Warriors v Giants - Teams
Tim Smith could make his Wigan debut on Friday as the Warriors take on Huddersfield in the only Super League fixture this weekend.
By Steve Pass
Last Updated: 24/07/08 11:37am
Tim Smith could make his Wigan debut on Friday as the Warriors take on Huddersfield.
The match is the only Super League fixture this weekend because of the Challenge Cup semi-finals and has been re-arranged from June 6 when work was taking place on a new pitch at the JJB Stadium.
Brian Noble's men will be desperate for the points after losing 46-12 at home to league leaders St Helens last time out.
The Warriors will want to cement their fifth position in the play-offs, as well as close the gap on fourth-placed Warrington Wolves, who are currently three points ahead having played a game more.
As well as a possible Smith debut, Phil Bailey could also return following a hamstring injury, as could Pat Richards, who missed the Saints game through illness.
But missing are skipper Sean O'Loughlin (shoulder) and Paul Prescott (back), as well as Michael McIlorum following his two game suspension.
Struggling Giants
The Giants will be hoping to get back to winning ways after narrowly going down to an 18-19 defeat against an in-form Warrington Wolves last time.
The players will also have an extra incentive to impress with the announcement last Friday that St George Illawarra Dragons coach Nathan Brown will be joining from 2009 onwards.
The coach will surely be keeping an eye out for who's hot and who's not ahead of his expected arrival in October.
Among the squad, former Warriors and Salford winger David Hodgson returns to the JJB for the Giants.
Looking forward to the return, Hodgson told the club's official website: "Going back to the JJB Stadium is always a good place for me to go, it's a big stadium and I always enjoy returning to Wigan, I had five years there and plenty of good times.
"We won the Challenge Cup while I was there and I managed to make over 100 appearances so it holds some good memories for me."
The Wolves defeat marked the home debut for Hodgson, whose Giants career was delayed by nearly six months after he picked up a knee ligament injury shortly after arriving in January.
He added: "I took a lot more confidence from Saturday's game and I'm starting to feel really good, playing a full 80 minutes was a big positive for me. I've had to work really hard and it was disappointing to pick up a slight injury on my comeback against St Helens. I just want to carry on for the rest of the season and get some game time under my belt."
Wigan squad: Mathers, Phelps, Goulding, Carmont, Richards, Barrett, Leuluai, Fielden, Higham, Paleaaesina, Hock, Bailey, Colbon, Coley, Hansen, J. Tomkins, O'Carroll, Mossop, Smith
Huddersfield squad: Aspinwall, K. Brown, Cudjoe, Elford, Griffin, Hodgson, Hudson, Jackson, Jensen, Jones, Kirmond, Lolesi, Mason, Raleigh, Robinson, Snitch, Thorman, Whaturia, Wild