Set of Six: Challenge Cup, ending sets, Bradford Bulls are back and Leeds woe

Winning, of course, is all that matters in knockout games – but there will be aspects of the victory that give the coaching staff and players food for thought.

Having looked solid, composed and a classy so far this season, there were aspects of Sunday’s game that need attention.

Sure, it could be a blip, given the formula has served Saints well this year – but they will need to end their sets much better when the stakes, as they will, get even higher.

And they have to keep their heads. Having been good in this aspect this season, it was a shock to see them revert to a few panic plays at times during the game as they sought to put another score between them and Giants.

Still, it is good to get something to work on and still win. And if it does not work out, Saints' still have Danny Richardson waiting in the wings with his more varied kicking game.

2. Huddersfield came to do a job – they were not there to simply roll over and let Saints do their party pieces.

As had been anticipated clubs have been fired up to believe they can achieve what Catalans did last season, and know they just have to get up for three more games and they will be running around Wembley with the cup with no 30-week slog required.

They fought tooth and nail, slowing down the ruck to partially neutralise Saints’ attack and never gave up.

And guess what, Wakefield are exactly the sort of team who take that up a notch. They are not third for no reason so that will be a cracker of a game and a real test of Saints’ mettle.

The fact that there will be a Championship team in the semi-final – without meaning to be disrespectful – will give every team that is left belief that they could get to Wembley.

3. It is understandable that some anxiety will creep into Saints’ game. For a club of their pedigree, that won the cup four years out of five between 2004-08, the last ten years have been agonising.

Of the playing group, only James Roby has tasted Wembley success with Saints – and they have a roster of top-notch players who have yet to go up Wembley Way.

Some of those players will be more desperate than the fans.

4. Bradford’s win over Leeds was fantastic for the game and the competition.

It is much harder for an underdog to win in rugby league than football, but Bulls boss John Kear certainly knows how to pull them off in the Challenge Cup. Who could ever forget the Sheffield Eagles in 1998?

Bulls were arguably Saints biggest rivals in the early days of Super League – a big shout given the feeling towards Wigan – but their demise was a pretty sobering experience on how clubs can fall from grace.

With 10,000 in Odsal for last Saturday’s game, it was like the old days were back.

Bradford did not do themselves many favours with the way they imploded during and after their Super League exit, but the top flight is poorer for Bulls’ absence given the ability of the city club to pull in five-figure crowds and also get people talking.

5. The other side of that coin is Leeds’ downward spiral.

They have flailed around for solutions this past couple of years – making their title success in 2017 seem even more bizarre.

They are in a mess, and a club of their resources should not be going through this sort of meltdown.

But are they not simply going through the same process Saints went through when they lost Cunningham, Wellens, Long, Sculthorpe – legends of the game who not just brought their own skills to the game but also created the culture.

Leeds are doing similar post Peacock, McGuire, Sinfield, Burrow et all – but their convulsions make Saints’ difficulties in the post Daniel Anderson seem minor in comparison.

6. And finally, one of the positive spin offs from Bradford drawing Halifax in the quarters will be that it won’t be an all Super League affair at the semi-final double header at Bolton.

If Bulls do beat Halifax – not a given – they will take a few thousand to the semi and that will add to the occasion.

Fax, too, rekindling bad memories of 1987 are also capable of finding numbers for a cup day out.

It has certainly brought the cup alive.