SAINTS boss Keiron Cunningham does not expect Challenge Cup winners Leeds Rhinos to still be seeing champagne corks when the teams clash at Headingley on Friday night.

He expects Leeds to bounce into the game as they seek to emulate the treble last won so comprehensively by Saints’ class of 2006.

However, although accepting Leeds are are very good side – he believes Saints can upset the apple cart and have a big say in how the silverware is divided this year.

Cunningham said: “Leeds are a professional outfit and the days when teams go on three and four day drinking binges after finals have long gone - they went out in the early noughties.

“The game is too professional for that. Leeds are going to come out on Friday really focused and driven by Peacock and Sinfield in their last season.

“But we enjoy going to Headingley and I am sure my players will give it their best shot.”

All the talk, even before the Wembley rout, has been how good Leeds are with some pundits already touting them as the best in the history of Super League.

But Cunningham will not be preparing a side to pay homage to Brian McDermott’s league leaders.

“Leeds are a good side, they are the benchmark so it is understandable that people are going to blow them up,” he said.

“They have gone to a Challenge Cup final and won 50-0 so that is the way it goes.

“We are not a bad side ourselves.

“We were one score off beating them in the semi final and being in the final ourselves.

“Rugby league games are always on a knife edge and generally in big games it tips one way or another at some point.”

Having lost the last four games, with the Challenge Cup knockout being followed by three straight Super 8 losses, Saints welcomed the Wembley weekend break.

It has enabled the team to re-focus on the four games to play.

“We have got to start doing the right things to make it tip our way.

"I am quietly confident about the Leeds game and we have a new vigour about the team.

"We re-focused and have got four games to do something now.

"Everyone has written us off. It happens every year – it was the same last year and the one before that.

"That is the way it is with Saints and I think some like to see us fail.

"There are some Saints haters out there who have a smirk on their faces when we are not doing well.

"We are in with a fighting chance and as long as we are then then there is hope.

"We have got a lot to play for in four games and if we don’t win this week then we have got the week after at Castleford.

"You have just got to keep fighting.

"All we have to do is make the top four and then anything can happen.

"We have had a mini blip, we have four games to play with everything to play for. Not one of them are going to be easy,"

Jon Wilkin is expected to play after recovering from a broken thumb.

Cunningham expects his captain to make a difference – even though he will be short of match fitness.

"Wilko has trained on Monday and if comes through training this week he has a good chance of returning. He will make a difference," Cunningham said.