Vikings v Wolves: Teams
Widnes head into Sunday's derby clash with Warrington aiming to avoid the wooden spoon in Super League.
Last Updated: 07/09/12 4:29pm
Widnes head into Sunday's derby clash with Warrington aiming to avoid the wooden spoon in Super League.
The Vikings are level on points with fellow strugglers Castleford and London Broncos, who take on Hull FC and Hull KR respectively on Saturday.
While Widnes head coach Denis Betts is well aware of the threat posed by the second-placed Wolves, he wants his side to put in a performance the fans can be proud of.
He told the club's official website: "We are playing a side that can score a hell of a lot of points if you are not on your game and they are on theirs.
"Even if we finish bottom of the table, we don't want to finish the year with a performance at home that doesn't reflect how much we have advanced in the second part of the year."
Widnes are without forward Hep Cahill after he underwent shoulder surgery this week and, with Shaun Briscoe and Danny Craven omitted, that creates openings for Jack Owens, Macgraff Leuluai, Chris Dean and Joe Mellor.
Momentum
Warrington will be looking to head into the play-offs with continued momentum after trouncing Huddersfield 54-6 last time out.
Brett Hodgson followed up his man-of-the-match performance in the Challenge Cup final win over Leeds with another impressive display against the Giants, with the full-back scoring a try, helping set up three others and also kicking seven goals.
Despite the latest victory, assistant coach Richard Marshall is not under-estimating the hosts.
"Widnes have stuck to the structures and have been really true to themselves. They've really worked hard and have improved," he told his club's official website.
"The last home game they put 40 plus past Hull which is no mean feat so they'll be in a confident mood and it's important that we go there with the right attitude and put a team out that can perform and get themselves into form for the following week."
Warrington rest Trent Waterhouse, Joel Monaghan and Adrian Morley, with Chris Riley, David Solomona and Tyrone McCarthy taking their places, while second rower Ben Westwood returns after recovering from a knee injury sustained in the Challenge Cup final.
Widnes squad: Allen, Clarke, Davies, Dean, Flynn, Gerrard, Haggerty, Hanbury, Isa, Kavanagh, Kite, Leuluai, McShane, Marsh, Mellor, Owens, Phelps, Pickersgill, Winterstein.
Warrington squad: Atkins, Blythe, Bridge, Briers, Carvell, Cooper, Grix, Harrison, Higham, Hill, Hodgson, McCarthy, Monaghan, Myler, Ratchford, Riley, Solomona, Williams, Wood.