Brian Carney says he is excited about Super League's semi-finals, which include a replay of Saturday's tense game between Saints and Warrington...
The semi-final make-up has been confirmed: St Helens will face Warrington on Thursday, October 4, and Wigan host Castleford on Friday, October 5. Both will be live on Sky Sports, and though we still have a round of fixtures to go before we get there, I would like to give my thoughts on those games.
As luck would have it, Saints and Wolves met in round 6 of the Super 8s and, having been there, the atmosphere in the ground for what was being described as a dead rubber turned out to be fantastic.
There was plenty done by Warrington off the field in terms of pre-match entertainment, and plenty thrown into the game by the players on the field.
I remarked to Jon Wells at half-time on Sky Sports that we couldn't have asked for a better prelude to the semi-final. The first half was close, tense, and had just the right amount of niggle - including a flare-up when Matty Lees' knee accidentally collided with the head of Tyrone Roberts, with the latter then being helped off the field.
That fight electrified the stadium, and electrified crowds is certainly what you want. For the players' part, the 'coming together' answered any questions about whether or not they considered the match a dead rubber.
Throughout the game there seemed to be an element of animosity between the two sets of players, and I've got no issues with that at all. It only makes for a more intriguing semi-final in two weeks' time.
I've been told that the pushing and shoving was not for show, and that there are players from each side who have successfully got under the skin of the opposition. Those players will have plenty of eyeballs on them in the semi-final, so I'm expecting more fireworks in the first of our two play-offs.
In terms of on-field play, Warrington can now point to injury absentees, namely Darryl Clark, and injuries during the game - Roberts and Kevin Brown, their first-choice halves being replaced - to mitigate against the loss. But for them the beauty lies in the absolute elimination of any complacency that a first win of the season against St Helens may have brought.
The Wolves will now go into their play-off match as underdogs, and under no misapprehension as to the size of the task. They need 17 performances, and not just rely on the return of Clark and the hope that Roberts and Brown will click on the day.
On the other hand, the second half showed St Helens at their season's best; threatening, skilful, and unforgiving in punishing an error. With all of the above in mind, I would be disappointed if the first of these semi-finals was not a bumper crowd at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
St Helens fans need to make sure they are the dominant voice on Thursday week, but what better message could come from the town of Warrington than selling out their allocation, and roaring their team to another final this year. I cannot wait!
The second semi-final pits Wigan Warriors and Castleford Tigers against each other. Wigan, with a win in the wet against Huddersfield, secured second spot and the home semi-final that was always looking likely to be theirs.
It is hard to discount the conditions, because they were truly bad, but there were elements of the Warriors' play that the coach will not forgive just because the heavens opened up.
Some decisions by experienced players who should know better I will put down to a bad day at the office, because Wigan at home - where their record shows just one defeat in 2018 - will be a different prospect altogether.
They will also have some troops back that they were missing at the John Smith's stadium, and they know that if they lose, Shaun Wane will have coached his last game. Don't underestimate the emotional need Wigan have to win that match.
But what about the Tigers? Slowly getting back to the same form they had in 2017? No doubt their full-back issues seem to be a thing of the past, and resolving that important issue has coincided with a more fluid attack, but particularly a more resolute defence, which they had in 2017 but was often overlooked because of their scintillating play with the ball.
On reflection, Daryl Powell really did take a massive gamble that failed, but luckily for him the Tigers were not punished for it. Ben Roberts started the season at full-back, Jake Trueman played there during the season, and so did Calum Turner and Quentin Laulu-Togagae. Each, for brief periods, being sold as the solution to the No 1 problem.
The truth is none of them were capable this season of doing the job needed, but the man they have got from Leigh is. And I think, notwithstanding the fact Luke Gale has returned to pull the strings for Cas, stopping Peter Mata'utia may be the task that most troubles the Warriors in the semi-final.
Wigan will be relieved at not having to travel to the Mend-a-Hose Jungle to play the Tigers, but I have a feeling Castleford will travel to the DW stadium with zero fear of the location or Wigan's great record there.
There will be emotion surrounding the last game at the DW for coach Wane and Sam Tomkins - perhaps for the last time - as well as John Bateman, but Castleford will not have any such motivation or baggage. And that's not a bad thing, as sometimes too much emotion can hinder rather than help you.
Cast your minds back to Ben Flower in 2014, a player who admits the passion of the event overwhelmed him and contributed to his actions that evening. Benny dealt with the fall-out of that brilliantly, and has turned himself into one of Wigan's most important forwards. I'd expect to see him on the field come semi-finals, if not earlier, and playing a huge role.
So set your calendar and set your clocks; Sky Sports Arena and Main Event will be the place to be if you can't get to the semi-finals. If you can, then go and do your very best to add one of the most important elements to these fixtures: big crowds. Big crowds help deliver big games, and big games help deliver a brighter future for Super League.