PAUL Cullen is sure the benefits of competition for places at Wilderspool will shine through in preparation for the Huddersfield Giants Super League game on Saturday.

Warrington Wolves players who missed out on selection for the Bradford Bulls Challenge Cup game will not want to be overlooked again.

Head coach Cullen said: "We had a lot of disappointed bodies when I read the team out the day before the Bradford game.

"Hopefully that is to our benefit as we prepare this week. There are points that I'm sure will be proven."

French international Jerome Guisset's absence from the 17 against Bradford raised the most eyebrows, while fellow forward Paul Noone had impressed in pre-season friendly wins against Widnes and London.

Cullen said: "The toughest calls I had were Jerome Guisset and Paul Noone, who both deserved to be in the side on merit.

"The fact that we had a question mark over Lee Penny and Ian Sibbit in the build-up meant I needed to cover the three-quarters.

"Warren Stevens, Paul Wood and Mark Gleeson were on the bench on merit. My option was who else to put in there - Jerome, Paul or Graham Appo and I went for Graham because of the cover that we needed in the three quarters, which we were proved to be right with as Lee Penny came off injured.

"Lee was declared fit. Our medics were satisfied that he had progressed well from a recurrence of a calf-strain and he had trained flat out on the Thursday and Friday before the game.

"But in the game he got a kick on the same spot of his calf strain and that's what set it off again.

"We need to make double sure he is able to go the full 80 minutes, if he is going to take the field against Huddersfield."