Rugby League: No favours for us, say Noble's players

Sep 14 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

WIGAN insist they are not looking for any favours when they take on arch rivals St Helens tonight with a place in the engage Super League play-offs at stake.

Brian Noble’s men need a point to make sure the game at the JJB Stadium is not to be their last of the season, although they will retain sixth place regardless of their result if Warrington lose at relegated Salford.

In the closest finish yet to a regular Super League campaign, all four of tonight’s matches will have a bearing on the outcome of the final placings.

Leeds need a point from their home game against Wakefield to guarantee second spot and an easier route to the Old Trafford Grand Final, with third-placed Bradford ready to pounce on another slip by the Rhinos, who lost at home to Hull last week.

The Bulls are away to Hull, who need the win to secure fourth spot ahead of Huddersfield and land a home tie in next Friday’s first elimination play-off.

Wigan could yet finish fifth, which would be a notable achievement given their loss of four points for a salary-cap breach, but to do that they will have to arrest an eight-match losing run at the hands of their derby foes.

And Saints, with two of the three trophies already back in the Knowsley Road trophy cabinet, are fielding their strongest team for a match they do not need to win.

Wigan second rower Harrison Hansen, who returns from a one-match ban for his side’s biggest match of the season, is not looking for any favours from either St Helens or Salford.

“This game will make or break our season,” he said. “But it’s in our own hands.

“We’ve not beaten Saints for a long time so, if we can beat them in this game, it would be great.”

If Wigan lose tonight’s game, which is set to attract a 20,000-plus crowd, it will bring down the curtain on the rugby league career of veteran administrator Maurice Lindsay, 66, who is retiring at the end of the season.

The Wigan chairman recently underwent gall bladder surgery but is determined to make an appearance at the club’s final home match.

It promises to be an emotional occasion at The Willows, where a host of players will be making their final appearances for Salford as the Reds prepare for life in National League One.

Luke Robinson and Andy Coley have already moved on but David Hodgson, Michael Korkidas and Australians Aaron Moule and Kevin McGuinness will be among those making their farewells.

Warrington, without eight regulars through injury and suspension, are set to give a debut to 18-year-old forward Matty Blythe while winger Henry Fa’afili is hoping to add to his 20-try tally and finish the year as Super League’s leading scorer before moving on to Harlequins.

LEIGH'S hopes of returning to Super League next year were ended as they were beaten 19-6 by Whitehaven in their Co-operative National League One play-off at the Recreation Ground last night.