Kristian Woolf Q&A previews Saints v Leeds Rhinos semi-final

MC: Agnatius Paasi back after missing since early September - has that presented any challenges in terms of conditioning and fitness?

KW: He has been really good and if I go back through the course of the whole year Agnatius has been outstanding in that he came in fit and ready to go, made a really good impact on our group from day one and has been a consistent weight all year and that is why he has been able to play with some consistency.

Agnatius’ best games have been the big ones, particularly through the Challenge Cup. He was a real game changer at Wembley. He has had a really good knack of rising to the occasion and have no doubt that he will be up for it this week.

The Challenge Cup was one of his first opportunities in senior footy – he played in a 2011 Grand Final for the New Zealand Warriors (under 20s) in an opposition to my team. The Challenge Cup Final was his first opportunity as a senior player to play in such a big game – and obviously he gets that opportunity again and has been really motivated and worked hard.

Trying to keep him fit and motivated has not been a drama at all.

MC: Looking at the 21, getting them into 17 shirts could be a headache?

KW: Throughout the year we have struggled to have our best 17 available every week – and have not put the same 17 out two weeks in a row.

We have been lucky enough at the back end of the year – apart from the two long term injuries – we are more healthy.

That is a great position to be in at this time of the year.

At the end of the day the team picks itself – the blokes who have performed this year and the last six or seven games consistently, they are the ones who are going to get the opportunity this weekend.

They have all picked themselves.

MC: Leeds are a different proposition to last time you played them with Zane Tetevano and Mikolaj Oledzki back in that pack?

KW: They are and it is a big game, a semi final.

We want to see Leeds at their absolute strongest, with their best forward pack out there. That adds to the occasion, atmosphere and quality of the game. If we are good enough to go through to the Grand Final we want that to be because we beat the best Leeds team.

MC: Leeds captain Matt Prior has told the Yorkshire Post that the key is slowing down Alex Walmsley.

KW: Al has really stepped up the back end of the year and in the big games, and gets excited about wanting to play the big games. He is one of our best players and has been over a long period, at the same time we have a lot more to us. If you get focused on one player we have plenty of others who can cause some damage as well.

MC: Since Wembley, the team has bounced through the back end of the year and played some good stuff. There is a clear hunger for more silverware.

KW: We have played our best footy at the back end of the year – the past five weeks or so of the season. We have not been perfect and have had periods there, like the Catalans game at Magic where we dropped off and got burnt.

Overall the footy we have played with and without the ball has been the best and we bring some form and confidence into the right end of the year.

MC: Play-offs are here, it is knock out football, everything riding on each 80, and with it the autumn weather is here, do you need a different mindset and approach to how you have been playing this last couple of months?

KW: Yes and no. We have obviously got to play the conditions and the team that goes out and plays the conditions the best tends to go a long way to winning it. At the same time, we are going to get our opportunity to play some footy and we need to make sure we take those opportunities when they come.

Leeds will get theirs too. We defend better than anyone in the comp and so we have to make sure we have got that attitude about us this week too.

MC: The same question as all year, where does Jack Welsby play?

KW: We have to keep some secrets – and everyone will see when they run out on Friday.

The thing I will say is we want all of those blokes on the field at the same time. If you look at our key players, the ones that are going to help in key moments of the game that go a long way in winning, it is James Roby, Jack Welsby, Lewis Dodd, Jonny Lomax, Lachlan Coote and Morgan Knowles.

They all play in key positions for a reason and we want them all on the field as much as possible and will figure out a way to make that happen. Those players will have a big impact on the result.