WARRINGTON will be prepared to concede the Engage Super League Leaders’ Shield to Wigan if they fail to topple the front-runners in tonight’s eagerly-awaited showdown, says captain Adrian Morley.
Victory for the Wolves at the DW Stadium – in the first rugby league match to be shown by Sky Sports in 3D – would enable them to close the gap to just two points and set up a dramatic run-in over the last month of the regular season.
But defeat would put the Warriors six points clear of their nearest rivals with just five matches left and Morley admits that would make them uncatchable.
“If we want to finish top we’re going to have to win,” said Morley. “If we don’t, six points to make up is just too much, we just won’t do it.”
The Warriors, beaten just three times so far this year, are aiming to complete the double over Warrington, whose failure so far this season to win any of their meetings with the “big three” leaves lingering doubts over their title credentials despite last year’s Challenge Cup success.
Morley, whose side have also succumbed to both of last year’s Grand Finalists Leeds and St Helens this year, is confident the big breakthrough is just around the corner.
“We’re not getting too hung up on that fact,” he said. “In every game we’ve played against those teams we’ve competed very well and it’s come down to a few decisions that didn’t go our way.
“We’ve been beaten by some good sides but it’s not as if we were outclassed by them. If we are going to win silverware this year, we’re going to have to beat these sides sooner or later and we’re confident that we can do that when necessary.”
It is 10 years since Wigan last finished top of the table – they went on to lose to Saints in the 2000 Grand Final – but skipper Sean O’Loughlin admits confidence in the camp is high.
“I think for us it is more about continuing our form and finishing top would mean we have continued our form going into the play-offs,” he said.
“Every year you have that belief but I think this year, because we have backed it up with performances, we have built some confidence. As we have continued winning, confidence has grown.
“There is still a lot of football to be played in the regular season as well as the play-offs so we don’t want to be looking too far ahead.”
In tonight’s other game, Leeds will be looking to bounce back from their surprise defeat at Hull KR when they take on Huddersfield at Headingley.
The visitors are one of only two teams yet to win at Headingley in the Super League era and will be looking for their first away win over Leeds in the league since 1959.
However, they went desperately close a year ago and beat the Rhinos at the Galpharm Stadium earlier this season.
“We came close against them at Headingley last year, only going down to a late try, and if we put in a similar effort, we’ll put ourselves in with a shout,” said Giants coach Nathan Brown.
Leeds skipper Kevin Sinfield is wary of the threat posed by Huddersfield, who received a boost at the weekend when Brown announced he would be staying with the club for 2011.
“I think it will give them a shot in the arm,” said Sinfield.
“He did a great job last year when they were outstanding and this year they’re pushing again.”
FIXTURES: TONIGHT (7.45 unless stated): engage Super League: Leeds v Huddersfield (8.00), Wigan v Warrington (8.00). TOMORROW engage Super League: Catalans Dragons v Crusaders RL (7.30). SUNDAY: engage Super League: Bradford v Salford 3.00), Castleford v Wakefield (3.30) St Helens v Harlequins RL(3.00). Northern Rail Cup Final:Batley v Widnes (Bloomfield Road) (4.00).
