Friday 22 July 2016 23:29, UK
It is the final round of the regular season before Super League splits into the Super 8s and Middle 8s, and what better way to see it out than with a Wigan v St Helens derby.
Wigan have designs on top spot and are behind leaders Hull FC on points difference, while the Saints need to win to push on into fourth place.
So how will this one pan out? Here are three head-to-heads that might decide Friday's clash at the DW Stadium:
Sam Tomkins v Jonny Lomax
Derby games always mean more to the local players so expect the two full-backs to be fired up and getting stuck in.
It has been such a frustrating year for Sam Tomkins. Injury has ruined his Wigan return, restricting him to just seven appearances so far in 2016.
Tomkins missed the defeat to Leeds with an ankle problem but looks set to return just in time for the derby. And what a boost that will be for Wigan.
Three tries in those seven games shows Tomkins' undoubted quality, while he also provides that extra link in the attacking line, providing six try assists for team-mates too, just two behind regular playmaker Matty Smith.
Tomkins will be looking for a little more on his kick returns though, just 316 metres made an average gain of 4.65m a drive, but star players tend to shine on big occasions and Friday night is the time for Tomkins to light up the DW Stadium.
Jonny Lomax has put his injury problems behind him in 2016, having returned in round 12, and despite missing two more games since then he's proving just why he was so highly rated as a full-back in the first place.
It is eight tries in nine games for Lomax, a figure that actually puts him just two behind St Helens' leading scorers Adam Swift and Joe Greenwood. Adding to that, Lomax has also contributed five try assists, whilst making six clean breaks and 15 tackle busts, proving what a danger he can be to opposition defences.
It has been a long road to recovery for Lomax and you can be sure he'd like to cap it off with victory over Wigan in his first derby game since that big lay-off.
George Williams v Jordan Turner
There are another two English players going head-to-head at stand-off. George Williams has been on top form in recent weeks. Shaun Wane praised his performance despite that defeat to Leeds, and his individual try shows just how dangerous he can be with ball-in-hand.
Wane had asked Williams to run more at the opposition and that was evident against Wakefield in round 21, the half-back bursting through brilliantly to set up Oliver Gildart.
And he's a creative force in other ways - 12 try assists puts him joint-top of that particular chart in the Cherry and White while he has made seven clean breaks and 42 tackle busts as well.
It's easy to forget Williams is just 21 given how influential he can be in this Warriors side and St Helens will need to be alert to his threat come Friday night.
As for St Helens, their stand-in stand-off is playing out his final days in the Red Vee. Jordan Turner will leave the club for Canberra next season after four years in Saints colours. He has often been a victim of his own versatility at Langtree Park, but Turner has started the last four games in the No 6 position with Theo Fages struggling with injury.
On his day, Turner can do everything. In 2016, he's scored five tries, provided six try assists and thrown in 253 tackles for good measure, the second best of any St Helens back.
With a point to prove ahead of next season's move to the NRL, Turner will be hoping to go out with a bang before the end of 2016, so what better way to do so than winning a derby game at the DW Stadium?
Sean O'Loughlin v Jon Wilkin
Derby games call for experienced heads and both sides will be looking to their captains to take them forward.
For Wigan, they'll be hoping their captain rediscovers his cool head. Sean O'Loughlin was sent off for the first time in his career against Wakefield for a high tackle and subsequently missed the defeat to Leeds, but he should return against St Helens and the Warriors need no repeat of that come Friday.
A derby veteran, O'Loughlin knows what it takes to win these games but the skipper has missed chunks of the season through injury and this recent suspension, and has only managed to string together five consecutive games at most.
Wigan need his influence in both attack and defence at the business end of the season and Friday is a chance for O'Loughlin to make amends for that red card.
In the St Helens back row is another derby veteran and captain. Jon Wilkin knows all about beating Wigan, and all about beating opposite leader O'Loughlin. He has not missed a Super League game this season and has filled holes all over the squad.
Wilkin returned to the No 13 position in last week's win over Huddersfield, having played in the halves for the three games before that. He has put in a shift wherever he plays this season.
Second in St Helens' tackle count with 725 successful hits, Wilkin is also joint-second on the assists list with 13 and has made handy metres, totalling 1,365m so far in 2016.
Keiron Cunningham will be hoping the St Helens stalwart can turn in another all-round performance to help them past their old rivals.
Watch Wigan v St Helens live on Sky Sports 3 HD on Friday from 7.30pm. Catch the match for £6.99 on NOW TV. No contract.
