SAINTS will be aiming to avoid three defeats on the bounce when Warrington Wolves visit Knowsley Road on Saturday night (6.05pm) for what promises to be a derby cracker.

And nowhere will the contest be as keenly fought than the duel at half back, where the Wolves welcome back their inspirational scrum half Alfie Langer after a man of the match winning State of Origin performance for Queensland at the weekend.

That game may have been 12,000 miles away, but it has lifted the Wolves and there is a mood around Wilderspool that Saints may be ripe for the taking.

Langer will partner ex-Saint Lee Briers and the contest against the inspirational Paul Sculthorpe and fit again Tommy Martyn will be critical to the outcome of the game.

Saints coach Ian Millward paid tribute to the mercurial Langer - and looked forward to the half back duel: "Langer is an icon and I have got a tremendous amount of respect for him.

"His ability to think in quick situations and his short kicking game is second to none. And for a small guy he's defensively very good. For me he is one of the legends of the game.

"What a great mix - you have Langer paired with Lee Briers, who is potentially a very good player and they are up against Sculthorpe and Martyn.

"The mind boggles about the possibilities, but it should be a great night."

If more ingredients were needed to liven up a Saints Warrington game, another former Knowsley Roader Allan Hunte, who grabbed a hat-trick in Saints 56-22 pre-Twickenham mauling, will no doubt be out for another big game.

Millward predicted a tough game, but remained confident that they will be able to put their drive for a third Super League trophy on the bounce, back on the road.

"I am always confident we will win, but the problem we've had has been through a couple of individual lapses of concentration and we have let in a couple of soft tries in the last few games.

"As well as that we have been out-scoring the opposition in tries, but still losing, which is quite frightening.

"That is no down on Paul Sculthorpe, who has been outstanding. We should not have to rely on kicking goals to win.

"The last two weeks we have learnt a lot which will help us down the track- but that does not change our goals to make the play offs. We will be there when the whip's-a-cracking," Millward said.

Sculthorpe will continue with the goal kicking duties in preference to Martyn, who has recently recovered from groin surgery and it is felt kicking will impede his progress.

Saints welcome back David Fairleigh, who missed the the Hull defeat to be with his wife, who gave birth to Tegan, a little girl, on Saturday night.

They will be without Peter Shiels, who flew back Down Under following the death of his father-in-law. The big Aussie is expected back for the Leeds game a week on Friday.

Wayne McDonald, who impressed in the Alliance team game against Hull last week is expected to start against the Wolves.

"Missing Peter is a big loss, coupled with a few a few niggling injuries. We have not got a lot of numbers so it is all hands on deck.

"David's raring to go and really looking forward to Saturday night. He has a real zest for his rugby league and doesn't like missing games," Millward said.

Millward added that he expects Fairleigh to reveal his rugby plans - retirement or staying with Saints - over the next fortnight.