Saints v Warriors: Teams

St Helens and Wigan do battle on Saturday at the GPW Recruitment Stadium with more than just local pride at stake.

The two arch rivals go toe-to-toe for the fourth time this season with the prize on offer a place in Super League's Grand Final on October 10.

Saints are no strangers to Old Trafford and are bidding to reach a fourth successive final, though they have lost the last two to Leeds.

The Rhinos have also ended Wigan's play-off hopes in the previous two seasons, the Cherry and Whites going down 36-6 at Headingley Carnegie in 2007 and then 18-14 in last year's final eliminator.

High standards

However coach Brian Noble believes this could finally be the year his side reach the final, provided they maintain their recent high standards.

"I thought the first year we went to Headingley we were stuck together with sticking plaster," he said. "There were limbs hanging off everywhere and it was a tough ask.

"Last year I thought we had the juice, we just didn't have the wherewithal mentally, but I have to say Leeds played well on both occasions.

"I think we go into this game just the same and, if we go anywhere near where we have been in the last couple of weeks, we have a good chance."

Wigan have won five of their last six outings and Noble, who has been heavily linked with the vacancy at Celtic Crusaders, is likely to name an unchanged side following last week's triumph away at Hull KR.

Trio return

St Helens are set to be at full strength themselves, with coach Mick Potter welcoming back Keiron Cunningham, Matt Gidley and Tony Puletua.

The trio were hurt in Saints' 15-2 win over Huddersfield Giants but have benefited from their side having an extra week off.

Cunningham will need a pain-killing injection in his broken hand to play while centre Gidley has only just returned to full training.

For the last time scrum-half Sean Long and second-rower Lee Gilmour will be in the home dressing room at Saints before the they head for pastures new.

Saints have won two of the three derbies played so far this season, including a hard-fought 10-6 success in the last meeting of the pair at their own ground.

Wigan's only triumph came on neutral soil as they ran out 38-18 winners during Murrayfield Magic weekend in Edinburgh.

St Helens squad: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Meli, Pryce, Long, Cunningham, Graham, Gilmour, Wilkin, Flannery, Roby, Hargreaves, Puletua, Clough, Eastmond, Fa'asavalu, Dixon, Ashurst.

Wigan squad: Roberts, Carmont, Richards, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Paleaaesina, O'Loughlin, J. Tomkins, Coley, Hansen, McIlorum, Prescott, Pryce, Phelps, Gleeson, Mossop, S. Tomkins, Flanagan.