SAINTS will gunning to settle a score on Friday after Wigan stopped them from completing a hat-trick of consecutive League Leaders Shields.
Missing Alex Walmsley on that occasion, they were out-gunned and out-muscled in their last game of the regular Super League season – a match that had all the intensity of a play-off game.
It will have certainly brought Saints up to the mark ahead of the finale in what will be another blood-and-thunder encounter.
Coach Kristian Woolf anticipates the title decider to be equally absorbing, tight and intense.
He said: “The last Wigan game was very much like a semi-final. The intensity it was played at and the back and forth nature of it, where both teams went really long periods just basically going toe-to-toe without errors.
“We will take plenty from that game, as will Wigan, we have definitely learned a lot.”
That teed them up perfectly for the semi encounter with Catalans – a different type of game, but one that was also pretty physical.
“The semi against Catalans was bit different,” he said.
“It was a bit more stop-start and we were able to get on top in that game and once we were able to do that we found a bit of freedom in their defence.
“We are not expecting to be able to find that this week knowing it will be a lot tighter and a lot tougher so both games prepare well in different ways.
“The game this weekend will be different again I am sure.”
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