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Saints have belief

St Helens are on a roll and are genuine contenders for the Super League crown, says Stevo.

St Helens are on a roll and are genuine contenders for the Super League crown, says Stevo. The Saints produced a superb display at Langtree Park on Monday night to sink high-flying Wigan 22-16 and Sky Sports expert Stevo reckons Nathan Brown's side's strong finish to the season cannot be ignored. After seeing Saints follow up their win over Castleford earlier this month with success over the Warriors, Stevo told Sky Sports: "Sometimes it's not how you start a season, it's how you finish it. "St Helens will gain confidence ahead of their next game - against Catalans - and they could build and build and build and actually do what Leeds have done in last two years from fifth position." While Saints still have plenty of work to do to match the Rhinos' back-to-back Grand Final triumphs, Stevo believes the way they have responded to injuries to key men this term bodes well for their chances as the Super League season reaches its climax. "I'm so pleased for St Helens in many ways," said the former Dewsbury hooker. "Nathan Brown, the coach, has had to go through horrors with injuries and so forth. When James Roby was injured yet again I thought they may come in for a slump but Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook had his best ever game on television tonight; I've never seen him play so well."

Immense

Saints prop McCarthy-Scarsbrook took the Man of the Match award for his gargantuan display and Terry O'Connor also heaped praise on the 27-year-old Londoner. The former Wigan ace also applauded the spirit of the St Helens side after they sunk his old team to strengthen their hold on seventh place ahead of their intriguing Saturday clash with Catalan Dragons, who currently sit fifth. "McCarthy-Scarsbrook was absolutely immense with the way he led the charge, the way he defended, the way he talked to his troops around him and the way he conducted himself with the referee," said O'Connor. "And that is a huge, huge win for Saints. Alex Walmsley, with the first tackle of the second half, injured his shoulder and went off and they then lost Gareth O'Brien, so they were down on substitutions, but then they came up with a display like that against one of the best sides in the competition."

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