Wire head coach Steve Price chats once again with Guardian sports reporter Matt Turner...

MT: Aside from bringing in Ryan Atkins, are you anticipating any more changes to the side for Friday?

SP: Ryan’s been doing a pretty fair job for us. He has been solid. He’s a 10-year, experienced Super League player and he knows what it takes to get the job done.

Everything will stay the same this week. We’re doing some really exciting things as a playing group but its really important that we keep challenging each other to get better and better.

We’ll be coming up against a really desperate Wigan team on Friday. Form goes out of the window in a local derby like this.

Warrington Guardian:

Ryan Atkins will return to the Wire side against Wigan. Picture by Mike Boden

MT: It wasn’t just Ryan who dropped out last week – Tom Lineham did as well. How has he reacted?

SP: Tommy’s been great around the boys. He understands why he dropped out last week but I have the utmost confidence in Tommy Lineham as a football player.

He’s been great for our team and its important he continues to work hard. In saying that, I was really pleased with Jake Mamo’s performance last week.

Warrington Guardian:

Jake Mamo replaced Tom Lineham against Castleford and scored two tries. Picture by Mike Boden

MT: The marketing department have been getting creative with promoting this game, but does that put a bit more pressure on you to get the win?

SP: We always put pressure on ourselves. Everyone talks about it always being our year and as a club, we have high expectations.

We go out there to win every game and that will be no different on Friday.

Warrington Guardian:

Wire's Mike Cooper and Wigan's Tony Clubb face off at the 'Bad Blood' press conference. Picture by Mike Boden

MT: There’s a lot of talk about Wigan being in a bit of a crisis but do you have to put that out of your mind and prepare for the best possible Wigan team?

SP: We prepare for the best of every team. We have to.

What they have done so far this season counts for nothing on Friday. They have a lot of quality football players who have played on the big stage.

It’s a local derby. It’s going to be brutal.

MT: You worked with Adrian Lam at St George. Is he someone you get on well with?

SP: Yeah Lammy’s a good guy. He’s come into Wigan at what you could say is a difficult time but he’s got a solid coaching foundation.

He’s very experienced and he’s not far away from turning that club around.

Having said that, it’s more about what we can control and that’s 80 minutes on Friday.

Warrington Guardian:

Adrian Lam, far right, worked with Steve Price at St George Illawarra Dragons. Picture by Mike Boden

MT: You’ve been here for around 18 months now so you’ll be very aware of how much beating Wigan means to the people of Warrington?

SP: Most certainly. The more times we’ve faced each other, the more I’ve realised how much it means to our town. I understand it now. I fully get it and we’ll be ready.

MT: Tickets are flying out and it should be a white-hot atmosphere. Will you ask the players to block that out or feed off it?

SP: I think you can draw some really good things from it. I’ve said all along that I think we’ve got the best supporters in Super League.

I haven’t seen the Halliwell Jones at full capacity since I arrived. It would be great to see that for a massive local derby like Friday.

Warrington Guardian:

Much more from Steve Price in this week's Warrington Guardian