Thursday 4 August 2016 23:40, UK
The Super 8s kicks off in style on Thursday night as second-placed Warrington host in-form St Helens at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
The Wolves, off the back of reaching the Challenge Cup final with a thrashing of Wakefield, will be hoping to see off the Saints who are fresh from a week's break and on a five-match winning streak.
Here are three head-to-heads that might decide it:
The outcome of this match could rest on the form of the two scrum-halves.
Chris Sandow has been a revelation this season. A magical display against Wakefield helped guide the Wolves to Wembley and he has subsequently been linked with a move back to the NRL.
However, Sandow intends to honour his contract, repaying the side that have helped rebuild his career since that high-profile exit from Parramatta 12 months ago.
Sandow's 11 tries puts him joint-fourth in Warrington's try-scoring ranks, while his 23 assists are the second-best figures in Super League, behind only Castleford's Luke Gale.
The Australian has made 15 clean breaks and is capable of game-breaking moments of brilliance - just look at his score against Huddersfield in their last Super League game for an example of that.
St Helens will need to shut him down on Thursday night but it won't be an easy task.
Saints will need their Aussie half-back on top form if they are to turn over the Wolves on their home turf. Luke Walsh has returned to the mix after an injury-enforced spell on the sidelines and has since helped the team to wins over Wigan and Huddersfield.
A cool head under pressure, Walsh showed off his game-management skills in that derby win over the Warriors, kicking a one-pointer to edge his side further in front. With 21 assists, eight more than anyone else in Saints colours, he is the focal point of Keiron Cunningham's attack.
St Helens' kicking game all goes through Walsh too, his 93 attacking kicks is 39 more than Jon Wilkin who is second in the rankings.
He might lack the dazzling genius and fleet of foot of Sandow, but if Walsh is on song, then the St Helens attack plays to the right tune.
These two men are vying for the England No 9 jersey and Wayne Bennett will have a chance to see them up close and personal.
Warrington's form this season has coincided with the rebirth of their hooker, Daryl Clark. He has recaptured his 2014 Man of Steel form, guiding the Wolves round the park.
A constant threat with ball in hand, Clark has seven tries and three try assists to his name, but just look at his numbers from the dummy half position. He has made 147 runs, notching up a huge 2,239 metres, the third most in the Warrington side. And that's at a gain of 10.82m a drive, a whole metre better than any of his team-mates.
Clark has also broken the line 16 times and made 88 tackle busts, proving what a threat he provides going forward. Don't disregard his defence though. He is fifth on Warrington's tackle count with 558 successful hits. He'll need a big night on Thursday against his illustrious opposite number.
For James Roby, it has been business as usual in 2016 despite his side's patchy form.
A rare 80-minute hooker, Roby's engine is the envy of most other Super League pros. There's no surprise to see him topping the St Helens tackle count, his 841 hits is 84 more than second-placed Jon Wilkin, and he has missed just 30 as well, half the number of Wilkin.
Roby's metre-making doesn't compare with Clark but he has still managed 1962m at an average of 7.60m a drive. And he's well clear in terms of most runs from dummy half in Super League, darting 216 times so far this season.
St Helens are finding form at the right time and Roby had a big part to play in their win over Wigan, adding the polishing try to that 23-4 scoreline, following up a break in typical Roby fashion to dive over. More of that is needed on Thursday.
Two big front rows will march into battle at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, but who will come out on top?
Warrington captain Chris Hill is a massive part of what his side do. Immensely consistent, Hill is topping Warrington's metre numbers, making 2935m at an average gain of 8.2m a drive so far in 2016. He led the charts in both 2013 and 2015, while coming second in 2014 as well.
Hard work comes naturally for the prop though; he has made the most carries in the Wolves ranks too with 358. And guess what? Hill's name appears top of the tackle list as well; his 716 successful hits 52 more than second-place Joe Westerman.
Despite being without a try all season, it is Hill's leg work, along with the rest of his pack, that lays the platform for the likes of Sandow and Kurt Gidley to star outside them. But will the skipper be lifting silverware come the end of the season?
St Helens have a wrecking ball-like front row too with both Alex Walmsley and Kyle Amor putting in huge numbers this year.
Walmsley tops the metres chart with 2820m, slightly higher than Amor, and that's with an average gain of 7.73m, again just above his front row partner. He has thrown 23 offloads as well and sits fifth in the tackle count with 455 successful hits in 2016.
Keiron Cunningham has used Walmsley in different ways this season, springing the prop off the bench for five games in a row between May and June.
But it has been a return to the starting line-up recently for Walmsley, starting the last five games which St Helens have won coincidentally. They will need a big spell from him right from the first whistle on Thursday night.
Watch Warrington v St Helens live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Thursday from 7.30pm. Catch the match for £6.99 on NOW TV. No contract.
