Wigan Warriors v St Helens: First Utility Super League preview
Last Updated: 03/04/15 2:39pm
Paul Wellens is set to return for St Helens in Good Friday's Super League derby with Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium.
The versatile 35-year-old, who missed last weekend’s defeat at Hull KR, will help offset the loss of stand-off Travis Burns with a broken cheekbone.
With Atelea Vea also sidelined with a shoulder injury, Saints hope to have second row Joe Greenwood back as they seek a return to winning ways.
Wigan are boosted by the return of prop forwards Dom Crosby and Ryan Sutton, while youngster Ryan Hampshire is preferred to Matty Bowen at full-back.
The shadow of Ben Flower will hang over the contest but Warriors coach Shaun Wane insists his players will not hold back as they seek revenge for last year’s Grand Final defeat.
Wales international Flower will be a spectator at the first competitive meeting of the arch-rivals since October's title showdown, which was marred by his third-minute dismissal for twice punching Saints half-back Lance Hohaia.
There were suggestions, largely arising from a film of Wigan's World Club Challenge trip Down Under earlier in the year, that Wane's players were wound up by a rousing speech from their passionate coach before they ran out at Old Trafford.
Flower is 12 days away from completing a six-month ban but, if memories of his "moment of madness" come flooding back when the teams run out in front of a capacity 25,000 crowd at the DW Stadium, Wane will not be sharing them.
"I can't do anything about that - I can't even remember what I said before the Grand Final," said Wane. "That's how good my memory is.
"This is a different game, different personnel and a different coach for St Helens."
Wigan Warriors: John Bateman, Joe Burgess, Tony Clubb, Dom Crosby, Connor Farrell, Liam Farrell, Anthony Gelling, Ryan Hampshire, Dom Manfredi, Michael McIlorum, Lee Mossop, Larne Patrick, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Ryan Sutton, Taulima Tautai, Joel Tomkins, Logan Tomkins, George Williams.
St Helens: Kyle Amor, Jack Ashworth, Matty Dawson, Mark Flanagan, Joe Greenwood, Lance Hohaia, Josh Jones, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Tommy Makinson, Mose Masoe, Greg Richards, James Roby, Andre Savelio, Adam Swift, Luke Thompson, Jordan Turner, Alex Walmsley, Paul Wellens, Jon Wilkin.
Watch Wigan Warriors v St Helens live on Sky Sports 1 on Friday from 2.45pm