The Warriors avenged two earlier defeats at the hands of their arch rivals in an anti-climactic showdown to secure the easier route to the Grand Final at Old Trafford on October 14.

While Wigan earned themselves a weekend off, Saints - shell-shocked by a first-half blitz that left them trailing 24-0 - must now pick themselves up to face third-placed Bradford Bulls in the qualifying play-off at Knowsley Road next Friday.

And victory in that match will set up a fourth derby of the season, only this time at the JJB Stadium, a worrying prospect for Ian Millward's men on the evidence of tonight's one-sided encounter.

Scrum-half Willie Peters, who will leave Wigan for St George Illawarra at the end of the season, led the home side a merry dance, scoring two of the Warriors' first three tries as the visitors raced into a 22-0 lead after less than half-an-hour.

Saints managed to overturn a 16-0 deficit in their thrilling triumph at the JJB Stadium in July, but there was no way back after Wigan's early onslaught.

Prop Neil Cowie demonstrated the power of the Warriors pack when he forced his way over for the first try after only four minutes and Peters grabbed his first 10 minutes later after Sean Long had lost the ball over the line in Kris Radlinski's tackle.

Video referee Steve Presley was called on to rule on both tries and he was in action for a third time when St Helens winger Steve Hall - drafted in as a late replacement for the unfit Anthony Sullivan - failed to diffuse an Andy Farrell 'bomb' and Brett Dallas pounced on the loose ball to score.

Dallas - who scored 17 tries in his first 20 matches for the club - has spent the last 11 weeks recovering from a broken jaw, but wasted little time getting back in the scoring groove.

With Peters registering a second try, courtesy of a superb break by hooker Terry Newton, and Farrell kicking four goals, the Warriors had the game in the bag at half-time.

Little went right for Saints, with strike centres Paul Newlove and Kevin Iro kept under tight control, and when second rower Sonny Nickle managed to cross the Wigan line, the try was disallowed for obstruction.

Saints also suffered a blow when hooker Keiron Cunningham was sin-binned, along with Wigan prop Tony Mestrov, following an outbreak of fisticuffs just before the interval.

Wigan put their seal on an emphatic win with a wonderful 60-metre try four minutes after the re-start.

Farrell, invariably the architect of the bulk of the Warriors' attacking moves, put Radlinski through a gap in his own half and Peters and Newton provided excellent support for Steve Renouf to finish the move off.

Saints were rapidly becoming dispirited and their defence showed a distinct lack of commitment when Wigan substitute Brady Malam carved out an opening for Jason Robinson to score the Warriors' sixth try.

At least the home side avoided a first whitewash of the season when skipper Chris Joynt forced his way over for a consolation try after Sean Long had been held short.

But Wigan had the final say in injury time when centre Gary Connolly intercepted Long's pass to cross for an easy try, to which Farrell added his seventh goal.