NFP GRAND FINAL

HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS v LEIGH CENTURIONS

THERE could be more than a touch of Saturday night fever when the Giants from Huddersfield clash with the Centurions from Leigh in the Northern Ford Premiership Grand Final at Halton Stadium, Widnes.

With more than 3,000 fans heading over the Pennines from Huddersfield and a similar band of followers, if not more, wending their way from the direction of Hilton Park, the impressively re-vamped stadium should be packed to bursting and the roar could be quite deafening when the game kicks off at 6.15.

And Leigh chairman Mike Nolan is ready to put his money were his mouth is by betting on the Centurions to end Huddersield's hopes of a quick return to Super League.

"It's amazing how calm the players are and I feel we can do it this time,'' prompted the enegmatic Nolan who is prepared to lay a wager with the nearest bookmaker that the Hilton Park fans will be singing their praises come the
end of the game.

Coach Paul Terzis is also staking odds on a Leigh victory, but he has more to lose.

"This could be his and Leigh's "last chance saloon'', having lost to Dewsbury in the final two years ago and gone out in the semi-finals last year following a remarkable season in which they won everything except the main prize, " he said.

"The players are well tuned in for the game and we feel this is going to be our day.

"Huddersfield have had the propaganda wagon out for the past six weeks forecasting their return to Super League, but we will do anything and everything to make sure that doesn't happen.

"I don't care how pretty or how ugly the game is. We're in it to win,'' added Terzis, whose reputation as one of the shrewdest NFP coaches could be at stake.

"This is the game we have been building up to all season. You can forget what's happened in the past. That's all water under the bridge,'' said Terzis.

With ex-St Helens prop Vila Matautia returning from suspension and a definite starter, Leigh will have all their big guns on duty.

Ex-Huddersfield and Salford scrum half Bobbie Goulding will dictate the Leigh game, but Terzis has a few extra plans up his sleeve.

"There could be one or two surprises in how we line-up and that could shake Huddersfield,'' he warned.

The 20-man squad are taking a three-day break somewhere near Knutsford, Cheshire in order to plan their strategy.

"I want the players away from the glare of the fans for a while. I want them to focus solely on this game. The Leigh fans are very passionate about their team, so the players might find it easier if they are away from that sort of back-slapping pressure,'' said Terzis.

The Giants, whose preparations have been second to none in the past few weeks, with training and full-throttle games played on a specially prepared pitch to the exact scale and dimensions of the Halton Stadium field.

Newly crowned NFP Coach of the Year Tony Smith, however, is not revealing his proposed team line-up, nor is he suggesting any tactical changes.

"We will play to win and try to entertain the fans at the same time as we have done all season,'' said Smith, whose only two blemishes have been a 12-12 league draw at Whitehaven and a narrow defeat in the Challenge Cup at Doncaster.

With the irresistible Stanley Gene back to full fitness following a badly twisted ankle two months ago and the dependable Steve McNamara ready to lead from the front, Smith should have no problems in winding his players up for the clash.

"Tony has told the players they take in normal match-day preparations. The only difference this time is that they will be travelling to Widnes by coach and arriving at the ground about an hour and a half before the game,'' said club official Richard Thewlis, which is in complete contrast to Leigh's build up.

Taking on board Leigh's air of tranquility aligned to Huddersfield's nonchalant approach, it suggests the definitive calm before the inevitable storm.

WORKINGTON TOWN v DEWSBURY RAMS

WILY Workington coach Paul Penrice has worked wonders since taking over from the departed Martin Wood, but he will need to have his wits about him in the play-off for a place in the Northern Ford Premiership's Division One at
Widnes on Saturday.

Billed as the pipe-opener to the Grand Final, Workington's clash with Dewsbury Rams could in fact turn out to be the showpiece of the day.

"This is all about survival. The team that wins our match can relax in the knowledge that they can safely plan for next season in Division One and not have to face the prospect of how to cope with second best,'' said the positive Penrice, whose only missing face will be winger Neil Frazer, who faces a knee operation after tearing a cartilage in the previous meeting between the two sides.

"Neil is gutted. He has been an ever-present in the side this season and was looking forward to playing in the final,'' said Fraser's father Alan, a qualified sprint coach who has watched his son switch clubs from Whitehaven and spurn chances to play in the Super League in order to figure with Town.

"Both Halifax Blue Sox and Wakefield Trinity have approached Neil in the past, but he turned them down in favour of staying with Workington,'' said Frazer senior.

Replacing him in the Town line-up will be 20-year-old former Academy winger Matt Johnson, who Penrice rates as "a bright young prospect.''

"He's got plenty of pace and a good head on his shoulders and we feel he could go places. My opinion is that he will make a first class full back,'' said Penrice, who was in the Workington line-up when they won their section of the Premierships at Old Trafford in 1994.

"I would like to think we can repeat that win,'' he said.

With hooker Carl Sice the only other doubt with a back injury, Workington can travel down from Cumbria in the knowledge that they should have a strong side to chose from.

The experienced Tane Manihera, Hitro Okesene, Lokeni Savelio, Ricky Wright and Gary Charlton will lead the charge, with winger Graeme Lewthwaite, centre Brett McDermott ready to captialise when the time comes.

"I'm working on a possible change in our game plan, because Dewsbury will be a totally different kettle of fish since we last played them two weeks ago,'' revealed Penrice.

He is considering switching Charlton back to loose forward, with Owen Williamson possible going to scrum half, leaving Manihera to dictate the play from the stand off position with his shrewd kicking game.

"The pitch at Widnes is very wide and we feel that Dewsbury might want to contain us down the middle, so it might suit us to run the ball out wide,'' was Penrice's assessment of how the game could go.

The Rams, who are appearing in their second final in two years - they beat Leigh in a nip and tuck contest at Gigg Lane, Bury in the 2000 Grand Final when Widnes boss Neil Kelly was Dewsbury's coach - could get more
satisfaction from a win this time.

"We could have gone up into Super League, but it didn't happen. This time we know what's in store and we are going all out to make sure we claim tenth spot,'' said coach Andy Fisher, who has props Jimmy Leatham and Frank Watene
back from suspension to bolster his pack.

"They are back just at the right time, which gives me options to switch the pack about,'' said Fisher, who is still debating whether to start the game, or come off the bench.

"One thing is certain we will be much stronger this time, so I think Workington will be quite worried about how they will cope,'' said Fisher.

The half back pairing of Jamie Benn and Danny Brough, whose kicking game has been a feature of Dewsbury's pattern of play in recent weeks, could hold the key, but that will only happen if the Rams pack can tame the Town six.