Widnes Vikings coach Denis Betts believes that this Friday’s derby with Warrington Wolves is without doubt the biggest he’s been involved in at the club.
The Vikings and the Wolves are Super League’s top two sides and lock horns on Friday afternoon in arguably the game of the round on Good Friday.
And Betts, whose Vikings side have had some fantastic tussles with the Wolves in recent years, says this one is without doubt the biggest.
He told TotalRL: “I can’t remember a Cheshire derby as big as this one whilst I’ve been here.”
Betts also remembers some heavy defeats against the Wolves, in particular one at Magic Weekend when the Vikings were hammered 68-4.
“We’ve copped a couple of hidings from them over the years, especially when they were the best team in the comp and we were bottom and they flogged us at Magic Weekend,” he said.
“Those are the grounding points we’ve learned from and in the last two or three years we’ve really found our feet in those derbies. The place should be rocking and on merit.”
However, the league leaders will be without Kevin Brown for Friday’s game, after he pulled up in training with a minor injury. Hep Cahill and Charly Runciman are also out, meaning Patrick Ah Van, Sam Brookes and Ed Chamberlain all come in.