Is too early to start previewing this one?

I can't help but feel Rugby League has got a bit of momentum this season with the standards seemingly up since round one, big crowds over Easter and two excellent games so far with the Wigan V Saints game followed by Catalans and Wire.

I've read a few posts suggesting the home ends are going to be sold out for our visit to the HJ. I'm hoping our fans can do their bit too and get that away end packed out.

Wire will have Dudson and possibly Philbin missing. We have lost Cooper to injury but will get Isa back from suspension.

How do we see this one playing out? Will Wire go 9 straight to start Super League 2023 or will we inflict their first reverse of the year?

The way Wire have been playing I had been fearing the worst but many of our fans were fearing the Leigh and Saints games. Those two results didn't turn out to be too bad!

The wire pack will be missing dudson, bullock, Harrison, Clark and possibly philbin. Coupled with makiele going home, we are going to be relying on Vaughan doing big minutes again. Can see Wigan pinching this one.

No real pressure on us. We went in to this run of derbies in the sort of form that could easily have seen us lose all 3 but we’ve stepped it right up and won the first 2. I think we’re a chance of winning this one as well but it’ll be far from the end of the world if we don’t. Warrington are playing great but it’s a long season and as we learned again last year, the regular season doesn’t count for much of you then disappear in a play off semi.

As for the team, you’d imagine Isa for Cooper and then Mago (or Hill) for Singleton(if he’s banned).

Speaking as a Saints fan I hope you stuff them.

We'll have a dig but I think we can afford to look at this one as almost a free hit - winning 2 out of 3 prior to Leigh would definitely be more than I expected. With Field I'd have been confident but we'll have to get used to playing without him. Will be interesting to see how Shorrocks grows into the role.

That's not nice but thanks

It's funny that, my daughter said exactly the same about when Saints play Wire. There is a lot of respect between the two clubs, players, coaching staff and most of the fans. I bumped into Eamon McManus on Good Friday and congratulated Saints on their WCC win, he told me that he was pleasantly surprised, and humbled, how many Wigan supporters had said the same thing.

Pity the same can’t be said of Saints fans.

Anyways moving on not sure how to call this one, that game yesterday was brutal apart from the bell end that is Dudson and possible ban for Philbin we could be light on the bench. Will just have to wait and see the squad announcement to see how we look.

There is a lot of respect between Wigan and Saints fans will take it off Wigan fans but that lot?No chance

Reckon both sets of fans will be holding fire till the squads are announced on Wednesday, safe to say both teams will have some sore bodies this weekend and you never know what the disciplinary will come up with.

Spot on, it won’t get going until we know the teams.

All the hype talk out of Merseyside was about ‘Theee Derby’ when really the big game is Wire.
Wigan have known it for over a century, you seldom read posts about ‘theee Derby’ from Wigan, rather it’s a derby. Wigan have a long history with Wire….the biff says it all.

So it seems only now the fans of a team with no history before Alex Murphy are seeing it too. Wire living rent free.

I love it how people are fighting over who our biggest rivals are. I don't mind just as long as we all agree who is top dog

I made a post about Saints before GF and how Wigan needs Saints and they need us. That's who are main rivals are imo.

That GF game was epic and make no mistake about it - it doesn't happen without either club. Saints Vs Wire isn't the same, Wigan Vs Wire too.

It was everything that should be praised about RL. A proper long-standing rivalry, two passionate sets of fans & two sides full of academy produced players.

I’m envious, I wish I was as young as you.

There is no doubt that Saints are our biggest rivals and, following them, id say Leigh

When you know your history.

Of which he does

Wire fans are always trying to make themselves relevant with Wigan and Saints fans.

Typical small club mentality really.

To be fair, it is their year though

With a very lightweight set of forwards available for Powell on Friday, it will be interesting to see how he approaches the game plan. Wigan currently have the best defence, so with less territory will Powell look to force play out wide and hope to snatch it through fancy moves? Bearing in mind Ratchford is a doubt and has been in great form, and Wrench isn't due back for a while, I'd guess at Currie left centre and Minikin on the right.

I'm never great at guessing scores but I'd plump for Warrington to suffer their first loss, but only by about 12 points. Wigan will need two big-ish victories from the next two matches to take top spot.

You need to take more water with it mate

Much as it pains me to say it Wigan are the most succesful team

Thanks thesaint71,finally a Saints fan realises that RL didnt start when Superleague started.

Why take Currie out of the pack, to put Mata’utia in it?