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.”