the game on Friday. How important is that self-belief going through these tough times?

NB: If the players don’t have any belief it does not matter what anybody else thinks.

The playing group’s belief and team spirit can carry them a long way. The fact that we have Wello and Robes out there helps, and Larney and Anthony Laffranchi have been around a long time. So although we do have a lot of young players, we do also have plenty of blokes who have been around the track a fair while.

I have publicly stated how important Wello’s leadership has been since I have been here. He has been through the great days and Wello and Robes are important to have around. Their belief rubs off on the other players really well.

MC: How important was winning to buy a weekend off and what does it enable the team to do?

NB: It is great for us because we are one game away from Old Trafford. We can freshen up a bit after a spell of some fairly high-intensity football.

Like every side in the competition we will have blokes carrying things, and this gives the chance to train hard and freshen up, dependent on where their bodies are at. It gives them a good chance for a good build-up for next week’s game – whoever we play.