Preview: Huddersfield v Wigan (Round 11)

Great Britain coach Brian Noble takes charge of Wigan for the first time at Huddersfield.

Noble appointed by Wigan on Friday after finally deciding to quit champions Bradford for the bottom side.

Wigan are four points adrift at the foot of the table and will be looking for an immediate lift after losing nine of their opening 10 games.

Noble at least has seen Huddersfield recently, the Giants being his last opponents as Bradford coach on Tuesday.

Giants coach Jon Sharp, Noble?s Great Britain assistant, is aware much of the attention will be on Wigan but he hopes his players will not be affected as they seek a top-six spot.

Sharp said: "We are relatively injury free following the Easter period and hopefully that will be reflected in the way we play at the weekend.

?Wigan will be running high on emotion with the appointment of Brian Noble, but while all the media focus will be on Brian, we?ve got to blank that out.

?As far as we are concerned, this match is all about us and what we do. We need to get back on the winning track and get back into a top-six spot and that is all that matters to us."

The Giants could welcome back prop Jim Gannon, who has yet to play this season after a succession of injuries, operations and illnesses.

Wigan have forwards Bryan Fletcher and Jerry Seuseu back from suspension and injury respectively.

Huddersfield Giants v Wigan Warriors, Galpharm Stadium, Saturday April 22 2006

Huddersfield 18?man: Aspinwall, Evans, De Vere, Donlan, Thorman, Paul, Crabtree, Drew, Gannon, Nero, Snitch, Wild, Jones, Jackson, March, Grayshon, Raleigh, Gardner.

Wigan 18-man: Ashton, Brown, Dallas, Fletcher, Godwin, Goulding, Hargreaves, Higham, James, Jonkers, Moran, O'Loughlin, Orr, Paleaaesina, Richards, Seu Seu, Tickle, Wilkes.

Referee: K Kirkpatrick