Smith wants Wolves to step up against Wigan

Warrington coach Tony Smith wants no complacency from his Wolves heading into tonight’s clash with Wigan.

While Smith’s side are guaranteeed a play-off spot, there is still much jockeying for position in the final table to do.

Smith also wants to see signs that his players are ready for play-off rugby.

“I think we need to step up this week,” he said.

“Wigan are going to be a different proposition again. They’ve got their methods of play, and we’re going to have to be good to compete with them.

“Particularly if we need to go over the top of them.

“We can finish anywhere between second and fifth this week. There’s only one team that we know we’re not going to play in the first week of the play-offs, and that’s Leeds.

“We can’t play Leeds in the play-offs first week. Any other team in the play-offs, we could play.

“So there’s a lot to play for, and there’s a lot up in the air, but what it all comes down to is for us to concentrate and have a good week against Wigan.”

Smith also sees the game against Shaun Wane’s Wigan as an interesting contrast of styles.

“If we win, we could finish second, but thats reliant on another result. We could finish third. If we lose, we’re going to finish fourth or fifth,” he added.

“But all that aside, it’s Wigan v Warrington, it’s a big game. It’s last year’s grand finalists, it’s two good teams that like to play rugby league.

“They play it much differently to how we do. They’re very much structured, they know exactly what their routines are.

“We’re a bit more ad lib and ‘play what you see’. We still do have our structures, but not in the same manner.

“I think it’s a great contest, it’s really exciting. It’s intriguing when two teams are like that.”