Wolves v Vikings: Teams

High-flying Warrington Wolves host Widnes Vikings on Thursday in an eagerly-anticipated local derby being shown live on Sky Sports 3HD.

The two sides last met in league competition back in 2005 so there is all to play for in terms of both points and bragging rights.

And despite the Wolves sitting third in the table and the Vikings rock bottom, Warrington first team coach Willie Poching is taking nothing for granted.

He told Sky Sports: "Anybody can beat anybody in this competition, that is the beauty of the Super League in 2012.

"So regardless of whom we play, the 17 players we put out on the field on Thursday night know they have got a job to do against the 17 that Widnes put out and it will be a tough job."

With the Wolves travelling to France to face Catalans Dragons on Monday, head coach Tony Smith is determined to rotate players.

He said: "Hopefully we will play as few players twice over the weekend as possible. That's the ambition.

"It's not quite possible for the full squad - some players will have to double up - but we want to do that as least as possible.

"We are trying to look after them for the long term. We had no intention of playing some of our older brigade twice over Easter. We have got a big enough squad."

Warrington prop Adrian Morley and hooker Michael Monaghan are rested on Thursday night. Two academy players - Brad Dwyer and Ben Currie - are in the squad, while Gareth O'Brien returns following his loan spell at the Vikings.

Injury blow

Full-back Shaun Briscoe and former Warrington forward Steve Pickersgill have handed the visiting Vikings a double injury blow ahead of the derby.

Briscoe suffered a groin injury in Saturday's 76-6 defeat at Catalans Dragons and faces six weeks out, while Pickersgill will be missing for three to four weeks after twisting his ankle in the heavy loss.

Another former Wolves player, Jon Clarke is also on the sidelines but the veteran hooker hopes to return from ankle and groin problems against Bradford Bulls on Easter Monday.

The Vikings have already lost Anthony Watts and Ben Kavanagh for the season.

Coach Denis Betts told the club's website: "It doesn't look great at times. And the hardest thing is that when we suffer injuries and want to bring players through - I see a group of talented kids but with no training age.

"Sides like Warrington, Wigan and St Helens have had full-time academies for a number of years. They have 19-year-olds who have been professionals for three years.

"I look and see kids who have six months under their belt, or some of the kids who are still at school and not full-time. To pitch them in at this level would be dangerous."

Warrington: Atkins, Blythe, C. Bridge, Briers, Carvell, Cooper, Currie, Dwyer, Higham, Hill, Hodgson, McCarthy, J. Monaghan, Myler, O'Brien, Riley, Westwood, Williams, Wood.

Widnes: Ah Van, Allen, Cahill, Craven, Cross, Dean, Finnigan, Flynn, Haggerty, Gerrard, Hanbury, Isa, J. Kite, Leuluai, Moore, Owens, Phelps, White, Winterstein.