St Helens coach Daniel Anderson is confident the visit of champions and early pacesetters Leeds Rhinos will bring the best out of his Jekyll and Hyde team in Friday night's mouth-watering Grand Final repeat.
While the Rhinos have picked up from where they left off in October, winning seven of their first eight Super League games and lifting the World Club Challenge, Saints have struggled in the face of adversity to find the same consistency.
They re-discovered their form with a resounding 46-10 Good Friday win over Wigan but quickly came back down to earth with a 28-26 defeat to Huddersfield three days later. The Challenge Cup holders have also lost to Hull KR and Catalans Dragons.
"We spoke about that on the bus on the way back from Huddersfield," said Anderson.
"We played exceptionally well against Bradford, we played great against Warrington and were brilliant against Wigan.
"There is obviously a bit of concern that our form is erratic depending on when we feel like we have to dig in instead of doing it consistently at a high level.
"That is very different to what we've done in the past two seasons."
Much has been made of Saints' injury problems and, although they have been without as many as six regulars at any one time, the anticipated return of prop Jason Cayless will leave them without just two members of their Grand Final team, Keiron Cunningham and Nick Fozzard.
Leeds are currently without four players from their victorious Old Trafford line-up but they have rattled up 122 points in their last three matches and coach Brian McClennan admits his side are in good shape.
"We were fortunate in our two games over Easter that we have been able to get out to leads which has meant the games are less stressful on us both physically and mentally," he said.
"The players have been training really well this week. There is a spring in their step and that is what playing against St Helens brings out in you.
"Our young players have gone really well. One of the positives this season so far has been how the young ones have come through and contributed to the team."
Another club forced to test their reserve strength are Wakefield, who will be without eight first-choice players through injury and suspension for tonight's trip to Wigan.
In addition, coach John Kear has had just one full day to prepare his side following their return trip to the south of France for their Easter clash with Catalans Dragons but he is putting on a brave face.
"We're facing adversity again but we'll go in there with a siege mentality and muck in for each other," he said.
"It's a brutal game and there is not only us suffering, although we are suffering pretty bad. Unfortunately for us, we're up against a team that is not suffering. I think they have only Gareth Hock missing.
"The good thing is after tonight, we have a nine-day turnaround before we play Warrington and we should have Tevita Leo-Latu, Sam Obst and Danny Brough back by then."
More news from SportingLife.com
