STEVE Price wants his Warrington Wolves players to embrace the hype surrounding their trip to St Helens tonight.

In what is being billed as the biggest game of the Super League season thus far, the competition’s top two will go head-to-head at the Totally Wicked Stadium in what is sure to be the truest test of either side’s title credentials.

Both teams have won eight of their nine matches, with The Wire leading the table by way of their superior points difference.

While insisting little about his side’s preparation will change, Price says he will not tell his players to block out the bluster surrounding the fixture.

“There’s a hype around big games and rivalries. I think we have to embrace it,” he said.

“We all have a duty to grow our game and get more people to our games. Games like this are fantastic for doing that.

“We treat every game like it’s our last.

“We’re always well prepared and Friday will be no different. We show the same amount of respect to any team we play.

“Every time we cross that white line, we’re playing on a 100x68m pitch and it’s game on.”

Having been rested for Friday’s 48-12 victory over London Broncos at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, Mike Cooper and Jack Hughes will return to The Wire’s starting line-up.

Warrington Guardian:

Mike Cooper and Jack Hughes return to the Wire side. Picture by Mike Boden

They are expected to replace Lama Tasi and Harvey Livett, who will fight it out with Danny Walker and Matt Davis for a spot on the bench alongside Ben Murdoch-Masila and Jason Clark.

Bryson Goodwin, Jake Mamo (both ankle) and Ben Westwood (suspension) remain absent, with the latter serving the last of his four-game suspension.

> Wire address rumours of South Sydney move for Goodwin

The Wire are running red-hot at the moment having scored 111 points over the past two games.

Perhaps alarmingly for their rivals, however, Price insists there is still plenty more to come.

“I still think we’ve got a couple of pegs to go yet.

“There’s a real unity in the team, which is important. It’s infectious and it carries through everybody.

“I still think there’s a lot more growth in us and that’s pleasing.

“It’s still early in the season and there’s plenty of water to flow under the bridge yet.

“Friday is going to be a real challenge. They are a quality team that like to play an up-tempo game like we do.

“We have to get the balance right – that means completing high, controlling where we turn over the ball and defending well.

“Those principles of rugby league will never change. The rest will fall into place if we do those things right.”