LEAGUE Leaders Shield winners Saints will get the first week off when the Super League play-offs get under way this weekend.

Saints and Wigan - as postions 1 and 2 - go directly through to the semi finals.

In a change from convention, runners up Wigan have the first semi on Friday, 16 September with Saints playing theirs the day after at 1pm, Saturday 17 September.

All the games are straight knock-outs with no second bites of the cherry.

Saints could play one of three teams - Catalans, Leeds or Salford.

They will play the lowest-ranked team left in the competition after the first stage of Huddersfield (3) v Salford (6) and Catalans (4) v Leeds (5).

If both home teams win then Saints will play Catalans.

If Huddersfield win and Catalans lose, then Saints would entertain Leeds Rhinos.

If Huddersfield lose, it does not matter what happens in the other game, Saints would be at home to Salford.

Salford have hit some form at the back end of the year and come into the play-offs with some momentum.

They hammered Saints at the AJ Bell at the end of July.

The two semi-final winners will meet in the Grand Final at Old Trafford on Saturday, September 24.