Wednesday 24 May 2017 11:11, UK
After another thrilling Magic Weekend, it's back to normal in Betfred Super League. Except normal involves one of the game's greatest match-ups this week. Yes, it's St Helens versus Wigan.
The latest chapter in one of sport's greatest rivalries continues on Thursday night. Here's three head to heads that might decide it:
Regan Grace v Liam Marshall
Jonny Lomax's injury at full-back has opened the door on the wing for Welsh flyer Regan Grace.
He made his debut against Thursday's opponents on Good Friday and lit up the derby, scoring once and making another sensational break in that defeat. And he's not looked back since.
A match-clinching score followed against Castleford and Grace is now up to five tries for the campaign after scoring twice against Hull FC at Magic Weekend, just one off Saints' top scorer.
He's already made eight clean breaks and averages 8.14m a carry, showing what an exciting runner the winger is with ball in hand. Grace is raw, but there's plenty of skills for St Helens and new coach Justin Holbrook to work with.
He won't go face to face with Grace, but Liam Marshall will be out to prove he's Super League's biggest breakthrough star in 2017.
Wigan's injury list gave Marshall his place in round three, but he's made the most of his chance, playing every game since.
The winger certainly has an eye for the try line - Marshall is the Warriors' top scorer with 13, five more than next best Joe Burgess, but he's also second in the competition behind the flying Greg Eden.
He scored four against Lancashire rivals Warrington in just his second game in 2017 and has scored consistently against Super League rivals since then, highlighted by his hat-trick against the Wolves in Newcastle.
Marshall's stats in attack make for good reading. 1271m at an average of 8.83m a run, with a team-high 19 clean breaks thrown in for good measure.
Considering Wigan have Joe Burgess, Dom Manfredi, Lewis Tierney and Tom Davies to go with Marshall, you have to say the future looks bright for both the Warriors and England down the flanks.
James Roby v Michael McIlorum
James Roby faces an almighty battle for the World Cup number nine shirt.
So long regarded as the best hooker in Super League, he's now got Daryl Clark, Danny Houghton and Thursday's opponent Michael McIlorum breathing down his neck. And that's before you consider Josh Hodgson, so impressive in the NRL for the Canberra Raiders.
Roby's had an injury hit 2017 so far, a knee problem ruling him out of that England international against Samoa. But he's back in the team now, marshalling the side to that superb victory over Hull FC at the Magic Weekend.
Roby has topped St Helens' tackle count for the last three seasons, but faces a fight on his hands to retain that prize, currently fourth with 315 hits, nearly 200 behind Jon Wilkin.
He still offers the same threat from dummy half, darting 86 times this season for 826 metres at an average gain of 8.26m, the best average of any St Helens player. Expect him to deliver against Wigan.
It's great to see Michael McIlorum back on a rugby pitch.
He missed almost the entire 2016 season with a broken and dislocated ankle and didn't return until Round nine in this campaign in the derby win over St Helens.
Sam Powell deputised brilliantly in McIlorum's absence, guiding the side to a Grand Final victory by playing an important role in the dummy-half position.
Powell proved his worth in defence, topping Wigan's tackle count with over 1000 hits and he leads the way this season too.
McIlorum is cut from the same cloth, offering plenty of dynamism from dummy half.
He might be out to catch Wayne Bennett's eye, though he also has the option of representing Ireland in the World Cup, having played for them in 2008 tournament.
One thing's for sure. Shaun Wane is blessed with two quality options in McIlorum and Powell.
Zeb Taia v Liam Farrell
It's been a disappointing season for St Helens so far, but at least one of their new signings has caught the eye.
Zeb Taia joined from Gold Coast Titans in a swap deal for Joe Greenwood and has shown glimpses of the form that made him a Super League Dream Teamer in 2015 after a brilliant season for Catalans.
He's a real threat offensively; indeed Taia has seven try assists so far in 2017, just one behind Mark Percival.
It's no surprise to see him top of the offloads list with 28, 10 more than any other team-mate, as Taia made his name over here by showcasing that particular skill, coming third in the Super League charts in 2015.
He's a hard runner, making 1324m from 192 carries. Wigan need to shut him down come Thursday night.
Up against Taia in the second row will be Liam Farrell. He's another one Shaun Wane has had to do without at times this year, but he's back fit and firing now.
The back rower has signed a new Wigan deal, putting pen to paper for another five years, a move announced by former boxing world champion Evander Holyfield.
And Farrell has ensured he's become one of Wigan's heavyweight names in recent years. A workhorse in the pack, he's second in Wigan's metres rankings, notching up 1576m from his 194 carries at an average of 8.12m a drive. Farrell has also made 324 tackles, the fourth best in the Wigan outfit.
He's got an eye for the whitewash, scoring three times this season. And after being left out of Wayne Bennett's squad for the Samoa game, he'll be aiming to prove the coach wrong.
