Wigan Warriors V St Helens: Bevan French says he's 'grateful' to be able to play in games like the Good Friday Derby

The two rivals go head-to-head at the DW Stadium this week, with a bumper crowd expected to attend.

Despite not growing up with the fixture, French states he can feel how much it means to the fans.

“It’s another game to tick off,” he said.

“This round is built around the history of the local derby.

“It’s a bit different for me being from Australia and not fully understanding the whole thing, but when you get here you start learning about what it means to the community and everyone involved.

“I’m just grateful to be able to come out here and play in these games, especially at the DW Stadium.

“In my early days I wasn’t too aware of it all, but now that I've spent more time here, I’ve become more involved in it.

“It’s not a rivalry for me, I’m just happy to be a part of an occasion as big as this.

“It goes both ways, you can see how much it means to the fans, and that contributes to how much it means to you as a player.

“You get the joy from being in front of the people of Wigan.

“As a kid you dream of being part of these types of fixtures, where there is a lot on the line.

“It reminds us why we started playing, so it’s really special.”

In the last few weeks, French has been switched to fullback- and is set to start the derby in that position.

“I’ve still got things to get used to, and that will take a bit of time,” he added.

“The last time I would’ve played there was last year, so it’s about learning about your timing, your tempo, and decision making.

“It’s good to see things from a different angle.

“It’s a strong mental battle more than anything, because you’re just trying to read the game to get the right outcomes.

“It’s completely different to the wing, but it’s really fun being back there.

“I’m able to get a bit more involved and can get my hands on the ball a bit more.

“I’ll keep improving over the next few weeks.

“I enjoy the challenge, and while Jai (Field) is out I need to nail that role down.”