Adrian Lam has promised Wigan will not underestimate the threat of Championship side York in the Challenge Cup this weekend, and has said he will send his strongest possible team to North Yorkshire as they aim to show James Ford's side as much respect as possible.
The Warriors begin their quest for a first cup title since 2013 with an eagerly-anticipated trip to face a Knights side Lam admits he has kept a close eye on in recent years, in part due to his affinity for the city of York.
But Lam promised there will be no room for sentiment on Friday evening. "It's strange for this club to go so long without playing in the final, and it's something that as coach, I'm under pressure to be successful at," he said.
"I get it. I'm passionate about the Challenge Cup and it's a competition we take seriously. This is an important competition to us, and hopefully it'll be reflected in the performance of the guys on Friday night.
"A big focus for us this week is on the word respect - for the opposition, the competition and ourselves. I don't think many people have given York a chance, which is unfair. We've got to make sure we take a great attitude there and we play well."
The Warriors fell just short of a return to Wembley last season, losing to eventual winners Leeds Rhinos in the semi-finals: a game Lam admits still causes him frustration to this day. "We bowed out last year playing poorly, and everyone was disappointed," he said.
Lam hinted that there would be minimal changes to his squad for the game - with Bevan French not yet ready to return after returning to training on Tuesday following a period of quarantine after returning to the country.
"There might be one or two, but I want to give York as much respect as possible and play a strong team," Lam said. "We'll decide on that in the next 24 hours. Bevan was back in training and out on the field with us today, but there's no chance for Friday. He needs a couple more weeks training with the group to get up to speed. We've got to be patient with him."
