I COULD be wrong here, but by my reckoning this is the first time Saints have topped the Betfred Super League table this season.

That’s how it should be, because the reigning champions have proved themselves a cut above since the resumption.

That’s not to say we won’t have competition, with the likes of Warrington in particular showing some great form in the past couple of weeks.

Title sponsors Betfred have us at 13/8 to win the Grand Final, which will hopefully take place in November, ahead of the Wire at 3/1, Wigan 7/2, and Catalans 7/1 – while Leeds and Castleford are both 12/1 shots.

I must say, credit to my former club Warrington for agreeing to fulfil their fixture last week, despite being hit with major COVID-19 regulations. Seven first-choice players were forced to stand down and self-isolate following a positive test.

However, this looked to spur on the young Wolves side as they took apart Hull FC, joining Saints with a 14-point total at the summit of the Betfred Super League table.

Meanwhile, don’t you just love a shock result – one the fans this side of Billinge lump no doubt enjoyed far more than the other!

Obviously I’m talking about bottom club Hull KR’s demolition of former league leaders Wigan over at Headingley. I’m saying shock, but to be honest I think the Rovers have been steadily improving over the previous couple of weeks and this week it obviously all clicked together.

With no threat of relegation, the Robins have not been shy in pushing the ball and entertaining the Sky TV viewers with some free flowing rugby over the last four weeks, but this time backed it up with a more clinical display and some dogged defence to take their first win since restart and only their second win of the season.

That result should act as a warning to Kristian Woolf and co as they entertain HKR for the second time in two weeks, this time back home at the Totally Wicked Stadium on Friday.

However, I’m sure the champions have other ideas following their own masterclass on Sunday, defeating an injury-hit Huddersfield Giants side.

With their own disruptions pre-game, including a late arrival at the stadium due to a traffic incident on the M62 and a late COVID-19 test and trace issue which cost youngster Lewis Dodd his Super League debut, the Saints were ultra-impressive in their near 50-point romp.

Jack Welsby, who reaped the praise of his coach post-game, seemed to enjoy his free role as a half in place of Dodd, as the team were excellently lead around by the outstanding duo of Jonny Lomax and Lachlan Coote.

Another Saint who seems to be growing in stature every week is our Welsh flyer Regan Grace.

With another two blistering tries against the Giants, can he go one better this week and bag a hat-trick against the Rovers? That’s a 8/1 shot with Betfred, which doesn’t look a bad shout with the form he’s currently showing!

More importantly though, it’s about the team getting the win.

I think it should be comfortable enough for the boys, who I’m backing to win by 40 points or more – which is 7/2 at Betfred.

Following a tough first half in their previous encounter two weeks ago and the visitors confidence boosting win over the Warriors last week, I’m sure nothing with be taken for granted and all focus will be on Saints putting in another top drawer performance.

Boosted by the possible return from injury of both Zeb Taia and Theo Fages, the chance of Mark Percival making a comeback following a hamstring strain and being back at home at the TWS, everything points to a fifth successive win.

Fingers crossed for more of the same.