IT may have only been a friendly, but this final run-out before Super League’s start was a little deflating.

To not even look like scoring against a club that finished last season in the Middle 8s is startling, while the absence through injury of star stand-off signing Kevin Brown also played a part in a disappointing night all round.

There was not even a clean break to cheer, just a couple of scrambles from Dec Patton kicks and an overlap chance for Andre Savelio broken by a good read from a Huddersfield defender.

The Wire lacked penetration, mainly because of the handling errors in approach play and failing to build pressure through a good enough kicking game.

Match blog, as it happened

Perhaps the most positive aspect of the Ben Harrison Testimonial game for Wolves is that it took place last Wednesday, giving Tony Smith and his coaches 10 days to work on getting things right prior to the season’s opener at Catalans Dragons.

Wolves are more than capable of turning their displays around in the space of a week, as was seen in the 48-16 success at Widnes Vikings last season just a few days after falling 11-0 to Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium.

The common denominator in the two ‘nillings’ at the hands of Huddersfield are wet weather and Danny Brough, the Scotland international having controlled both occasions with his kicking.

His side were not particularly great themselves in the two games, but dominating the possession and territory enabled Giants to mount sufficient pressure to briefly crack open the Warrington defence.

Last Wednesday Ryan Brierley, 48mins, and Kruise Leeming, 68mins, bagged the scores that sealed the win.

Patton, voted man of the match by readers of our match blog at warringtonguardian.co.uk, prevented two other tries with last-ditch defending, Daniel Smith was held over the line on his back and Brough had a four-pointer ruled out for a knock-on.

Warrington’s shining light in the pack was Mike Cooper, making his first appearance in primrose and blue since his three seasons in the NRL with St George Illawarra Dragons.

He was a handful for the bigger Giants pack, looked sharp, and in many ways seemed to be signalling to all: “I’m back!”

Let us hope all in the 17 can say the same after 80 minutes in France.

Wolves: Jack Johnson; Matty Russell, Rhys Evans, Ryan Atkins, Tom Lineham; Dec Patton, Kurt Gidley; Dom Crosby, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Joe Westerman, Jack Hughes, Mike Cooper. Subs: Brad Dwyer, Andre Savelio, Toby King, Matty Blythe, Lee Mitchell, Sam Wilde, Harvey Livett, Pat Moran.