The Super League big guns go head-to-head at the GPW Recruitment on Friday night and no one needs to remind the Challenge Cup holders that the only home defeat they have suffered in 2008 was a 14-10 reverse at the hands of their arch-rivals from east of the Pennines in March.

Since then they have more than redressed the balance, winning 26-12 at Headingley and 26-16 in the Challenge Cup semi-final at Huddersfield, but all three games have been tense and closely fought affairs and top tryscorer Ade Gardner is also expecting the fourth to go down to the wire.

Winger Gardner, scorer of 31 tries this season, said: "It going to be a titanic struggle and I don't think there will be many points separating two sides at the end.

"We are confident of reaching the final at the first time of asking and our short break in Spain last week will have done us no harm whatsoever.

"We were able to chill out, relax and get away from all the pressure which surrounds the sport.

"The lads returned refreshed, put in a little work towards the back end of last week and now it is business as usual ahead of the game."

Gardner – named this week in the Super League Dream Team - added: "Looking at the league table, Leeds and ourselves have been out on our own for most of the season and it would be a fitting final.

"But both Catalans Dragons and Wigan have shown their capabilities in the play-offs so far and we must not count our chickens before they are hatched."

He is also calling on the fans to get behind the team, just like they did against Wigan in the 16-16 draw a couple of weeks.

"The atmosphere was electricity that night and definitely acted as an inspiration to the players and, hopefully, we will get a similar response against Leeds."

Saints are not expected to have any new injury worries leading up the game and the only question mark is whether Jason Cayless, who has been absent from the last two fixtures, is fit to return to the squad.

Whoever loses will get a second bite of cherry - and home advantage - next Friday in a final eliminator against either Catalans Dragons or Wigan Warriors.