WIGAN coach Brian Noble is hoping the arrival of Martin Gleeson will help make all the difference as the Warriors seek to end their dismal derby record against St Helens.

Noble’s men conceded 149 points in three heavy defeats at the hands of their arch rivals last year before halting the run with a 16-16 draw in the last match of the regular season.

Gleeson’s last appearance in a Wigan-Saints derby was in June 2004 in his penultimate match for St Helens before starting a four-month ban for betting irregularities.

Wigan won 30-14 at the JJB Stadium that day and Noble believes the debut of Gleeson, coupled with the return of regulars Pat Richards, Stuart Fielden and Gareth Hock, can produce a similar result.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” he said.

“Mick Potter is a personal friend of mine. They had terrific win at Leeds on Sunday and their form is pretty good at the moment.

“We were a bit scratchy up in Barrow but we’ve got a new signing and a few players coming back into the team so we’re excited about that.

“I’m still under no apprehensions that it will be a tough game.”

Gleeson, who joined his home-town club in a £100,000-plus transfer deal from Warrington on Monday, has dubbed tonight’s game a “fairytale debut”.

He said: “I’ve a lot of good friends there, including a couple of my best mates. It doesn’t get any tastier than playing Saints here.”

Gleeson played at stand-off in his last two matches for the Wolves but is expected to revert to his international role of centre against his old club, with Phil Bailey switching back to the second row.

“He can play both,” said Noble.

“He has played most of his career and his best football at centre but the fact that he can play at six helps us.

“I think ‘Bails’ has done really well in the centre and the fact that he can play there should we need him to in an emergency gives us a bit more flexibility.”

While Gleeson is no stranger to Easter derbies, Saints coach Mick Potter will get his first taste of one of rugby league’s traditional fixtures.

“I know how important our games against Wigan are,” he said.

“The fans tell me how important the games are and that we must win and that is what we will be going out to do.

“Easter is hectic and we want every win we can get. If you notch up a couple of wins it can really kick-start the season for you.”

Like the vast majority of Super League coaches, Potter is vehemently opposed to playing three games in little over a week, arguing that the congested fixture list leads to a short-term lowering of standards.

He said: “I understand why the games are scheduled in this way but I think it isn’t right for the players. It’s a short turnaround and you can’t recover quickly. There just isn’t enough time to prepare. You just rest, do physio, watch a video of the opposition and fit in a light training run.

“It’s not the ideal preparation if you want to be at your best physically and mentally.”

Catalans full-back Clint Greenshields will extend his 100% record in Super League when the Dragons take on Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop this evening. The Australian 27-year-old has not missed a Super League game since joining the club from St George Illawarra in time for the start of the 2007 season.

His run was threatened by an appearance in front of the RFL disciplinary committee but he escaped a suspension and was fined £300 for a careless tackle in Sunday’s Challenge Cup win over Bradford.

TONIGHT: engage Super League: Harlequins RL v Catalans Dragons 8.00, Wigan v St Helens 8.00.