WOLVES head coach Paul Cullen penned a two-year extension to his contract on Monday and then warned his players to expect a Wigan backlash this weekend.

Wolves will bid to extend Wigan's Halliwell Jones hoodoo on Sunday, kick-off 3pm, with Warriors still without a win at Warrington's new home, which opened in 2004.

Their misery at the venue continued when they suffered a shock 37-24 defeat to the Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup semi finals at the weekend.

But Cullen, who this week ended speculation about his future by signing a new deal that ties him to the club until the end of 2009, reckons Brian Noble's troubled Warriors will return to Warrington on Sunday in determined mood.

Wigan's turbulent week has included the Challenge Cup exit, the announcement that chairman Maurice Lindsay is soon to leave the club and a four-point deduction for breaking the salary cap that relegated Warriors to ninth position in Super League - three places below Wolves.

Along with the Wolves board, Cullen has preferred not to comment on his new contract in order to concentrate on this weekend's game.

He said: "We're treating Wigan with the utmost respect.

"We think they are going to be a very dangerous outfit.

"We read nothing into their off-the-field problems whether it is the salary cap, the management issues at their club, their form or their result in the semi final. All we've spoken about is the quality of individuals they have in their playing ranks and on their coaching staff.

"They made mistakes early on in the semi final, and we can't sit back and expect them to make those same mistakes again.

"We are expecting a backlash."

Cullen is likely to field the same 17 players that won 60-20 in Wolves' last match at Hull KR two weeks ago, with Vinnie Anderson (back) and Paul Johnson (neck) not expected to be ready to return this weekend.

But Paul Rauhihi is likely to be available, with the Kiwi prop back in training after last week developing internal bleeding in his throat that had initially threatened to rule him out for some time.

Cullen, whose side now have the third best offensive record in Super League, will be bidding Continued from back for a sixth win in his last seven meetings with former Bradford and Great Britain coach Noble.

Wolves could move into the top four with victory against their local rivals and Cullen wants his troops to maintain their recent improved form - they have won their last three games - in the remaining six matches of the regular season.

"That's very important," said Cullen, who saw results slump after his squad was decimated by injury earlier in the season.

"It's what we're working for and what we're talking about. We know we've gone through the mill and we know that at one point in the season we had six, seven, eight and even nine of our best 17 players sat in the stand. That's a lot of talent, quality and salary cap and we've been punished.

"We have been knocked to pieces during that period but we've shown great strength of character. Going into this game we're in the top six and we're possibly only one or two players from our best 17 and where we want to be."

Sunday's match is expected to be a sell-out with only a few hundred tickets remaining. Fans are advised to buy in advance to avoid disappointment.

Expected 17-man squad: Brent Grose, Stuart Reardon, Martin Gleeson, Henry Fa'afili, Kevin Penny, Chris Bridge, Lee Briers, Paul Wood, Mark Gleeson, Paul Rauhihi, Ben Westwood, Adrian Morley, Jon Clarke, Chris Leikvoll, Rob Parker, Andy Bracek, Ben Harrison.

* Australian Test forward Steve Price has accepted an invitation to play for the All Golds in their commemorative international against the Northern Union at The Halliwell Jones on October 20.

Reports suggest the All Golds may also invite the winner of this year's NRL Dally M medal. Robbie Farah, Cameron Smith and Johnathan Thurston are thought to be the main contenders for that award.