A SECOND win in a row for Warrington Wolves and one that was generally pretty pleasing in most areas.
The Wire ran out comfortable and confident winners over Castleford Tigers at The Halliwell Jones Stadium and continued to make steps forward.
Our Wire reporter Matt Turner was there and picks out five key talking points from the game here...
Growth in all areas
Sam Burgess always says his main aim each week is to be better than the last.
On this occasion, it’s fair to say it’s mission accomplished.
While there remains plenty to work on – it is only Round Three after all – things in all areas certainly looked more polished.
Aspects that had been cause for concern – namely right-edge defence and keeping the pressure on opponents – were much-improved on a night where Wire never really needed to get out of second-gear.
A 20-minute feathering of the throttle before the break proved enough on what turned out to be an ultimately comfortable night.
Wire show touches of class in attack
While it remains a small sample size, this was by some distance Warrington’s best attacking display under Burgess to date.
When things clicked, there were some incredibly slick moves – more of the edge play that put Matty Ashton over for his brace of tries will surely go a long way to unlocking the incredible try-scoring potential the speedster has.
Matt Dufty was to the fore with a try and two assists in a simply electric display from the full-back, who revelled in the space being created for him.
And this is without their star back in George Williams and their two first-choice loose forward options in Matty Nicholson and Jordy Crowther.
Early days yet, but certainly signs for encouragement.
Currie a changed man at loose forward
Plenty have always thought Ben Currie had the qualities to make a good number 13 but until now, he has rarely had the chance to show it.
On this evidence, though, he has surely made himself an option there longer-term.
He has always possessed deft handling and nifty footwork combined with the power you need to play in the pack, but this display saw him combine the lot.
Arguably, this was his strongest individual display for a while and as options in that area start to return.
Is Hayes making himself undroppable?
“They’ve gained my trust. Once they have that, it’s hard to lose it.”
Those were Sam Burgess’ words about the display of the younger members of his side, whom he stuck with following the win over Hull FC.
And here, those players showed signs that Burgess’ faith in then has swelled their confidence.
Leon Hayes continues to look every inch a first-team player having stepped up to take general control of the side, with Josh Drinkwater hampered by a thigh issue.
He was once again one of the team’s stand-out performers and on this evidence, Burgess has quite the dilemma when George Williams returns from injury.
Adam Holroyd too put in a much more confident display on the edge, perhaps reassured by the presence of Stefan Ratchford on the right-hand side.
A much stiffer test awaits
Three games in and Wire are about where many people thought they would be.
There weren’t too many who tipped them to win in Perpignan while, with due respect, home games against Hull FC and Castleford were ones they will have been expected to win by supporters.
However, a true test of the team’s progress lies immediately on the horizon.
A strong Hull KR side on home soil if a stiff examination of any team but if Wire continue to take steps forward, they will give themselves a chance.
Regression, though, is unlikely to be enough.
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