WOOLF HOUNDED
Wigan cop coach’s play-off taunts
KRISTIAN WOOLF is ready to throw down the gauntlet to Wigan in a red hot play-off warm-up.
The best two teams in Super League go head-to-head on Friday – and St Helens’ head coach Woolf says his men will come out with all guns blazing.
Saints will win the League Leaders Shield if they triumph or draw, and their fans would love to celebrate it in front of their bitter rivals.
For Woolf (right), though, it’s more about the chance to signal their intent to blitz everybody in their path over the next few weeks.
He said: “We will be playing our strongest side. Playing Wigan two weeks out from the finals [playoffs] is exactly what we want.
“It will be a great atmosphere, a good crowd and we’ll get a real high intensity which is what we want in preparation for the finals just around the corner.
“It’s everything we are going to need and everything we want, 100 per cent it will benefit us.”
Saints, who beat Hull KR on Friday to stay six points clear, have beaten Wigan twice in Super League already but lost to them in the Challenge Cup semi-final.
Only two points separated the two sides in both Wigan’s Cup win and Saints’ most recent League win at Magic Weekend.
Another humdinger is expected at the DW Stadium on Friday, with Saints gunning for silverware and Wigan desperate to stop them by claiming a win that will help them hang on to second. Wigan coach Matt Peet admits he is also keen to avoid having to watch Saints clinch the League Leaders Shield in front of the Warriors fans.
He said: “They are going to get it at some point but hopefully it is not next week.
“But it is not something we will be using as motivation.
“It isn’t a game you need to build up because there is a lot of pride and passion at stake.
“We need to be building for the play-offs and need to keep picking up two points and try and secure second place.”
Three games remain in the regular season but two of them are crammed into the days either side of next weekend.
The fixture congestion was necessary because of an earlier season finish, due to the World Cup starting in October.
Concern
It’s caused major concern with many coaches who have extensive injury lists and suspensions.
But Peet insists his side will thrive under the pressure of facing Saints and then Hull KR away just three days later.
He said: “We are looking forward to it and have got to relish it. It is a test of your whole club, not just the 13 blokes and the head coach, but everyone from the chef to the physios to the academy.
“From the start of the season we knew it was going to fall this way and everything we’ve done in training, recovery and team selection has been geared to this time of the year. Bring it on.”